How do you get a death certificate in Delhi?
Report the death to the registrar of the area where it happened, within 21 days. The registrar records it and issues the death certificate. In Delhi that registrar sits with the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) or the Delhi Cantonment Board, depending on the location.
Who reports depends on where your loved one died. For a death in hospital, the medical officer in charge reports it to the registrar where the hospital is located. For a death at home, the head of the household or the nearest relative present reports it. If neither is there, the oldest person present does.
- Hospital deaths: ask the hospital when the certificate will be ready and whether you collect it from the registrar's office or download it.
- Deaths at home: take the doctor's Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (Form 4A), the cremation or burial slip and identity proofs to the local registration office.
- Online: the Registrar General of India runs the Civil Registration System portal (crsorgi.gov.in), used by registrars in many states and union territories. Some local bodies, such as NDMC, also offer their own e-services. Ask your registrar which applies to you.
What documents do you need for a death certificate?
Within 21 days, you usually need proof of death and identity proofs. Registrars may ask for more, so carry originals and self-attested photocopies.
- The MCCD: Form 4 for a hospital death, Form 4A for a death at home.
- In a medico-legal case, the police papers and, where done, the post-mortem report.
- Identity proof of your loved one, such as Aadhaar, voter ID or passport.
- Identity and address proof of the person reporting.
- The cremation or burial ground slip, if the rites are complete.
Before you submit, check that the name, age, address and the names of parents or spouse match the identity documents exactly. A spelling that differs from Aadhaar or a bank record is the most common reason claims are held up later. Fixing it at registration is far simpler than correcting it afterwards.
The cause of death is confidential. Under Section 17 of the Act, the certificate issued to the family does not show it.
How do you get a death certificate in Noida, Greater Noida or Ghaziabad?
The same national law applies in Uttar Pradesh: report within 21 days to the registrar of the area where the death happened. Hospital deaths are reported by the hospital.
In Ghaziabad, the municipal corporation's registrar handles registration, and UP's urban local bodies offer birth and death services through the state's e-Nagarsewa portal. Noida and Greater Noida are run by development authorities rather than a municipal corporation. For a death at home there, ask the doctor who certified the death or the nearest government health centre which registrar covers your sector.
How do you get a death certificate in Gurugram or Faridabad?
In Haryana, the Registrar (Birth and Death) of the municipal corporation, municipality or panchayat for the area registers the death. Hospital deaths are reported by the hospital, so families mainly need to collect the certificate.
The Municipal Corporation of Gurugram has offered online birth and death applications for home events within its limits through its website. For a death at home in Gurugram or Faridabad, ask the municipal corporation's birth and death office about the current process and documents.
Many families in Delhi NCR live in one state and are treated in another. Keep a note of exactly where the death happened, including the hospital's name and address. That single detail decides which registrar, which rules and which portal apply.
What if the death was not registered within 21 days?
It can still be registered, but the steps grow stricter with time. Section 13 of the Registration of Births and Deaths Act sets out delayed registration. The Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Act, 2026 changed the rules for very late cases from 1 October 2026.
- After 21 days but within 30 days: registered on payment of a late fee.
- After 30 days but within one year: needs written permission from the prescribed authority, a fee, and a supporting affidavit or declaration in the form the registrar asks for.
- After one year but within two years: needs an order from a District Magistrate, Sub-Divisional Magistrate or an Executive Magistrate authorised by the District Magistrate, after verification and a fee.
- After two years: needs an order from a Judicial Magistrate of the first class, after verification and a fee.
Late fees are set by each state's rules and differ across Delhi, UP and Haryana. Check the amount at the registrar's office. In Delhi, delayed registration orders are applied for at the SDM office for the area where the death happened. The draft order is sent to the local police station for verification before it reaches MCD.
How do you correct a mistake on a death certificate?
Apply to the registrar who issued the certificate. Under Section 15 of the Act, the registrar can correct an entry that is wrong in form or substance. The correction is added as a marginal note, and the original entry stays.
Common corrections include spelling of the name, a parent's or spouse's name, the address, and the date or place of death. Registrars in UP and Haryana generally ask for:
- A correction application on the registrar's form.
- A copy of the existing death certificate.
- Notarised affidavits, often from the applicant and two witnesses.
- Identity documents showing the correct details.
- A letter from the hospital, or police papers and the post-mortem report in medico-legal cases.
If the registrar refuses, the 2023 amendment lets you appeal to the District Registrar within 30 days. The District Registrar must decide within 90 days.
How many copies do you need, and where will you use them?
Ask for several copies at once. The informant gets one free copy, and more are available for a fee set by the state.
You will need the death certificate for bank accounts and nominee claims, insurance, EPF and pension, property mutation, the legal heir or surviving member certificate, and the final income tax return. Our guide to paperwork after a death explains each step. For keeping track of names and terms, see the glossary.