Registration of a Death Occurred at Home

• Shall be informed to the Grama Niladhari within 05 days of the death occurred.
• A report prepared as per Form B24 relevant to each death to be forwarded to relevant Births and Deaths Registrar by the Grama Niladhari.
• Death is registered by the Births and Deaths Registrar who is relevant to the place which the death occurred.
• Form CR02 for the registration of deaths can be obtained by the Registrar. 
• The persons eligible for inform a death
  • The next of kin who was present at the time of death
  • The next of kin who wasgiven attendance care at last at the time of sick
  • When there is no such relation existed
    • A relation of the deceased person who is resided within the registrar division of which the deceased person resided.
  • When there is no such relation existed
    • A person who was present there at the moment of death
    • The resident of the building who was present at the time of death
  • When there is no such person existed mentioned above
    • The person who is engaged in burial, cremate the dead body or doing funeral arrangement in an other manner.
• The death can be registered free of charge within 03 days of the death occurred.
  • There is an ability to register the death after 03 months elapsed from the death and see the details on registration of past deaths for further information.
  • A death certificate is issued free of charge to the informer.
    

** When you received the death certificate, please be kind enough to acknowledge it after going through and checking it.

(Provisions of the Births and Deaths Registration Ordinance No.17 of 1951 is applicable)

Registration of a death occurred in a hospital (Public or Private)

• If the death was occurred in a hospital, it should be informed to the Births and Deaths Registrar relevant to that hospital to register the death.
• The declaration required to inform the death (Registration CR02 Form) should be obtained from the Births and Deaths Registrar.
• Eligible persons to inform for registration of the death
  • A relation of the deceased person
  • A person who was at the place in which the death occurred
  • Medical Officer In Charge of the hospital
• Documents to be submitted
  • Duly filled Registration CR02 Form
  • The report issued by the hospital to confirm the death
• A death can be registered free of charge within the period of 03 months

** When you received the death certificate, please be kind enough to acknowledge it after going through and checking it.

(Provisions of the Births and Deaths Registration Ordinance No.17 of 1951 is applicable)

Registration of a death occurred in a registered estate

• The death should be informed by the following eligible persons to the Superintendent of the estate within 24 hours of the death occurred
• Eligible persons to inform
  • A relation of the deceased person
  • A person who was at the place in which the death occurred
  • The resident of the building in which the death occurred
  • The person who is carrying out the funeral arrangement

• The documents to be forwarded
  • Medical reports of the deceased person if available
  • Clinical reports of the deceased persons if available
  • The death report is recorded by the Superintendant of the estate and forwarded to the Additional District Registrar of the Divisional Secretariat through the District Medical Officer with the certified death report of the superintendant of the estate (Registration CR02 Form) by the Superintendant of the estate.
  • After registration of the death by the Additional District Registrar ,the death certificate is forwarded to the relevant superintendant of the estate.
  • The applicant can obtain death certificate free of charge from the office of the superintendant of the estate.

Registration of a death of a Sri Lankan occurred in abroad in a Foreign Country

• The death of a Sri Lankan or dual citizen at his death, can be registered in a foreign country
• The death is registered by the Sri Lankan Embassy/ High Commissioner office of the country which the death occurred.
• The declaration required to inform the death can be obtained from the Sri Lankan Ambassador/ High Commissioner office
• Eligible persons to inform the death for the registration
  • A relation of the deceased person
  • A person who was at the place in which the death occurred
  • The resident of the building in which the death occurred
• Documents to be forwarded( Should be forwarded the set of original copies and photocopied copies)
  • Required documents to proof as a citizen of Sri Lanka or a dual citizen (Visa /certificate on dual citizenship)
  • Passport of the deceased person (valid as at the occasion of death)
  • Death certificate issued by the same country
  • Hospital record which the cause of death mentioned
  • Certified copy of the birth certificate of the deceased person
  • A document to proof the relationship of the declarant (Birth or marriage certificate as required)
• The fees prescribed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as government charges should be paid by the valid currency of the relevant country.

Registration of the death of a person who was deceased in a foreign country, in Sri Lanka

• If unable to register the death within the period of one year by paying government fees to the Embassy/ High Commissioner office of the relevant country , for registration as a past death after elapse of one year, the following documents can be submitted to the Embassy/ High Commissioner office of the country which the death occurred. It shall be forwarded to the central record room at Maligawatta by the relevant embassy for approval.
• As such the death has not been registered by the Embassy/ High Commissioner office situated in a foreign country , the death can be registered by submitting documents to the central record room at Maligawatta.
• The declaration required to inform the death shall be obtained from the Consular division of the central record room at Maligawatta.
• The deceased person should be a Sri Lankan or a holder of dual citizenship.
• If the spouse, mother , father ,sibling ,child or any of them of the deceased person are not available, the party which is enthusiastic on that matter can be presented as the declarant for the registration of the death.
• Documents to be forwarded( Should be forwarded the set of original copies and photocopied copies)
  • Duly filled declaration
  • Foreign death certificate
  • If the cause of death was not mentioned in the death certificate, the report which was the cause of death mentioned.
  • Birth certificate of the deceased person
  • Passport of the deceased person
  • If the dead body has brought to this country, the cargo receipt
  • A document to proof the relationship of the declarant( birth certificate ,marriage certificate as required)
  • If the funeral take place in Sri Lanka, the transport bills
  • The letter issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (If the funeral take place in Sri Lanka)
  • Photocopied copy of the National Identity Card of the declarant
  • An envelope of 9x4 size with the address of the declarant and prescribed stamps fixed.
  • The receipt which was obtained from the Consular division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs by paying Rs.8180/- as registration fees.
  • Translations of the documents which are in other languages except Sihala, English and Tamil languages.

          Should be forwarded

• The required information can be obtained from the Deputy Registrar General of the Central Record Room of the Registrar General’s Department . Telephone No.: +94 112 329 773 or +94 112 433 075/0718255066

Registration of a past death

• Such death can be registered when it was not registered within the period of three months of the death occurred.
• The declaration relevant to the death should be handed over within the period not more than 25 years from the death occurred.(except a sudden death)
• The declaration should be forwarded to the Additional District Registrar of the relevant Divisional Secretariat relevant to the place of death.
• Persons who can be presented for the declaration
  • The next of kin who was presented at the time of death or given attendant care when he was at sick at the last moment.
  • Others who is enthusiastic on that matter.
• The fees for the declaration is Rs.60.00

Alternation of the information included in a death register

• Declaration shall be forwarded to the Additional District Registrar of the Divisional Secretariat relevant to the place which the death occurred.
• Declaration shall be forwarded by one of the persons mentioned below.
  • The person who was provided the information for registration of the incident
  • The confidential person who is known the truth on the matter.
• All the information except the date of registration in a death register ,can be alternated.
• Fees for the declaration is Rs.60.00
• Written evidence for proofing the bona fides of the request made from the declaration shall be forwarded with the declaration.

Registration of deaths of Missing persons/Issuing Certificates of disappearing

As sufficient evidences  are not available to confirm the disappearing of some persons as a death, or  due to the relations are dislike to register a death certificate for those persons , as a result of that,  the relation of them have to face various problems  due to un availability of any registered legal document regarding  the persons who are disappeared.

Provisions has been provided by the following Acts, regarding the issuing of death certificate or a certificate as disappeared for such persons.

• Registration of Deaths (Temporary Provisions) Act No.19 of 2010
• Registration of Deaths Temporary Provisions) ( (Amendment )  Act No.16 of 2016

Request can be made based on the information revealed by the Commission of Registration  and Investigation of deaths of disappeared persons or special president council or the office on disappeared persons ,who were reported as  disappeared as a result of the impacts occurred in Northern  and Eastern  provinces or consequence to the same conflicts or political unrest or civil riots or disappearing make by force or disappearance of the members of tri forces or police who were at the operation   and the persons who were disappeared due to natural disasters or calamity .

Certificate of disappearance should be applied by a relation of a disappeared person.

 N. B - According to the definition of Section 14 of the Act, “ The relation” is,

• The spouse
• Children including adopted children, children of unmarried parents or step - children
• Parents, step- mother, step-father, the person who was  taken the child for adoption.
• Full or half brothers or sisters  or adopted brothers or sisters
• Father-in-law, mother-in-law, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law,sons-in-law, daughters –in-law,
• Grand sons,grand daughters and grand mothers and grand fathers

Method of applying

Application should be made for the registration of  persons who has been elapsed one year from disappearance, “Certificate of  disappearance“ (COA) or certificate of Death, to the District Registrar of the area of which the place of disappeared person resided at last or the area of his permanent residence.

Additional documents to be forwarded with the application (Section 8 b of the Act)

• Affidavit (Annexure 02)
• Grama Niladhari Report
• Other evidences to proof the request
• Certified copies of the determination of the Commissions

Obtaining of certified copies of a death certificate

• The copies of the death certificate shall be obtained from the Divisional Secretariat belonging to the place of death.If the relevant certificate is included in the data system, a certified copy therein can be obtained from any Divisional Secretariat nearby you as well.Copies of certificates from 01.01.1960 to 01. 01. 2020 can be obtained from the system. ( You can confirm whether it is in the data system by checking from your nearby Divisional Secretariat.)
• The required application can be obtained from the district registrar’s division of any Divisional Secretariat or the web-site of this Department.
• Fees Charged
  • When the number, and the date registered of the death certificate is known – fees for one copy : Rs.120.00.
  • When the number and the date registered of the death certificate is not known (As checking of documents not more than two years is required ) - fees for one copy : Rs.250.00.
• Copies of certificates can be applied by making relevant payments to the Divisional Secretariat or forwarding the bank slip which is received by the Bank of Ceylon (Battaramulla Branch) of the Registrar General’s of which payments made to the account No.7039827 and completed application to the relevant Divisional Secretariat.
• If you wish to receive the death certificate via post , it should be forwarded a self-addressed stamped envelope with the application and the receipt which fees has paid as mentioned above
• If the death has been registered, the number of copies of the relevant death certificate applied will be issued according to the amount paid and if the death has not been registered, it is informed by Form B 38 on that matter.

***As such facility to apply copies of certificates by entering https://online.ebmd.rgd.gov.lk via online method is available.

Obtaining translated copies of death certificates

• Information can be obtained from the web site on the regional offices of the Department in which translators are available and can be obtained this service. The offices which the translators are available

• Translations which can be obtained
  • Sinhala-English
  • English-Sinhala
  • Tamil-English
  • English –Tamil

• The time on which applications are accepted : From 9.00 am to 2.30 pm on working days. (Not opened in Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.)
• Applications can be obtained from the offices which the translators are available or downloading from the web site. 
• Documents to be forwarded
  • Duly filled application
  • Original copy of the death certificate or a certified copy of the document to be translated obtained from a Divisional Secretariat
  • If it is obtained from post, a self-addressed stamped envelope of the receiver should be forwarded in addition to the above requirements.
• Translation Charges
  • Rs.600.00 for one translated copy
  • Can be obtained any number of translations
• Time taken : 05 working days
• One day service has not available as yet.