- Standard copy £12.50, sent four days after you apply; priority £38.50 if ordered by 4pm.
- A search without a GRO reference adds £3.50, and the copy is sent 15 working days after you apply.
- Extra copies cost the same as the first.
- Deaths registered abroad with the FCDO follow a different route.
The fees and timescales
| Service | Fee | When it is sent |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | £12.50 per certificate | Four days after you apply |
| Standard with a search (no GRO reference) | £12.50 plus £3.50 search fee | 15 working days after you apply |
| Priority | £38.50 | Next working day if ordered by 4pm |
Fees checked on GOV.UK on 5 October 2026. Having the GRO index reference number can speed things up; the GRO index reference explains what it is and where to find it.
Four ways to order
| Route | How it works |
|---|---|
| Online | Register on the GRO website. GOV.UK says registration takes around 10 minutes and you need a debit or credit card. This is the fastest route. |
| Phone | 0300 123 1837, Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm. Text relay: 18001 0300 123 1837. |
| Post | Complete the GRO certificate application form and send it to General Register Office, PO Box 2, Southport, PR8 2JD. |
| In person | At the local register office where the death was registered. |
GOV.UK calls online the fastest route. Phone and post suit anyone who would rather not register online, though the page does not say how long the postal route takes, so allow for the delay if you need the certificate for a deadline. The in-person route is only for the office where the death was registered.
Before you order
- Know where the death was registered and the person's full name and date of death.
- Look for a GRO index reference if you want to avoid the search fee and the longer wait; the standard four-day timescale applies when you can supply it, against 15 working days when a search is needed.
- Decide how many copies you need up front. Each extra copy costs £12.50, so asking again later costs the same as ordering several now. We do not say how many an organisation will want, because that varies; ask each one.
- If urgency is real, the priority service costs £38.50 against £12.50.
Deaths abroad, and Scotland and Northern Ireland
GOV.UK says that for deaths registered abroad with the FCDO Overseas Registration Unit, copies cannot be obtained from GRO until November of the following year. The contact it gives is Overseas.RegistrationUnit@fcdo.gov.uk.
In Scotland, certificates cost £12 with extra copies at £10, and ScotlandsPeople is the official service; see Scottish certificates. Northern Ireland uses its own register office: Northern Ireland certificates.
Look-alike sites
People order death certificates at a stressful time and often in a hurry, and look-alike sites rely on that. They charge a multiple of the official fee for the same record. Before paying, check that the address you are on is a gov.uk page or the GRO's own site, and compare the price with the £12.50 above. The wider pattern is in websites that overcharge.
The GOV.UK page we opened does not set out a refund rule for a search that finds no record. Ask the GRO on 0300 123 1837 before you reorder.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a death certificate copy in England and Wales?
£12.50 for a standard copy sent four days after you apply, and £38.50 for priority, which is next working day if ordered by 4pm, according to GOV.UK.
What if I do not have a GRO reference?
You can still order. GOV.UK says a search costs £3.50 on top of the £12.50 certificate fee, and the certificate is then sent 15 working days after you apply.
Is the service the same as for birth certificates?
Yes. GOV.UK's General Register Office service covers birth, death and marriage certificates for England and Wales.
Can I order by phone or post?
Yes. The phone line is 0300 123 1837, Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm. By post, send the GRO application form to PO Box 2, Southport, PR8 2JD.
What about a death that happened abroad?
If it was registered with the FCDO Overseas Registration Unit, GOV.UK says GRO cannot supply copies until November of the following year. Contact the unit by email.
Do extra copies cost less?
No. GOV.UK says extra copies cost the same as the first.