What to Do When You Receive a Queensland Death Certificate
When a loved one dies, there are many administrative tasks that eventually need attention. One of the most important documents you will receive is the official Queensland Death Certificate.
For families on the Sunshine Coast and throughout Queensland, receiving the Death Certificate is often the point at which banks, superannuation funds, insurers and other organisations can begin finalising the deceased person’s accounts and affairs.
The good news is that you do not necessarily have to contact every organisation individually.
What Is a Death Certificate?
An official Queensland Death Certificate is the formal record of a person’s death. It includes information about the deceased and the registered cause of death and is commonly required when administering an estate or providing formal proof of death.
When a funeral director is involved, they will usually register the death with the Queensland Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages (BDM) on behalf of the family. Queensland requires a death to be registered within 14 days.
At Perry & Oster Funerals, we complete the death registration process as part of the funeral arrangements when applicable.
When Will the Death Certificate Arrive?
After the death has been registered and the certificate application has been processed, the official certificate is posted to the nominated recipient.
Queensland Births, Deaths and Marriages currently advises that standard certificate applications can take up to 10 business days to process, with additional time required for postage. Applications with missing or incomplete information may take longer.
This means families should not be concerned if the Death Certificate does not arrive immediately after the funeral or cremation.
The Death Certificate Has Arrived — What Happens Next?
Keep the original Death Certificate somewhere secure.
Services Australia recommends making copies and having copies certified by a Justice of the Peace where required. Different organisations may have different requirements, so check whether they need to see the original, a certified copy or another form of evidence.
The certificate may be required when dealing with matters such as:
- banks and financial institutions
- superannuation funds
- insurance policies
- utilities and household accounts
- property and estate administration
- memberships and subscriptions
- other organisations that require formal proof of death.
However, there is another service many Australian families do not realise is available.
Australian Death Notification Service: Notify Multiple Organisations
The Australian Death Notification Service (ADNS) provides a central way to notify participating organisations that someone has died.
Instead of repeatedly contacting organisations separately, you can provide the deceased person’s details and select participating organisations that need to be notified.
Some organisations may subsequently contact the authorised person for further information. Depending on the organisation and what needs to be done with an account, this can include a Death Certificate, Will, account or policy number, Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration.
Australian Death Notification Service
Does the Government Automatically Know When Someone Dies?
This is an important distinction.
Do not assume that registering a death automatically closes every government record, bank account, utility, insurance policy or membership.
Services Australia states that it should be notified within 28 days when someone has died if relevant to its services. Its Advice of Death process is used to update records associated with Medicare, Centrelink and Child Support.
Families can notify Services Australia by telephone, through its Advice of Death process or at a service centre.
Services Australia — What to do when someone dies
Who Else May Need to Be Told?
Every person’s circumstances are different.
A useful starting point is to look through the deceased person’s wallet, email, mail and financial records to identify organisations with which they held accounts or memberships.
This might uncover bank accounts, utilities, insurance, superannuation, telephone and internet services, subscriptions, council matters and other memberships.
The Australian Death Notification Service specifically recommends checking sources such as wallets, mail, email and paperwork when identifying organisations that may need to be notified.
What Information Should You Have Ready?
When contacting organisations, it can help to have the deceased person’s:
Full legal name
Date of birth
Residential address
Date of death
Account, membership or customer numbers where applicable
You should also be prepared to provide your own contact details, your relationship to the deceased and, where required, evidence that you have authority to act on behalf of the estate.
What If the Death Was Referred to the Coroner?
The process can be different when a death is being investigated by the Coroners Court of Queensland.
In some cases, the final cause of death cannot be determined immediately. An interim certificate may be issued while further testing or investigation is completed. The final Death Certificate can later be updated when the cause of death is determined.
Families should therefore be aware that a coronial death may take longer to reach the same administrative stage as a non-coronial death.
A Simple Checklist After the Death Certificate Arrives
Once you receive the official Death Certificate:
- Check the details on the certificate.
- Store the original safely.
- Arrange certified copies where required.
- Notify Services Australia where applicable.
- Use the Australian Death Notification Service to identify and notify participating organisations.
- Contact banks, insurers, superannuation funds and other organisations that require separate notification.
- Keep a record of who has been notified and any reference numbers provided.
- Keep important estate documents together for the executor or administrator.
There is no requirement to complete every administrative task on the same day.
Some organisations will simply record the death, while others may require additional documents before an account can be closed, transferred or released.
Help for Sunshine Coast Families After a Funeral
A funeral does not necessarily mark the end of the practical responsibilities following a death.
Families may still have questions about Death Certificates, ashes, cremation documentation, estate administration and who needs to be notified.
Perry & Oster Funerals is a family-owned and independent funeral home based in Kunda Park on the Sunshine Coast, assisting families throughout South-East Queensland.
We provide clear guidance throughout the funeral process, including death registration and information about what families can expect after the funeral.
For assistance with direct cremations, cremation services, burials, natural burials, prepaid funerals or funeral arrangements on the Sunshine Coast, contact Perry & Oster Funerals.
Perry & Oster Funerals
2/19 Endeavour Drive, Kunda Park QLD 4556
Phone: 07 5445 3490
Email: [email protected]