When someone dies, there are a few official steps that need to be taken before funeral arrangements can go ahead. One of these is registering the death.
The death should be registered within five days of the Registrar receiving formal notification of the cause of death from the Medical Examiner or HM Coroner. Please note that you won’t be able to make an appointment until the Medical Examiner has sent the required documents to Kingston Register Office.
Which Register Office to use
The registration must take place in the district where the death occurred. If the death happened within the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames (e.g. at Kingston Hospital), this will be at Kingston Register Office (see directions below).
Appointments are required — you cannot register without one.
Who should register
The person who registers the death will usually be a spouse, civil partner, close relative or friend of the person who has died. It can also be done by the person arranging the funeral (for example, the Executor).
It’s best if no more than two people attend the appointment. If you can, bring any proof of your own identity plus the person’s full name and previous names, date and place of birth, last address, occupation, and the name of their spouse or civil partner.
Booking the appointment
Once Kingston Register office has received the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death from the Medical Examiner, they will contact you (assuming you are the officially recorded next of kin) to arrange an appointment for you to come in to register the death.
This will only happen once you’ve been informed by the Medical Examiner that the medical paperwork has been sent to Kingston Register Office. There is no need for you to contact them, however if you haven’t heard from the register office or want to just check on things, you can email registrars@kingston.gov.uk or call the office on 020 8547 6196.
Documents you’ll receive
During your appointment, you’ll be asked how many certified copies of the Death Certificate you require. Each copy currently costs £12.50 (as of November 2025).
The Registrar will also email the Certificate for Burial or Cremation (known as the ‘Green Form’) directly to your chosen funeral director so that funeral arrangements can proceed.
The Tell Us Once service
After the registration, the Registrar will provide you with a Tell Us Once reference number. This optional but very helpful service allows you to inform multiple government departments — such as HMRC, DVLA and DWP — all at once, securely and confidentially, rather than contacting each individually.
How to find Kingston Register Office
Death registrations are held at the Kingston Bereavement Hub, Main Gate Entrance, Kingston Cemetery & Crematorium, Bonner Hill Road, Kingston KT1 3EZ. You’ll find Bonner Hill Road off Hawks Road, not far from the Fairfield Recreation Ground or Cambridge Road. Free parking is available onsite. The office is just on the right hand side as you enter the gates of Kingston Cemetery & Crematorium.
We’re here to guide you
At White Rose Modern Funerals, we understand that even straightforward steps like registering a death can feel daunting in the days following a loss. We’re here to guide you through each stage of the process and help with all the practicalities of arranging a funeral.
If you’d like some advice or reassurance before contacting Kingston Register Office, please don’t hesitate to get in touch — we’re here to help. You can also find out more on this website about cremation funerals and burial funerals.
