Doctors' responsibilities

When someone dies, a doctor must notify Births, Deaths and Marriages (BDM) of the death within 48 hours.

The doctor must have been responsible for the deceased’s medical care immediately before death, or have examined the body of the deceased after death.

The doctor can notify BDM by completing either a:

cause of death certificate
notification of death.

If the cause of death is known, and a cause of death certificate is completed, there's no need for a notification of death.

If the cause of death is unknown, within 48 hours a notification of death must be completed. The doctor must also complete a cause of death certificate once the cause has been determined.

The certificate must:

provide sufficient detail and all sections must be complete
be legible, with the doctor’s name, address and contact details
show the cause of death - including the duration
include any antecedent causes or contributing conditions - including the duration.

A copy of the certificate must also be given to the funeral director or other person who will be arranging for the disposal of the human remains.

For a copy of the doctor's forms required to notify BDM of a death, email: registrations.bdm@agd.sa.gov.au

Completed forms can be submitted to BDM electronically.

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Burial and cremation forms

A doctor must complete the forms and forward them to the funeral director or the person arranging the cremation or burial.

Use the notes for doctors for detailed information about identification tags and filling in the required forms.

Form 4: Death from natural causes - certificate of a second doctor
Form 5: Death from natural causes - certificate of the doctor conducting post-mortem (non-coronial)
Form 6: Partial certificate of cause of death
Form 7: Certificate of identification of deceased
Form 8: Certificate of doctor dispensing with identification of the deceased

Identification tags

An ID tag with the person’s full name and place of death - written in permanent ink - must be securely attached to the deceased before their body can be moved.

The ID tag can be completed by:

the doctor responsible for medical care immediately before death
another person who personally knew the deceased
a person who is otherwise able to confirm the identity of the deceased.

The ID tag must be large enough to display the name and place of death, and of appropriate material so it can be written on in permanent ink and cannot easily be removed from the body.

The tag needs to be attached to the left arm of the deceased. If this is not practical, attach it to the next position in the following order:

right arm
left leg
right leg
another part of the bodily remains.

Data collection

Information on a death certificate is a primary source for gathering Australian mortality statistics. After a death is registered, BDM sends the certificate to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

Use the Cause of Death Certification information paper and Quick Reference on the ABS website to assist with completing the medical certificate of cause of death.

The ABS also provides guidance for certifying deaths due to COVID-19.

Early loss of pregnancy

You can't register a death with Births, Deaths and Marriages if gestation was less than 20 weeks, or the weight was less than 400 grams (if dates can’t be confirmed).

Early loss of pregnancy commemorative certificates are available for parents. A letter from a doctor or midwife confirming the loss of pregnancy is required. Doctors and midwives can use the statement of early loss of pregnancy template and print on letterhead stationery to ensure BDM receives sufficient information.