Farra is a death administration assistant for UK families. Get step-by-step guidance for registering a death, applying for probate, notifying banks, and managing bereavement admin. From essential documents to practical checklists, Farra simplifies estate paperwork and funeral-related tasks so you can focus on what matters.
This guide has not been checked against its sources
We re-checked our most-read guides against GOV.UK and the other official sources in September 2026. This one was not among them, so nobody has confirmed its figures, deadlines or process steps since it was written. Treat it as a starting point and confirm anything that matters on GOV.UK before you act on it.
There is no official answer, and we are not going to make one up. Count the organisations that will ask to see a certified copy: banks, insurers, pension providers, and the probate application. A copy costs £12.50 in England and Wales, and the same £12.50 if you order more later from the General Register Office — so there is no financial reason to over-order at registration, only a convenience one.
| Where | At registration | Ordered later |
|---|---|---|
| England and Wales | £12.50 per copy | £12.50 (standard), £38.50 (priority) |
| Northern Ireland | £8.00 per copy | £15.00 first copy, £8.00 each additional |
| Scotland | Abbreviated certificate free; full extracts charged | £12 from ScotlandsPeople, £10 each additional copy |
England and Wales fees from GOV.UK; Northern Ireland from NIDirect; Scotland from National Records of Scotland and mygov.scot. Council fees in Scotland vary.
Most organizations keep the death certificate copy permanently, so you'll need a separate copy for each organization you contact.
Each insurance company needs 1 copy for:
Always keep at least one certified copy for your own records and for any unexpected requirements that arise later.
Very limited - usually only:
Always ask first - most organizations require certified copies.
Don't try to save money by using photocopies. Most organizations will reject them and ask for certified copies anyway, causing delays in processing your requests.
Total: _____ copies
You do not need to pad the number for safety. A copy costs the same later as it does today, so if you run short you can order more at no extra cost per copy.
You will see "6–8 for a simple estate, 8–12 for an average one" quoted widely, including in earlier versions of this page. No official source publishes those figures. What actually drives the number is how many organisations hold assets in the person's name and whether each keeps the copy, so the list above is a better guide than any range. And because the fee is the same later, guessing high at registration buys convenience rather than saving money.
Order all the copies you think you'll need when registering the death. It saves time and ensures you have them immediately for urgent matters like bank account closures.
4 copies, England and Wales: £50
8 copies, England and Wales: £100
2 extra copies later, standard service: £25
No bulk discount, and no penalty: the fee is per copy and does not change with quantity or with when you order. Ordering more later costs the same per copy — the only cost is the wait. That is a reason not to guess high at registration.
You can order additional certified copies at any time - there's no time limit. However, it takes longer and costs the same per copy.
For urgent needs, the General Register Office priority service costs £38.50 per copy. This is expensive but can be worthwhile for time-sensitive matters like property transactions.
If the deceased had assets abroad, you may need to use UK death certificates internationally. Additional UK government certification may be required.
For use in countries that have signed the Hague Convention, you may need an apostille stamp:
For countries not in the Hague Convention, you may need embassy authentication:
If you know international use is likely, order 2-3 extra certified copies initially. The apostille/authentication process uses up the original certificates, so you'll need extras.
No official source publishes a number. It depends on how many organisations hold assets or accounts in the person's name, and on whether each of them keeps the copy or hands it back.
How to work it out: list every bank, building society, pension provider, insurer and investment platform, add one for the probate application and one for your own records, then ask each organisation whether it needs to keep a copy.
Count the actual organisations rather than using a rule of thumb:
Ask each organisation whether it keeps the copy or returns it — some take a note and hand it back, which changes the total.
None in England, Wales or Northern Ireland. Scotland is different: National Records of Scotland says the registrar gives you a copy of the abbreviated death certificate free of charge.
A certified copy costs £12.50 in England and Wales, at registration or later. In Northern Ireland it is £8.00 at registration, and £15.00 for the first copy plus £8.00 for each additional copy from the General Register Office. In Scotland a full certificate ordered from ScotlandsPeople is £12, with additional copies of the same certificate £10.
1 certified copy per insurance company. If the deceased had multiple life insurance policies with different companies, you need 1 copy for each company.
Most insurers keep the certificate permanently, so you cannot reuse it. They will not accept photocopies - only certified copies with the official seal.
Yes, you can order additional certified copies at any time - there's no time limit. Order online at gov.uk, by phone, or from your local register office.
Cost: £12.50 per copy on the General Register Office standard service, or £38.50 on the priority service. However, it's better to order all you need at registration to avoid delays when closing accounts.
No. UK banks do not accept photocopies. Banks require certified copies with the official registrar's seal for all account closures and probate matters.
Photocopies have no legal validity. Attempting to use them will cause delays as banks will reject them and request certified copies.
Certified copies are official documents issued by the registrar with a raised seal or watermark, cost £12.50 each, and are accepted by all organisations for legal/financial matters.
Photocopies are regular photocopies with no official seal, cost pennies, and are rarely accepted (only for informal purposes like membership cancellations).
Some organisations keep the certified copy they are given rather than returning it, so a single copy cannot be passed from one to the next. Count the organisations that will keep one and order accordingly — and remember you can order more later at the same price per copy.
Don't try to save money with photocopies. Most organizations won't accept them and will ask for certified copies anyway, causing delays.
The best time to order is when registering the death. You get them immediately and avoid postage delays when you need them urgently.
If there are any foreign assets, investments, or property, you'll likely need additional copies for apostille/authentication processes.
Getting the right number of death certificates is just the first step. Our comprehensive guide covers everything you need to do after someone dies.
Order certificates at registration to get them immediately
Fix mistakes before ordering multiple expensive copies
Banks typically keep the certificate - you'll need separate copies
Probate applications require certified death certificates
First extract is free in Scotland - different pricing structure
Certificates in Northern Ireland cost £8.00 at registration
Complete checklist of tasks requiring death certificates
Full list of organisations that need certified copies
Banks require certified death certificate copies to close accounts
Insurance companies need certified copies to process cancellations