After a Death: First Steps When Someone Dies
Last updated on July 7, 2022On this page:
- What do I need to know?
- Someone has died, what do I do?
- How do I honour their wishes?
- What happens to their body?
- What documents do I need?
- How do I register it or get a death certificate?
- Where can I access support?
- What does the Coroners Service do?
- Who do I contact if someone died outside of B.C.?
- Who do I contact if someone from elsewhere died in B.C.?
Telephone: 1-877-779-2223 BC Bereavement Helpline & BC Victims of Homicide
Offers you care and support when going through grief. See more in Emotional Support.
Telephone: 1-800-277-9914 Service Canada
You may qualify for financial help such as a Death Benefit. See more in Financial Support.
What do I need to know about dealing with a death?
You may be feeling overwhelmed with decisions and confusion. You may be in personal distress. You can get support whether you’re having a hard time or just need someone to talk to.
Each death is different. Handling the affairs of someone who died is also different. You will make many decisions. The process can take a few months or many years. Not everything here will apply to you, but it will point you in the right direction.
An employee in B.C. gets up to three days of unpaid leave when an immediate family member dies. Talk to your employer about time off work. There are also financial support options.
An executor or administrator is responsible for tasks involved with a death. Friends or family can support these tasks. A will may name an executor. If there’s no will, you can apply to handle the estate.
You can use a journal to stay organized, or print the After a Death Checklist (PDF, 3.8MB) which lets you check off tasks and make notes. Many people find this helpful. Keep it in a safe place. Collect important documents and keep them in the same place.
Someone has died, what do I do?
If someone has died, these are the steps you can take:
- If the death was expected, talk to the medical professionals
- If the death was unexpected, contact emergency services (Call 9-1-1) or the BC Coroners Service
- Let important people know, this could include family or friends
- Find the will and estate information, determine the executor or administrator
- Decide if you want to use a funeral home (see also "What happens to their body?")
- Register the death and get the death certificate(s)
- Plan a funeral or memorial
- Get financial or emotional support
- Cancel services and accounts for the person who died
How do I honour their wishes?
If the person who died had a will, it may include instructions for an event or memorial.
If the person who died did not have a will, an administrator may need to handle the estate and decide how to honour their wishes.
Learn more at Funerals & Memorials. See also Searching for a Wills Notice.
What happens to their body?
The physician or coroner will tell you when the person’s body can be moved, often to a funeral home.
If an Expected Death at Home form was filled out by a physician or nurse practitioner, the person’s body can be moved without talking to a coroner. Learn more at Expected/Planned Home Deaths.
The only person who can allow a funeral director to move the body is
- The person named in the will or
- The person authorized by the Cremation, Interment and Funeral Services Act: section 5(1).
Private Transfer
If you want to privately transfer the remains to a funeral home, crematorium or cemetery, see Consumer Protection BC’s information on private transfers. Service BC (1-888-876-1633) may assist in providing information on getting a permit for a private transfer.
- See also Private Burial
Donation
The person who died may have been registered as an organ donor.
Some people choose to donate their body for research or study.
What documents do I need?
This is a list of documents that are useful when dealing with a death. Since every death is different, you might not need everything listed.
- Death certificate
- Will
- Passport
- Identification cards, which may include Social Insurance Card, driver’s license, BC Services Card, or others
- Birth certificate
- Letters of probate or administration
- Property documents
- Title/deed
- Tax and lease information
- Mortgage statements
- Vehicle ownership and registration
- Financial information
- Bank cards or statements
- Tax information
- Line of credit or loan statements
- Investments and shareholder agreements
- Stock and bond certificates
- Insurance policies, group benefits coverage
- Citizenship, residency or immigration documentation
- Marriage certificate, divorce or separation papers
- Retirement accounts and pension statements
How do I register a death or get a death certificate?
Register a Death
A funeral home typically registers a death. If you don’t work with a funeral home, you can register the death at a Service BC location or through the Vital Statistics Agency (1-888-876-1633) once you have the Medical Certificate of Death from a coroner or physician.
You will need information about the person who died:
- Full legal name
- Date of birth
- Birthplace
- Personal Health Number
- Social Insurance Number
- Occupation
- Spouse’s name and maiden name, if applicable
- Full name of father and father’s birthplace
- Full name of mother (maiden name) and mother’s birthplace
- Method of disposition (burial or cremation)
Order a Death Certificate
A death certificate is a piece of paper that is used as proof of death and contains information from the death registration. The number you need to order will depend on the services you need to access or cancel. In many cases, you can make your own copies, but some services require a certified copy. A Notary can make copies for a fee. See Who to Notify. Anyone can order death certificates at any time from the funeral home (if used) or by contacting the Vital Statistics Agency (1-888-876-1633).
Where can I access financial or emotional support?
- See Get Support for financial and emotional support resources
What does the Coroners Service do?
The BC Coroners Service investigates deaths that are
- Unnatural
- Sudden and unexpected
- Unexplained
- Unattended
It also investigates child deaths, deaths in custody and deaths in designated institutions. It makes suggestions to improve public safety.
To report a death to the Coroners Service
- Call 1-855-207-0637
If you are a victim of a crime, the Crime Victim Assistance Program may be able to provide you with support.
Who do I contact if someone dies outside of B.C.?
Another Province
If a person dies outside of B.C. but within another province, contact the medical professionals, emergency services, or a coroner.
You will need to decide whether you want to
- Hold a funeral or memorial event in that location, or
- Transport the remains
You can transport human remains by air using major airlines in Canada. A funeral home can arrange this for you. You can also use delivery services such as Canada Post. Contact the method of transportation to see what their regulations and restrictions are. You can arrange for cremation prior to transportation. Depending on the province, you may be able to get a permit to transport the remains in other ways.
Another Country
If a person dies outside of Canada, contact the nearest embassy or consulate:
See the first steps to take when someone dies outside of Canada:
Who do I contact if someone from another country or province dies in B.C.?
Another Province
- See “Someone has died, what do I do?”
- See ”Who do I contact if someone died outside of B.C.?” for information on transporting the person who died
Another Country
- See “Someone has died, what do I do?”
- Ensure the death has been registered.
- Order a Death Certificate
Contact the country’s embassy or consular representative in Canada:
You may want to contact the Canadian embassy in the country the person died in.
Related
After a Death Checklist (PDF, 3.8MB)
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