Administrative Concerns

Locating a will

If you are unable to locate a will for a deceased person, the Law Society of Tasmania provides a Locating a Will or Deed service to assist.

Coronial Delay

A coroner is a judicial official who investigates the cause of death of a person.  This investigation (inquest) may cause delay in release of a body. Coroners have legal obligations to carry out their duties properly, and to ensure that they know the cause of death of a deceased. Sometimes there may be delays. If the death is from causes that one particular coroner specialises in, there may be a delay in securing their service as they may not have been scheduled for duty. For this reason it is important to check with the coroner’s office before proceeding with setting a funeral date or burial date, as the body may not have been released. Only when you are certain of the date of release of the body should funeral and burial arrangements be made.

Obtaining a Death Certificate

Death certificates are issued by the Registry of Births, Deaths, and Marriages. Applications can be mailed to Service Tasmania, or lodged in person at Service Tasmania. You can also make applications online (see below).

You can apply for a standard death certificate, which contains all the details of the deceased person, or an extract of death, which details the name, sex, and date and place of death only. See the Department of Justice site for how to apply, who can apply, and what identification is necessary for a death certificate application.