A death certificate comes from the registry of the state or territory where the death was registered. This page covers the Northern Territory first: the registry, who can apply, how to apply and what it publishes about timing. The national guide, including how many copies to order, follows.
Death certificates in the Northern Territory
The registry
Births, Deaths and Marriages, Northern Territory
How a certificate is ordered
A certificate can be applied for online, in person at the Births, Deaths and Marriages offices in Darwin or Alice Springs or the Katherine or Tennant Creek court houses, or by mail or fax with certified identification documents.
Territory Services lists the person’s spouse, parents and children as able to apply, and anyone at all where the death happened more than 30 years ago.
For online applications the registry asks for current identification documents, at least one being an Australian passport, Australian driver licence or Centrelink concession card. For mail or fax, copies are certified by a Justice of the Peace.
How the death is registered
The registry states that the death registration statement is usually completed by the funeral director, the person who arranges the burial or cremation, or a local health worker. It also states that all deaths in the Northern Territory must be registered within seven working days after the burial or cremation.
How long the registry says it takes
The registry states that where the application is complete and the death has been fully registered, the certificate is usually issued within 10 business days of the registry receiving it.
Fees
A fee applies for each certificate. The current amounts are on the official page: Births, Deaths and Marriages office fees, NT Government.
Ordering it yourself
Apply for a certificate, NT Government
This is how the process works in the Northern Territory in general terms, as the authority describes it. For your own case, the people to ask are Births, Deaths and Marriages, Northern Territory, or the funeral director, who deals with the registry every week.
We checked the facts for the Northern Territory against the authority’s own pages on 13 September 2026.
The national guide follows. Where it talks in general terms about timing, how fees are set or which office to use, the the Northern Territory section above is the one to rely on.
The two types of death documents
There are two separate documents involved when someone dies, and they are often confused.
The Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD) is completed by the treating doctor at the time of death. It records the cause of death and is used internally by the funeral home and the Births, Deaths and Marriages registry to process the registration. You do not receive a copy of this document and do not need to do anything with it.
The Death Certificate (sometimes called a certified extract) is the official government-issued document that comes after the death is registered. This is the document you will need for banks, super funds, insurance companies, Centrelink, the ATO, and most other organisations.
How many copies to order
Order six to ten certified copies of the death certificate. This feels like a lot, but it is a realistic number for an estate with even modest complexity.
Many organisations require an original certified copy, not a photocopy, and will not return the document once submitted. This means each original you send is permanently used up. Having enough copies prevents you from waiting weeks for more at the exact moment you are trying to move forward.
If the estate is straightforward, six copies is usually sufficient. If the person had multiple accounts, property, superannuation with more than one fund, life insurance, or if family members are located in different states, order ten.
Which organisations need an original
The following organisations typically require an original certified copy of the death certificate: banks and credit unions, superannuation funds, life insurance companies, Centrelink, Medicare, the executor of the estate for probate purposes, the land titles office for any property transfers, and the Department of Veterans' Affairs if applicable.
The ATO is not on that list, and it is worth knowing why before you use a copy on it. If you notify online, you present your documents at an Australia Post outlet and take them home again afterwards. If you notify by mail, you send a certified photocopy rather than the certificate itself. Either way the ATO does not keep an original. Our guide to notifying the ATO after a death sets out what to bring.
Some organisations, including some government agencies, will now accept a certified photocopy, meaning a photocopy that has been certified as a true copy by a justice of the peace or solicitor. It is worth asking before sending an original. But do not assume this will be accepted.
How to order death certificates
Death certificates are issued by the Births, Deaths and Marriages (BDM) registry in the state or territory where the death occurred, not where the person lived.
The funeral home handles the registration of the death as part of their service. Once the death is registered, you can ask the funeral home to order certified copies on your behalf, or you can order them directly from the relevant BDM registry.
Most registries offer online ordering. You will need to provide the registration number, which the funeral home can give you. Copies can be ordered at any time after registration, with no deadline.
Cost by state and territory
The cost of each certified copy varies by state and territory. As a rough guide, expect to pay between $55 and $90 per copy. Fees change periodically, so check the relevant registry website for current prices.
Each registry has its own online ordering system, and this guide has a page for each one: New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania, the ACT and the Northern Territory.
The cost of ordering multiple copies upfront is much lower than the cost of delays caused by running out. Treat it as a necessary administrative expense.
How long does it take
Processing times vary by state and current demand. Published processing times range from about one to three weeks depending on the registry, and priority services exist in most states for an additional fee. The page for your state gives the figure the registry itself publishes.
If you need copies quickly to cover funeral costs through the bank or superannuation fund, ask the funeral home whether they can expedite. Some funeral homes include a set number of copies in their standard service.
If you run out of copies
If you run out of copies weeks or months after the death, you can order more at any time. You will need the registration number, which should be on any copy you already have. There is no time limit on ordering additional copies.
Keep a list of which organisations you have sent originals to, and the date. This helps you track what has been done and flag if any organisation has not acknowledged receipt.
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Last updated 13 September 2026
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