Death Registration
With respect to registration, it is necessary to classify deaths as natural, sudden or violent. Natural deaths are those where the deceased was being attended to regularly by a medical doctor (within at least three months of death) and where the cause of death is not under reasonable doubt by the medical doctor. Sudden deaths are those for which the deceased was not under the care of a medical doctor within three months of death and/or whose cause of death is under any suspicion of foul play. Violent deaths, as the name suggests are those that occurred under violent circumstances.
All deaths require either one of the following to be completed and certified by a medical doctor, medical officer or pathologist:
- Medical Certificate of the Cause of Death
- Post Mortem Examination Report
- Certificate of Coroner (Form D)
- Coroner’s Certificate of Finding of Jury (Form E)
Natural Death
Natural deaths are those where the deceased was being attended to regularly by a medical doctor (within at least three months of death) and where the cause of death is not under reasonable doubt by the medical doctor.
If a person dies of natural causes at home, you should:
- Report death to the police
- Visit the last doctor who saw the deseased (at least three months before the death.) The physician will complete and sign a Medical Certificate of the Cause of Death
- TheMedical Certificate of the Cause of Death should then be taken to the Local District Registrar, where the death will be registered and the Burial Order issued.
If a person dies of natural causes in a hospital:
- After a death occurs in the hospital, the attending physician completes and signs a Medical Certificate of the Cause of Death.
- The Medical Certificate is then issued to a relative or the person responsible for burial.
- It should then be taken to the LDR, where the death will be registered and the Burial Order issued
Sudden and Violent Deaths
Sudden deaths are those for which the decedent was not under the care of a medical doctor within three months of death and/or whose cause of death is under any suspicion of foul play. Violent deaths, as the name suggests are those that occurred under violent circumstances such as stabbing, shooting and suicide.
Before these deaths are registered, there must be the involvement of the Police.
When a person dies suddenly or violently:
- An autopsy or post mortem is required and a police officer orders this to be performed and is present
- The Pathologist will complete the post mortem
- The police officer issues the Burial Order to the person responsible for burial
- The police will then deliver the Post Mortem signed by the Pathologist or Medical Doctor to the Coroner's Court
- If an investigation is deemed necessary the Coroner will issue a Certificate of Coroner (Form D). This Form D will be used by the Registrar General’s Department’s Local District Registrar (LDR) to register the death preliminarily
- If the Coroner decides that there is no need for an investigation as no foul play is suspected he/she will indicate this on the Post Mortem
- This Post Mortem will be used to register the death with the Coroners Certificate
- As soon as possible after the issue of the Form D and at the option of the Coroner after the requested hearing a Coroner’s Certificate of Finding of Jury (Form E) will be issued identifying who is criminally responsible and the cause of death.
Online: https://apps.rgd.gov.jm/web/Death/lay_deathApplication.cfm
Location: http://www.rgd.gov.jm/?q=locations
Requirements: http://www.rgd.gov.jm/?q=death-registration
*Requirements subject to change without notice. FuneralsInJamaica.com makes no claims regarding the accuracy of the above which is provided for your information.
