Births and Deaths Registration (Northern Ireland) Order 1976

Registration of deaths N.I.

21.—(1) Subject to this Part, the death of every person shall be registered [F1 in a register by any registrar], together with the cause of the death and such other particulars concerning the death as may be prescribed.

(2) Where—

(a) the body of any dead person is found; and

(b) there is not available any information as to the place where he died;

the death shall be registered [F2 by the registrar for the district] in which the body is found.

(3) Where—

(a) the body of any dead person is found in any river, lake, arm of the sea or other area of water; and

(b) there is not available any information as to the place where he died;

the death shall be registered [F3 by the registrar for the district] where the body is brought to land from the area of water in question.

(4) The following persons shall be qualified to give information concerning a death, that is to say:—

(a) any relative of the deceased who has knowledge of the particulars required to be registered concerning the death;

(b) any person present at the death;

(c) the executor or administrator of the deceased's estate;

(d) the occupier, at the time of the death, of the premises in which the death, to the knowledge of the occupier, occurred;

(e) the person finding the body;

(f) the person taking charge of the body;

(g) the person procuring the disposal of the body.

(5) It shall, subject to paragraphs (6) and (7) and to Article 26, be the duty—

(a) of each such relative as is mentioned in paragraph (4)( a); or

(b) if there is no such relative as is mentioned in paragraph (4)( a), of each such person mentioned in paragraph (4)( b); or

(c) if there is no such relative or person as is mentioned in paragraph 4( a) and ( b) of each person mentioned in paragraph (4)( c), ( d), ( e), ( f) and ( g);

to give [F4 to any registrar], before the expiration of a period of five days from the date of a death, information to the best of his knowledge and belief, of the particulars (other than the cause of the death) required to be registered concerning the death, and [F5 of such other particulars as may be prescribed, in the prescribed manner].

(6) Where any qualified informant gives the required information concerning a death [F6 in the prescribed manner] every other qualified informant shall cease to be under a duty to do so.

(7) Where a coroner receives any notification or notice under section 7 or 8 of the Coroners Act (Northern Ireland) 1959 [1959 c.15] in respect of the death of any person or a coroner has been informed of the death of any person and there is reasonable ground to believe that the person has died as the result of an industrial disease of the lungs, paragraph (5) shall have effect as if the words “before the expiration of a period of five days from the date of a death” were omitted.

(8) Where the Registrar General is satisfied, after such inquiry as he thinks necessary, that the correct particulars concerning a death are available, he may authorise the registration of the death even if the information is not given by a qualified informant.

F1 Words in art. 21(1) substituted (3.10.2011) by Civil Registration Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 (c. 20), ss. 9(2), 34; S.R. 2011/323, art. 2(d)

F2 Words in art. 21(2) substituted (3.10.2011) by Civil Registration Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 (c. 20), ss. 9(3), 34; S.R. 2011/323, art. 2(d)

F3 Words in art. 21(3) substituted (3.10.2011) by Civil Registration Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 (c. 20), ss. 9(3), 34; S.R. 2011/323, art. 2(d)

F4 Words in art. 21(5) substituted (3.10.2011) by Civil Registration Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 (c. 20), ss. 9(4)(a), 34; S.R. 2011/323, art. 2(d)

F5 Words in art. 21(5) substituted (16.11.2012) by Civil Registration Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 (c. 20), ss. 9(4)(b), 34; S.R. 2012/406, art. 2, Sch.

F6 Words in art. 21(6) substituted (16.11.2012) by Civil Registration Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 (c. 20), ss. 9(5), 34; S.R. 2012/406, art. 2, Sch.