Kenya - Obtain a Death Certificate

ProcedureEdit

Apply In-Person:

Visit your local district registrar’s office of where the death occurred to make the application.
Here you will be given a death certificate application form to fill. You can also download the death certificate application form here.Death certificate application form
After filling the form, attach the burial permit to facilitate the search of record at the District Civil Registrars’ Office. You will also be required to attach the deceased’s national identity card.
Attach a death certificate fee of Kshs. 50 and any record amendment fee as advised by the office in case amendments are required on the original record of death. You will pay Ksh 90 for amendment death certificate.
Return the completed death certificate application form with the relevant fee to the District Civil Registrar.
It is issued within 3 days in Nairobi, Mombasa, and Kisumu. In the districts, it takes 1 day.

Apply Online:
On-line applications are available for Nairobi region only. Other regions will be added soon.

Visit E-Citizen
Log in or create account, if you do not have one.
Scroll down and look for civil registration department. Click the get service button
Next click the make application then select death certificate and follow the instructions
You will need to fill in the following information

a) District of death

b) Burial permit number

c) Exact place of death

d) Name of Deceased as per Identity Card

e) Gender

f) Date of Death

g) Age of deceased

h) Occupation of deceased

i) Address of Applicant
Once you have keyed in the required information, click continue to review information.
Click’ ’submit’’’ to submit application and make payment. Choose method of payment.
The fee is 100 which is payable via Mpesa, Airtel money, KCB cash, Equity cash, Debit/ credit/Prepaid cash.
Make the payment then print your receipt of payment.
Submit a copy of your eCitizen invoice to ACK Bishop House for processing to begin. You should present the following to ACK Bishop House for processing to begin.

i. Original ID card of the Deceased.

ii. Burial permit of the Deceased.
The certificate will be ready after three days of processing.

Required DocumentsEdit

Original ID card of the Deceased.
Burial permit of the Deceased.
Notification of death.
Your eCitizen invoice.

Office Locations & ContactsEdit

Department of Civil Registration - Head Office
Hass Plaza 4th Floor, Lower Hill Road,
P.O Box 49179- 00100
Nairobi
Tel: +254-20-2714987/8
Fax: 2714989
Email; [email protected]
Website: link

EligibilityEdit

All people who die within Kenyan borders are eligible for a death certificate, and this can be processed by a relative or next of kin, an inmate of a house where death occurred, any person who finds or takes charge of the body.

FeesEdit

Death Certificate with no amendments - Kshs 50.00
Death Certificate with amendments - Kshs 130.00
Online application fee- Ksh 100.00

ValidityEdit

Its validity is forever

Documents to UseEdit

Application for a Death Certificate (Form D4) : Application for a Death Certificate Form D4

Sample DocumentsEdit

Please attach sample completed documents which would help other people who would like to follow this procedure.

Processing TimeEdit

May vary depending on complexity of cause of death, but mostly takes one day.
It is issued within 3 days in Nairobi, Mombasa, and Kisumu. In the districts, it takes 1 day.

InstructionsEdit

When a death occurs in which you are the best placed person to obtain the certificate, you should notify the authorities and have the body picked for an examination.
The medical examiner then issues a death certificate describing the cause of death.
In case the death takes place in a hospital, a medical officer who attended to the dead person shall sign the death certificate, stating what he/she believes is the cause of death.

Required InformationEdit

District of death
Province of death
Burial Permit No
Exact place of death
Name of deceased as per Identity Card
Sex
Date of death
Age of deceased
Occupation of deceased
Name and address of the applicant
Cause of the death
Results of a medical examination on the dead body.

Need for the DocumentEdit

A death certificate is an official document issued by the government, which declares cause of death, location of death, time of death and some other personal information about the deceased.
There are several reasons why you may need to obtain a death certificate.

Most often it’s to serve as proof for legal purposes. These reasons may include accessing

i. Pension benefits

ii. Claiming life insurance

iii. Settling estates

iv. Getting married (if a widow or widower needs to prove that their previous partner has passed)

v. Arranging for a funeral
Government officials may need the death certificate to review the cause of death during investigations to determine, if foul-play occurred.
Public health officials use death certificates to compile data on various statistics, including leading causes of death. Public health policies depend heavily on the mortality data from death certificates because they are the only source of information about the causes of death and illnesses preceding death.

Information which might helpEdit

Medical facilities that are authorized to offer death certificates Information can also be obtained from the registrar of births and deaths from the Ministry of Immigration and registration of persons.
You can obtain a death certificate for a deceased relative, house mate, or anyone for whom you took charge of the body.
The process should be commenced as soon as death is confirmed, and should not be later than a month.

External LinksEdit

E-Citizen civil registration service application portal : E-Citizen
Ministry of Interior & Coordination of National Government : Ministry of Interior & Coordination of National Government
Civil registration forms : Civil registration forms

OthersEdit

It is a requirement that death certificates are issued for all deaths that occur within Kenya. The process of obtaining a death certificate is accomplished after a medical examination of the victim.