If death occurs in a hospital

Step 1: Obtain Certificate of Cause of Death (CCOD)

When a death occurs, a doctor at the hospital can certify the cause of death if the cause of death is known, and the cause is natural. The doctor will then fill up the CCOD and hand it to the ward nurse. The family can obtain the CCOD from the ward nurse by showing the deceased’s identity card.

If the doctor is able to certify the death, he will issue the CCOD on the spot. If he is unable to certify the death, call the police for the body to be sent to Mortuary@HSA (located at Block 9, Singapore General Hospital) in a police hearse. The family will be notified by the police when to go to the Mortuary@HSA (usually the next day).

If you are unable to contact a doctor, call the police. The body will be sent to the Mortuary@HSA in a police hearse. The family will be notified by the police when to go to the Mortuary@HSA (usually on the next day).

Mortuary@HSA Operating Hours
Monday to Friday: 8:00am – 4:30pm
Saturday, Sunday, and Public Holidays: 8:00am – 12:30pm

What to bring to Mortuary@HSA
• All medical documents related to the deceased
• All medicine consumed by the deceased
• Identification papers of the deceased and informant e.g. NRIC /Passport/ Certificate of Registration of Birth/ FIN card

At the Mortuary@HSA
• The police will let the family know when a next-of-kin needs to be present at the mortuary to identify the deceased’s body.  It will not be necessary for the next-of-kin to directly identify the deceased in the State Coroner’s presence. This is because the investigation officer can do this on behalf of the next-of-kin, after he/she has verified the identity of the deceased with the investigation officer. The State Coroner, in consultation with the duty pathologist, will review the case and determine if an autopsy should be performed on the deceased.
• Where an autopsy is deemed to be not necessary, the next-of-kin can claim the deceased’s body after processing and completing the necessary documents.
• If an autopsy is to be carried out, the investigation officer will let the next-of-kin know when they can claim the deceased’s body.

If the autopsy reveals that the death is unnatural, the police will need to conduct further investigations into the cause of death, and the family will need to assist. Once the investigation is completed, the family will be told by the Police to attend a coroner’s inquiry at the Subordinate Courts.

Step 2: Engage a Funeral Director

After the Certificate of Cause of Death has been obtained, the family may engage a funeral director who will:

(i) collect the body from the home or hospital mortuary
(ii) send the body for embalming if required, and
(iii) deliver the body to the location of the wake

Step 3: Register the Death (this can be done concurrently with Step 2)

Prior to registration, the family should decide whether the body will be cremated or buried, as this information is required when registering the death.

The family will have to register the death at:

•any Police Divisional Headquarters, Neighbourhood Police Centre, Neighbourhood Police Post, in which the operating hours can be found here, or

• the Registry of Births and Deaths

3rd floor, ICA Building
10 Kallang Road S(208718)
Tel: 6391 6100
Working hours:
8:00am – 5:00pm (Monday – Friday)
8:00am – 1:00pm (Saturday)

What to bring to register a death
• Certificate of Cause of Death
• Identification papers of deceased and informant e.g. NRIC/ Passport/ Certificate of Registration of Birth/ FIN card

If the body is referred to the Mortuary@HSA, the death will be registered at the Mortuary@HSA.

Information accurate from NEA SG