UK Death Certificate Apostilles - UK Apostille Services

Our death certificate apostille service at a glance:

We need the original death certificate
Post or hand-deliver (and collect) certificates.

3-4 days and starts from £87 per document
24-hour service from £97 per document

Prices are per document and include the apostille certificate, all fees, and VAT.

We make death certificate apostilles hassle-free

An apostille is an official certificate issued by the UK government that validates your death certificate for use in other countries.

Here’s how we handle the process for you:

Step 1: Send your original death certificate by post or hand delivery (no photocopies accepted)

Step 2: We process your apostille at the FCDO

Next-day service: documents must arrive before 9:30 AM
Standard service: 3-4 working days

Step 3: Receive your apostilled document by tracked courier

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Everything covered in our death certificate legalisation service

When you choose our death certificate apostille service, everything is included in one transparent price:

Secure handling: We accept originals by post or hand delivery (no photocopies) to our Westminster office.
FCDO apostille processing: We submit directly to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office.
Quality verification: We check that your apostille certificate matches your document perfectly.
Free scanned confirmation: You get a digital copy emailed the moment processing completes.
Secure return delivery: Tracked courier service gets your documents back safely.
Customer support throughout: A dedicated advisor handles your case from start to finish.
100% acceptance guarantee: If authorities reject your apostille due to our error, we refund everything (or resubmit documents for free).

No hidden fees. No surprise charges.

For use outside the UK, an apostille is required for death certificates and possible legalisation of wills and other probate documents for foreign authorities.

We provide apostilles for all UK registrar-issued death certificates, covering England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.

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Our fast-track apostille options

There are three options for getting an apostille in the UK.

Option one: 1 day (next business day)

Documents must arrive before 9:00 am for the next-day service.
Documents can be collected around 3:30 pm the next day.

Option two: 3 to 4 days:

If documents arrive after 9:30 am, it will take 3-4 days

Option three: e-Apostille 5 to 48 hours

If the document qualifies for an e-apostille, it is usually completed within 24 hours but can take two working days, depending on the FCDO’s workload.

Supporting overseas death registrations

Need to register a UK death with foreign authorities? We handle the requirements for dual citizenship cases and overseas estates.

Complete support includes:

Embassy coordination – liaison when extra legalisation is needed beyond apostilles
Non-Hague countries – UAE, Thailand, Vietnam, Qatar require additional authentication steps that we coordinate
Translation services – sworn translations when required
Single point of contact – no juggling multiple agencies

The process differs by destination. Countries that accept apostilles only need FCDO authentication, while non-member countries require additional embassy steps.

Example of what UK death certificates look like (image credits: see references)

Why choose LAS Ltd

We’ve been helping families with death certificate apostilles for over 15 years. That experience matters when you’re dealing with something this important.

What makes us different:

Central London location – Westminster office opposite St. James’ Park tube
100% acceptance guarantee – full refund if authorities reject due to our error
Foreign Office expertise – insider knowledge prevents delays
Extended hours available – flexible arrangements with advance notice

Bereavement doesn’t follow office hours, and neither do we.

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Trusted apostille support when you need it most

One advisor handles your entire case. No transfers between departments. No explaining your situation multiple times.

4.9-star rating across 250+ Trustpilot reviews from families during difficult moments. We treat your documents – and your circumstances – with respect.

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Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

Common questions about death certificate apostilles:

Is a death certificate required by law?

Yes, the registration of a person’s death is a legal requirement in the UK, and it is a criminal offence not to register a death. You need to register a death so that you can legally dispose of the remains (Funeral Burial) for inheritance matters and government administrative purposes. [4]

Why is an apostille for a death certificate needed?

You may be asked to get an apostille if you need to use the death certificate in other countries. The apostille certificate will verify the death of a person to the requesting authority in another country. Having a verified document enables you to deal with a person’s assets or bank accounts that are located outside of your own country.

Who can order a death certificate?

A relative can request a death certificate. This is also the person that registers the death in the UK. Any of the following individuals may also register the death if a relative is not available:

Someone who was there at the time of death
The administrator from the hospital (if the person died in the hospital)
Someone in command of the funeral arrangements

How long does it take to obtain a death certificate?

Death certificates are usually sent 15 days after you register. In case you wish to have it sooner, you will be required to pay £35 for priority service, and in this case, the death certificate will be sent the following day. [5]

How much does a death certificate cost?

A death certificate costs £11. Registering someone’s death is free, but each copy of the death certificate is charged. [5]

How many death certificates are required?

The number of death certificates you’ll need depends on your circumstances. For example, if the estate is particularly complicated, with assets held by numerous financial institutions, obtaining many death certificates might help expedite the probate procedure.

Please note that: Most financial institutions will only accept UK government-issued death certificates – or copies certified by a solicitor or notary public.

Can I use a death certificate issued many years ago?

Yes, certificate age doesn’t affect apostille eligibility. The FCDO processes any UK death certificate that’s an original or GRO-certified copy.

Very old certificates might need signature verification if the registrar’s details aren’t in the FCDO database.

Options:

Order a new copy from GRO (around £12.50, four working days)
Ask the Register Office to send signature confirmation to the FCDO

Signature verification adds 1-5 working days but rarely happens.

Do I need to attend in person to have my death certificate apostilled?

No, you don’t need to visit our office. Most customers post their documents using Royal Mail Special Delivery, which provides tracking and insurance up to £2,500.

If you do want to visit, our Westminster office is open Monday to Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM. We can extend hours with advance notice if needed.

Can you courier my legalised document back to me?

Yes. UK delivery by Royal Mail Signed For or DHL (included in fees). International delivery by DHL Express, 2-5 working days (additional charges apply, quoted before processing).

We can’t currently deliver to Russia, Ukraine, or Belarus due to service restrictions.

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References

This article has been written by experts and fact-checked by experts. We only link to high-quality sources like government information & data, original reporting, and interviews with industry experts. Reputable publishers are also sourced and cited where appropriate to support the facts within our articles.

[1] Correct a death registration
https://www.gov.uk/correcting-a-death-registration

[2] General Register Office (GRO)
https://www.gov.uk/general-register-office

[3] Register a death
https://www.gov.uk/register-a-death

[4] Births and Deaths Registration Act 1953
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Eliz2/1-2/20

[5] Order a death certificate
https://www.gov.uk/order-copy-birth-death-marriage-certificate

Image credits:

Annette Carell – Death Certificate (1967).jpg
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annette_Carell#/media/File:Annette_Carell_-_Death_Certificate_(1967).jpg

Death Certificate of Evelyn Beatrice Hall.jpg
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Death_Certificate_of_Evelyn_Beatrice_Hall.jpg

Death certificate of Thomas Alexander McBean stating ‘ Atrophy from Albuminuria ’ as a cause of death (Crown copyright, with permission).
https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Death-certi-fi-cate-of-Thomas-Alexander-McBean-stating-Atrophy-from-Albuminuria-as-a_fig3_236659243