Get a death certificate (including late registration of a death)
Directorate of Civil Registration Services · sources read 30 Sep 2026
Apply for the death certificate on eCitizen, at any sub-county civil registration office or at a Huduma Centre, using the burial permit and your own ID. The certificate costs KSh 200.
- Fee
- KSh 200Death certificateKSh 500Late registration of death (plus KSh 200 for the certificate)KSh 1,000Changing details in the death register
- How long
- About 1 working day, according to the Civil Registration service charter
- Where
- Online on eCitizen (Civil Registration Services), any sub-county civil registration office, or a Huduma Centre
What you need
- The burial permit
- Your own ID (the person applying)
- No burial permit? The name of the person who died, and the date and place of death
- Late registration: the original ID of the person who died
- Late registration: medical record from the hospital
- Late registration: a sworn affidavit by a relative on the details of the person who died
- Late registration: a letter from the assistant chief of the area where the death happened
- Late registration: filled late registration forms
Steps
- Get the burial permit and your ID ready. If the permit is missing, have the name of the person who died and the date and place of death.
- Apply on eCitizen (dcrs.ecitizen.go.ke), or go to any sub-county civil registration office or Huduma Centre.
- Pay KSh 200 for the death certificate.
- If the death was not registered within six months, it is a late registration: bring the extra documents and pay KSh 500 plus KSh 200 for the certificate.
Watch out
- Don't wait. After six months it becomes a late registration, which needs more papers and costs more.
- For an unnatural death, a late registration also needs a police report.
- Check the details carefully. Changing details in the death register later costs KSh 1,000.
Who can apply
- Relatives of the person who died, employers, estate administrators and others
- Late registration is for deaths not registered within six months of the date of death
Official sources (4)
- Current Death usajili.go.ke · read 30 Sep 2026
- Late Death usajili.go.ke · read 30 Sep 2026
- Civil Registration Services - Services Delivery Charter usajili.go.ke · read 30 Sep 2026
- Civil Registration Services - eCitizen dcrs.ecitizen.go.ke · read 30 Sep 2026