A New Zealand death certificate is issued by Births, Deaths and Marriages once the death is registered. In New Zealand the certificate on its own is usually enough. Overseas, banks, pension offices, land registries and consulates usually want the official certificate with an apostille (or authentication, depending on the country). We order the certificate for you as an approved BDM Online organisation, prepare it for the country and courier it anywhere. Ordered and posted in NZ from NZ$79, or apostilled and sent to the UK from NZ$244, all in.
Just need the certificate in New Zealand?
Many families only need a death certificate for a bank, KiwiSaver, insurer or lawyer here. We order the official certificate for you and post it, from NZ$79 all in. Tell us the name and date of death, sign our short letter of authority and we take it from there. Need several copies? We order them together. You can also order and pay for a death certificate online in a couple of minutes.
When a death certificate has to travel
Most death certificates never leave New Zealand. The ones that do usually go to an office that has never seen a New Zealand certificate before, and that office will do exactly what its checklist says. These are the situations we see most:
A pension or benefit overseas
Stopping a foreign state pension, or claiming a survivor's or widow's pension from the country the person worked in.
Money or property overseas
Closing a foreign bank account, transferring shares, or dealing with a house or land in another country.
Registering the death back home
Many countries expect a citizen's death abroad to be recorded with their own registry or consulate.
Remarrying overseas
A widowed person marrying abroad is usually asked for their late spouse's death certificate alongside a Certificate of No Impediment.
Insurance claims, citizenship by descent and inheritance cases can need it too. If it's going overseas, tell us where and why, and we'll tell you exactly what the office will expect.
The certificate, not the copy
This is where families most often lose time. Births, Deaths and Marriages can issue two different things: the death certificate, which is a legal document, and a copy of the death record (sometimes called a printout), which has more detail but is not a legal document. The copy is mainly for family history. Overseas offices want the certificate.
The same goes for photocopies, scans and copies certified by a JP: an overseas bank or pension office will usually refuse them, and a JP-certified copy can't be apostilled. We order the right document from the start, so it's accepted the first time.
How it works with us
You fill in one form. We do the rest.
- Tell us the countryAnd who's asking for it. We confirm the route.
- We order the certificateDirectly from BDM, as many copies as you need.
- Apostille or authenticationChecked first, so it isn't sent back.
- Translation, if requiredArranged at the right step.
- Tracked deliveryTo you, your lawyer or the overseas office.
You sign our short online letter of authority so we can order on your behalf. If you're acting as executor or administrator, we may ask for the document that appoints you.
What it costs
| Your situation | All in from |
|---|---|
| Death certificate ordered and posted to you in NZ | NZ$79 |
| Death certificate ordered, apostilled and sent to the UK | NZ$244 |
| You already have the official certificate, apostilled and returned in NZ | NZ$148 all in |
| Several certificates, urgent, authentication, other countries, translation | Quoted all in |
Prices include government fees and GST. Your quote shows one total before any work starts. See pricing.
Order more than one
A lot of overseas organisations keep the original you send them. A bank in one country, a pension office in another and a land registry in a third can easily mean three certificates. Ordering them together, apostilled in one go, is quicker and cheaper than coming back for another one in two months. We'll help you work out how many you need.
Apostille or authentication? It depends on the country
| Route | Common destinations |
|---|---|
| Apostille | United Kingdom, Australia, United States, Canada, Ireland, Italy, Spain, Germany, France, Netherlands, Croatia, Serbia, Philippines, India, China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Indonesia, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, South Africa |
| Authentication | United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Malaysia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Egypt, Taiwan, Nigeria |
| Authentication + embassy | Iraq, Ethiopia, Cameroon, Tanzania, Uganda, Afghanistan and others |
We confirm the route for your exact country before anything is lodged. See Apostille vs Authentication.
Mistakes we catch before they cost you weeks
- Sending the copy of the death record instead of the certificate
- Sending a photocopy or a JP-certified copy
- Getting an apostille when the country needs authentication
- Choosing an e-apostille when the overseas office wants paper
- Ordering one certificate when three organisations each want to keep one
- Forgetting a translation the overseas office asked for
Death certificates often complete a family line: see NZ death certificates for Irish citizenship by descent and NZ documents for Italian estates and registration. Estate or super fund in Australia? See NZ death certificates for Australian estates.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get a death certificate in New Zealand?
Death certificates are issued by Births, Deaths and Marriages once the death has been registered. We order it for you as an approved BDM Online organisation and post it to you, from NZ$79 all in. You don't need a login or an office visit, and you don't need to be in New Zealand.
Will an overseas bank or pension office accept a NZ death certificate?
Usually only the official certificate, and often only with an apostille or authentication. A photocopy, a scan or a copy of the death record is commonly refused. We check what the receiving office needs before anything is lodged.
What is the difference between a death certificate and a copy of the death record?
The death certificate is the legal document. A copy of the record (sometimes called a printout) holds more detail but is not a legal document and is mainly used for family history. For an estate, a bank or a pension overseas, you need the certificate.
Can a NZ death certificate be apostilled?
Yes, the official certificate can be apostilled for Hague Convention countries, or authenticated for countries such as the UAE, Thailand and Malaysia. We confirm the right route for the country and handle it.
I live overseas. Can you order it and send it to me?
Yes. Most of the families we help with this are overseas. We order the certificate, apostille or authenticate it and courier it to you, your lawyer or the overseas office.
Can I order a death certificate for someone who isn't my parent?
Often, yes. If you are acting as executor or administrator, we may ask for the document that appoints you. Tell us your situation and we'll confirm what's needed before you pay.
How many certificates should I get?
One per overseas organisation that wants to keep an original is a good rule. Banks, pension offices and land registries often keep what you send. Ordering them together saves time and courier costs.
How long does it take?
About 3 weeks for the apostille, or about 1 week with the urgent service where eligible. Allow a little extra for the certificate to be ordered first. Tell us your deadline and we'll tell you straight away whether it's achievable.
The death was many years ago. Can you still help?
Older records are held differently. Tell us the name, the approximate date and what the certificate is for, and we'll confirm what's possible before you pay anything.
Sources
Checked against official New Zealand Government information on 11 October 2026.
NZ Document Assist Limited is an independent company, not a government agency. We are not a law firm, Notary Public or licensed immigration adviser, and we do not give legal advice on estates or probate.