How to get a death certificate in Ontario

After a death, people start asking you for proof. The bank asks. The insurance company asks. Ontario has more than one document that proves a death — and they come from different places, at different speeds. This page explains what each one is, who can order it, what it costs, and how long it takes.

Two kinds of proof

Proof of death from the funeral director. The funeral director gives you copies of a proof-of-death document. These come before the government’s certificate is available, and you can use them in certain situations.

The Ontario death certificate. This is the government’s document. It holds the details of a death that took place in Ontario. You can use it for some insurance purposes and to cancel government ID. It comes from ServiceOntario, and it takes time.

Which one will a bank or company accept? The province does not publish a list — it says only that some organizations may require the official certificate. So ask each place which document it needs. Executors usually order several copies — banks and registries each want to see one.

The death must be registered first

A death certificate cannot be issued until the death is registered. You can send in your application at any time — but the certificate only comes after registration.

The funeral director usually looks after registering the death. Two forms go to the local municipal clerk’s office: the Statement of Death (the funeral director completes it — usually with a family member) and the Medical Certificate of Death. A family member can also register the death without using a funeral provider.

Here is the part that surprises people: registration itself can take up to 16 weeks from when the forms reach the Office of the Registrar General. Order early — the wait for the certificate sits on top of that.

Who can order one

Anyone can order an Ontario death certificate. There is no rule about who may apply, and no limit on how many copies you can order.

One related document is different. A certified copy of death registration can only be ordered by the closest family (next of kin) or by someone authorized to act for them — and that person must show proof they are allowed. It is used for some jobs, such as settling an estate outside the country.

What it costs and how long it takes

The fastest way to order is online. For the death certificate:

Service	Time	Fee
Regular online	15 business days, plus delivery by Canada Post	$15
Premium online	5 business days, courier delivery included	$45
Emergency, in person	5 business days, courier included — if the death is registered	$45

The emergency service is in-person only, at one ServiceOntario centre: 47 Sheppard Avenue East, unit 417, Toronto. You must show proof that the request is urgent.

You can also apply by mail, using the Request for Death Certificate application form. Mail takes 6 to 8 weeks, the document comes back by Canada Post, and no service guarantee applies. Check the current mail fee with ServiceOntario before you send.

For the certified copy of death registration: $22 regular online, $52 premium online, $52 emergency, and $22 by mail. The version that includes cause-of-death information cannot be ordered online.

One more tool: if you do not know the exact date of death, you can order a death search letter. It costs $15 for every 5-year period searched.

Why executors need it

The probate application package includes proof of death — usually the death certificate. And the death certificate does a second job: the person’s name must appear on the court forms exactly as it does on that certificate, character by character. A mismatch is one of the common reasons applications get sent back.

One honest note: our software builds the probate court forms from your answers. It does not order death certificates — you order those from ServiceOntario yourself.

The takeaway

Order early, because the certificate cannot come before the death is registered — and registration alone can take up to 16 weeks. Anyone can order, there is no limit on copies, and most executors need several. When in doubt about which document a bank or company will take, ask them — the province does not decide that for them.

Related guides

• Executor duties in Ontario
• How to probate a will, step by step
• Probate in Ontario: the plain-words overview
• When is probate required in Ontario?

Sources

• Get or replace an Ontario death certificate (ontario.ca) — fees, times, and who can apply
• How to get a copy of an Ontario death certificate online (ontario.ca)
• What to do when someone dies (ontario.ca) — registering a death

All sources checked 16 August 2026.