How Do I Get a Jamaican Death Certificate From Abroad? (2026 Guide for Families Overseas)

Short answer: Yes. Once a death in Jamaica has been registered, any family member overseas can order a certified death certificate from the Registrar General's Department (RGD) online and have it couriered abroad. If your relative died outside Jamaica, the certificate comes from the country where they died, not from the RGD.

Quick summary

• Deaths in Jamaica are registered locally, then recorded by the RGD.
• Registration usually uses the doctor's medical certificate of cause of death, or a coroner's documents if there was a post-mortem.
• Certified copies can be ordered online and shipped to the US, UK or Canada.
• You'll need the certificate for letters of administration, probate, noting a death on a land title, banks and insurers.

Step 1: Make sure the death is registered

A death certificate can only be issued after registration. In Jamaica this is usually done by a close relative, someone who was present, or the person arranging the funeral, using the medical certificate from the doctor or hospital. Funeral homes often handle it. If the death was sudden, the police and coroner may be involved, which can delay registration.

If nobody at home can attend to it, a family member can often authorise someone in writing. Confirm with the funeral home or the registrar what they need.

Step 2: Gather the details

• The deceased's full name (and any other names they used).
• Date and place of death (parish, hospital or home district).
• Date of birth or age, and parents' names if you know them.
• Your relationship to the deceased and your ID.

Step 3: Order the certified copy

1. Apply through the official RGD website. Avoid third-party sites that just mark up the fee.
2. Enter the details and select the number of copies.
3. Choose international courier or collection in Jamaica.
4. Pay by card and keep the reference number to track it.

Order several copies. Banks, insurers, the Supreme Court and the National Land Agency may each want a certified original.

Died abroad but owned land in Jamaica?

This is common in the diaspora. The RGD won't issue a certificate for a death in Brooklyn or Birmingham. Get a certified death certificate from the local authority, then usually an apostille from that country (US Secretary of State, UK FCDO, or the Canadian competent authority) so Jamaican lawyers, banks and the NLA will accept it.

What comes next for the estate

• There's a will: the executor applies for probate. See our probate from overseas guide.
• There's no will: an heir applies for letters of administration. See our letters of administration guide.
• Land: check the title first. A HowJamaica land title search shows who's on the title and whether there are mortgages or caveats.

Need someone on the ground?

Handling a death from overseas is hard enough. WhatsApp HowJamaica at +1 (207) 613-5240 if you need help ordering certificates, collecting documents in Kingston or checking a family land title.

General information, not legal advice. Procedures and fees change, so confirm with the RGD or a Jamaican attorney.