If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 111. For free 24/7 support in New Zealand, call or text 1737.
When someone dies, there are practical steps that need to be taken — on top of everything you are already carrying emotionally. This checklist is designed to help you keep track without having to hold it all in your head. You do not need to do everything at once. Work through this at your own pace, and ask someone you trust to help.
Read our full step-by-step guide: What to Do After Someone Dies
In the first hours
- Call a doctor or ambulance if needed (call 111 if the death was sudden or unexpected)
- If the death was sudden or traumatic, contact Victim Support — 0800 842 846, available 24/7
- Contact a funeral director when you are ready — you do not have to rush
- Let close whānau and friends know
In the first days
- Register the death with Births, Deaths and Marriages (BDM) within 3 working days of the medical certificate — your funeral director usually handles this
- Order multiple certified copies of the death certificate
- Begin funeral or tangi planning
- Locate the will and identify the executor
- Notify Work and Income (WINZ) — 0800 559 009 — to stop any benefits and ask about the Bereavement Support Payment
- Notify Inland Revenue (IRD)
- Notify the person’s bank(s)
In the first weeks
- Notify insurance companies (life, health, home and contents)
- Notify the KiwiSaver provider
- Notify the person’s employer and take bereavement leave (3 days for a close family member, 1 day for others under NZ law)
- If the death was accidental, contact ACC
- Cancel subscriptions, direct debits, and memberships
- If probate is required, seek legal advice — Community Law Centres NZ offer free help
Ongoing
- Manage estate administration with the executor
- Arrange property, vehicle, and asset transfers as needed
- Look after your own wellbeing — visit your GP, reach out for grief support
- Contact The Grief Centre (0800 331 333) or Skylight (0800 299 100) if you need support
Key NZ contacts
- Births, Deaths & Marriages: bdm.govt.nz
- Work and Income (WINZ): 0800 559 009
- Inland Revenue (IRD): ird.govt.nz
- ACC: acc.co.nz
- Community Law Centres NZ: communitylaw.org.nz
- Victim Support: 0800 842 846
- 1737 (free counselling): Call or text 1737
Related guides: What to Do After Someone Dies | Grief After a Death | Browse all guides
If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 111. Free 24/7 support: call or text 1737.
Disclaimer: General information only. Does not replace professional legal, financial or medical advice. If you need help, contact your GP or a Community Law Centre.