How much is a Death Certificate at Home Affairs

Last updated: 13 August 2026 (Death Certificate Costs from Home Affairs)
Reviewed by: Road2Asia Visa & Document Services
Information verified against: Department of Home Affairs, South African Government, Government Gazette and DIRCO

The cost of a South African death certificate at Home Affairs depends on which certificate you need. The first abridged death certificate issued when a death is registered is free. According to the official Government Gazette fee schedule, a later reissue of an abridged death certificate costs R20, while an unabridged or full death certificate costs R75.

For most applicants, the simplest way to understand the Home Affairs fee is:

First death certificate at registration: R0
Replacement/reissued abridged certificate: R20
Unabridged/full death certificate: R75

These are government fees. They do not include optional professional assistance, courier services, document retrieval, apostille or authentication services.

Death Certificate Fees at a Glance

Home Affairs service	Government fee
First abridged death certificate issued when the death is registered	Free
Reissue of an abridged death certificate	R20
Unabridged/full death certificate	R75
Reproduction of the relevant death register	R75
Reproduction of supporting documents linked to the register	R75
Certain government-requested official verifications	Free where the prescribed exemption applies

The official fee notice issued under the Births and Deaths Registration Act specifically lists an abridged death certificate as free, sets the reissue fee at R20, and sets the fee for an unabridged certificate or reproduction of the relevant register or supporting documentation at R75.

How Much Is a Death Certificate at Home Affairs?

If you are registering a person’s death for the first time, the death certificate issued as part of that registration is free of charge. South Africa’s regulations require Home Affairs to issue the informant with a death certificate after the death has been registered, or proof of notification if the certificate cannot immediately be issued.

If the death has already been registered and you need another certificate, the fee depends on the type requested.

A reissued abridged death certificate costs R20, while an unabridged or full death certificate costs R75 under the official government fee schedule.

This distinction is important because the phrases death certificate, replacement death certificate and unabridged death certificate are often used interchangeably online even though they can refer to different Home Affairs services.

Is a Death Certificate Free in South Africa?

Yes — the first death certificate issued when a death is registered is free.

The Government Gazette specifically provides that an abridged computer-printed or handwritten death certificate is free and that no fee is payable when the certificate is issued as part of the registration of the death.

Home Affairs’ own historical reporting also identifies the first issue of death certificates among the civic services provided free of charge.

This does not mean every subsequent copy or every type of death certificate is free.

If you later require another copy or a fuller version of the certificate, a prescribed fee may apply.

How Much Is a Replacement Death Certificate at Home Affairs?

If an abridged death certificate has already been issued and you require a new copy, the official fee notice lists the charge for reissuing an abridged death certificate as R20.

The applicable government fees can therefore be summarised as follows:

Situation	Home Affairs fee
Death is being registered for the first time	R0
Abridged certificate issued at registration	R0
Abridged certificate being reissued later	R20
Unabridged/full certificate required	R75

The R75 fee should therefore not automatically be assumed to apply to every ordinary abridged replacement certificate. The official fee schedule distinguishes between an abridged reissue and an unabridged/full certificate.

How Much Is an Unabridged Death Certificate at Home Affairs?

The prescribed government fee for an unabridged death certificate is R75.

The same R75 fee category in the official schedule also covers certain reproductions of the relevant register and supporting documentation linked to that registration.

Applications for a later death certificate are made using Form DHA-132, which is also commonly referred to in older material as BI-132. The current Births and Deaths Registration Regulations specify DHA-132 as the application form used for this type of certificate request.

Road2Asia Practical Tip

Before applying, establish exactly which version of the death certificate the organisation requesting it requires.

If a bank, insurer, foreign authority, immigration authority, executor or overseas institution specifically requests a full or unabridged certificate, obtaining another abridged copy may not solve the problem.

Likewise, if you only need an ordinary replacement of an existing abridged certificate, do not automatically assume that you need an unabridged certificate.

What Is the Difference Between an Abridged and Unabridged Death Certificate?

There are different forms of South African death certificates, and this is one reason people encounter different prices when searching online.

Abridged Death Certificate

An abridged death certificate is the standard death certificate associated with registration of the death.

South African regulations provide for the issuing of a death certificate after Home Affairs verifies and records the death.

The first certificate issued when the death is registered is free, while the official fee for a later abridged reissue is R20.

Unabridged or Full Death Certificate

An unabridged or full death certificate is requested separately where a more comprehensive official record is required.

The Government Gazette places this type of certificate in the R75 fee category.

South African diplomatic missions also use DHA-132 for applications for an unabridged death certificate where the underlying death has already been registered with South African Home Affairs.

For international use, the precise certificate required should always be confirmed with the foreign organisation or authority requesting the document.

How Do You Get a Death Certificate From Home Affairs?

The procedure depends on whether you are:

1. registering a recent death for the first time, or
2. requesting another copy of an already registered death certificate.

For a new death registration, South African regulations require the death to be notified using the prescribed death-registration documentation. For South African citizens, notice of death must generally be given within 72 hours.

The process normally follows this sequence:

1. The death is medically certified or otherwise dealt with in accordance with the applicable death-registration procedure.
2. The required Notification of Death documentation is completed.
3. The informant or authorised funeral undertaker submits the death-registration documents.
4. Home Affairs verifies the deceased’s particulars against the National Population Register.
5. The deceased’s original identity document is cancelled as part of the registration process.
6. Home Affairs records the death.
7. A death certificate is issued to the informant, or proof of notice of death is issued if the certificate cannot immediately be produced.
8. A burial order is issued in accordance with the applicable regulations.

The South African government’s public service page similarly confirms that Home Affairs issues a death certificate after receiving the notification of death and that a burial order is required before burial may take place.

What Documents Are Required for a Death Certificate?

The documents depend on whether the death is being registered or an existing certificate is being requested.

Registering a Death for the First Time

For the registration of a South African citizen’s death, the regulations provide for documents including:

• DHA-1663 where the prescribed medical cause-of-death certification has been issued;
• the deceased’s original identity document;
• the original birth certificate where the deceased was a minor;
• a certified copy of the informant’s identity document; and
• the prescribed biometric information where applicable.

An authorised funeral undertaker will often coordinate much of this process with the family.

The current DHA-1663 documentation continues to be used for notification of death.

Applying for a Copy of an Existing Death Certificate

Where the death is already registered and another certificate is required, applicants should prepare:

• completed DHA-132 / BI-132;
• details of the deceased;
• a copy of the deceased’s ID document or passport where available;
• a copy of a previous death certificate, where available, to assist with tracing the record; and
• the prescribed fee.

Home Affairs may require additional identification or supporting information depending on the particular record and application.

What Is Form DHA-132?

DHA-132 is the application form used when requesting a death certificate from an existing registered record.

South Africa’s current Births and Deaths Registration Regulations specifically state that applications for certificates of this nature are made on Form DHA-132 or DHA-154, as applicable, and that a certificate issued as a duplicate must be marked as a duplicate.

For death certificates, DHA-132 is the relevant form.

You may also see it described as:

BI-132
DHA/BI-132
DHA-132

Older Home Affairs and consular material often uses the BI designation, while more recent regulations use DHA.

How Long Does a Death Certificate Take at Home Affairs?

For a newly registered death, the regulations contemplate the death certificate being issued during the registration process. Where Home Affairs cannot issue it immediately, the official must instead issue proof that the death was notified.

A later duplicate, unabridged certificate or manually traced historical record can take longer.

The South African government’s current public death-certificate page does not publish a single guaranteed national processing time for later certificate requests.

Records that require manual or archival tracing can be substantially slower. South African diplomatic missions explicitly warn that tracing older original records held by Home Affairs in Pretoria can be time-consuming.

Road2Asia Practical Tip

Do not rely on a generic website promising that every Home Affairs death certificate will take exactly a fixed number of days.

Processing depends heavily on factors such as:

• whether the death is already correctly registered;
• whether the record is available electronically;
• the age of the record;
• whether manual tracing is required;
• whether the original information matches Home Affairs records; and
• which type of certificate or record reproduction is requested.

If the certificate is required for an urgent overseas, estate or legal process, allow additional time.

Can You Apply for a Death Certificate Online in South Africa?

As of 13 August 2026, death-certificate applications are not listed among the currently available services on the new My Home Affairs Online portal.

The portal currently describes itself as providing selected citizenship and identity-related services and states that additional civic services will be added in future.

Home Affairs is actively working toward broader digital delivery. A July 2026 departmental tender refers specifically to the future @home flagship programme, through which customers are intended eventually to apply for and receive services including birth, marriage and death certificates remotely.

That future programme should not be confused with the services that are already available online today.

For now, applicants needing a South African death certificate should use the currently accepted Home Affairs or consular application channels applicable to their circumstances.

What If the Original Death Certificate Is Lost?

If the death has already been registered but the certificate has been lost, damaged or cannot be located, you do not register the death again.

Instead:

1. Gather as much information as possible about the deceased.
2. Obtain or complete Form DHA-132
3. Include any previous copy of the certificate if one exists.
4. Include the deceased’s ID or passport information where available.
5. Request the appropriate duplicate or full certificate.
6. Pay the relevant prescribed fee.

For a standard abridged reissue, the published fee is R20. For an unabridged/full certificate, the published fee is R75.

What If the Person Died Outside South Africa?

The death of a South African citizen outside the Republic can also be recorded with South African authorities.

The Births and Deaths Registration Regulations provide that notice may be given through a South African diplomatic or consular mission or through a district or regional Home Affairs office in South Africa.

The application may need to include:

• the foreign death certificate or equivalent official document;
• a copy of the deceased’s South African ID or passport; and
• identification and relevant immigration documentation of the person reporting the death.

The diplomatic mission then forwards the relevant documentation to the Director-General for the South African death record to be updated.

Do You Need a Death Certificate for Use Overseas?

A South African death certificate may be required internationally for matters such as:

• foreign estates;
• inheritances;
• overseas pensions;
• insurance claims;
• immigration processes;
• citizenship applications;
• foreign property matters; or
• legal proceedings.

For international use, the foreign authority may additionally require the South African certificate to undergo an apostille or authentication/legalisation process.

DIRCO’s Legalisation Services specifically lists original abridged, unabridged or full death certificates issued by Home Affairs among the South African civic documents that can enter its legalisation process.

The exact legalisation route depends on the country where the certificate will be used and the requirements of the receiving authority.

Before legalising the document, confirm:

1. which version of the death certificate is required;
2. whether the original Home Affairs-issued document is required;
3. whether an apostille or authentication is necessary; and
4. whether further embassy legalisation or translation is required.

How Road2Asia Can Assist With South African Death Certificates

Road2Asia assists clients in South Africa and abroad with obtaining and preparing South African Home Affairs documents for local and international use.

Depending on the circumstances, Road2Asia can assist with:

• death certificate applications;
• replacement death certificates;
• unabridged/full death certificate applications;
• document retrieval coordination;
• Home Affairs documentation;
• DIRCO apostille services;
• authentication and legalisation;
• embassy authentication where required;
• sworn translation coordination; and
• domestic and international courier arrangements.

Professional assistance fees are separate from the government fees of R20 or R75 discussed in this guide.

Road2Asia is a private visa and document assistance company and is not the South African Department of Home Affairs, DIRCO or any South African government department.

Frequently Asked Questions About Home Affairs Death Certificates

How much is a death certificate at Home Affairs in South Africa?

The first abridged death certificate issued when a death is registered is free. A later reissue of an abridged certificate is listed at R20, while an unabridged/full death certificate costs R75 under the official Government Gazette fee schedule.

Is the first death certificate free?

Yes. The official government fee schedule provides for an abridged death certificate to be issued free of charge when the death is registered.

How much does it cost to replace a lost death certificate?

If you require a reissued abridged death certificate, the published government fee is R20. If you require an unabridged/full death certificate instead, the published fee is R75.

How much is an unabridged death certificate in South Africa?

The prescribed government fee for an unabridged/full death certificate is R75.

Which form do I use to apply for a death certificate?

For a certificate requested from an existing death record, the relevant application form is DHA-132, also commonly referred to as BI-132 or DHA/BI-132.

Can I get a death certificate online from Home Affairs?

As of 13 August 2026, death-certificate applications are not listed among the services currently available through the My Home Affairs Online portal. Home Affairs is developing broader digital delivery that is intended to include birth, marriage and death certificates in future.

How quickly can Home Affairs issue a death certificate?

For the initial registration of a death, the regulations provide for the death certificate to be issued during registration where possible; if it cannot immediately be issued, proof of notification must be provided instead. Later duplicate, full or archival applications may require additional processing and tracing.

Can Road2Asia obtain a death certificate on my behalf?

Road2Asia assists clients with South African Home Affairs documentation, including death certificate applications and related international document processes. Contact Road2Asia with the deceased’s available details so that the appropriate application route can first be established.

Official Sources

The information in this guide was researched using primary South African government sources, including:

• Government Gazette — Births and Deaths Registration Act: Notice of Fees Payable: official schedule confirming free initial abridged certificates, R20 abridged reissues and R75 unabridged/full certificates.
• Births and Deaths Registration Regulations: official death-registration procedure, required forms, supporting documents and issuing process.
• South African Government — Death Certificate: official overview of reporting deaths, burial orders and Home Affairs issuing death certificates.
• DIRCO / South African High Commission — Death Certificate: official consular guidance on DHA-132 applications and supporting documentation.
• My Home Affairs Online: official current digital-services portal.
• DIRCO Legalisation Services: official guidance covering Home Affairs-issued death certificates intended for legalisation.

About Road2Asia

Road2Asia Visa & Document Services assists South Africans and international clients with Home Affairs documentation, police clearance certificates, qualification verification, apostilles, authentication, embassy legalisation and other cross-border document requirements.

This guide was reviewed on 13 August 2026 against official South African Government, Home Affairs, Government Gazette and DIRCO sources.

Related Road2Asia Guides

• How to Get a Death Certificate in South Africa
• Unabridged Death Certificate South Africa
• How Long Does a Death Certificate Take at Home Affairs?
• How to Replace a Lost Death Certificate in South Africa
• How Much Is an Unabridged Birth Certificate at Home Affairs?
• How Much Is a Marriage Certificate at Home Affairs?
• How to Apostille a Death Certificate in South Africa
• DIRCO Apostille Requirements for Home Affairs Documents
• How to Get South African Documents While Living Abroad

Need Help Getting a South African Death Certificate?

Road2Asia can assist you with establishing which death certificate you require, preparing the application and coordinating the document for local or international use.

Government fees and Home Affairs processes may change. Road2Asia recommends confirming the applicable requirements at the time of application.