What is the BI-1663 notice of death form and where do I get it?

The BI-1663 (current version: DHA-1663A), officially titled "Notice of Death / Stillbirth", is the prescribed South African form used to register a death with the Department of Home Affairs under the Births and Deaths Registration Act (Act 51 of 1992). You can fill the BI-1663 online for free on FillMeIn and download the completed PDF, or collect a blank copy from any Home Affairs office, public hospital mortuary, or registered funeral undertaker. The form must be completed whenever a death or stillbirth occurs in South Africa. The attending medical practitioner or professional nurse fills in Sections A and B (deceased's particulars and medical certification). As the informant, you verify the deceased's personal details in Section A, complete Section D with your own particulars, and sign the declaration certifying the identity of the deceased. The funeral undertaker completes Section E. Without this form being processed, no death certificate can be issued.

How long do I have to register a death in South Africa?

You must report a death to the Department of Home Affairs within 72 hours of the death occurring. This applies whether the death happens at a hospital, at home, or anywhere else. If you miss this deadline, a late registration is possible but requires additional documentation including a sworn affidavit explaining the reason for the delay, and the process becomes more complicated the longer you wait.

What documents do I need to register a death?

You need the completed DHA-1663A form (with Sections A and B filled in by the medical practitioner), the deceased's original South African ID document (book or Smart ID card) or passport if a foreigner, and the informant's ID document. The form itself states that copies of the deceased's ID and the informant's ID must be included. If the deceased was married, bring the marriage certificate. For unnatural deaths, a South African Police Service case number and police report are also required.

Who can be the informant on the BI-1663 form?

The informant is the person who reports the death to Home Affairs. By law, this should be a family member of the deceased (spouse, parent, child, or sibling), the head of the institution where the death occurred (such as a hospital administrator), any person who was present at the time of death, or the person who found the body. In practice, it is usually the surviving spouse or an adult child of the deceased.

What is the DHA-1663A and how does it relate to the BI-1663?

The DHA-1663A is the current version of the notice of death form (previously known as the BI-1663). It is a single 3-page form that contains all sections: Section A (deceased's particulars), Section B (medical certification by the attending practitioner or professional nurse), Section C (forensic pathologist certificate, if applicable), Section D (informant's details), Section E (funeral undertaker), and Section F (official use). The medical certification of cause of death is built into the form itself — Sections B and C. The doctor or professional nurse who examined the body fills in Sections A and B, and the informant verifies the personal details in Section A and completes Section D.

Where do I submit the completed BI-1663 form?

The completed DHA-1663A (BI-1663) must be submitted at the nearest Department of Home Affairs office. Either the informant or the authorised funeral undertaker may submit it. Many large public hospitals have a Home Affairs desk on-site where deaths can be registered immediately. If the hospital does not have a Home Affairs presence, visit your nearest Home Affairs office during working hours (typically Monday to Friday, 08:00 to 16:00). Some offices also operate on Saturdays. Call 0800 60 11 90 to confirm current hours for your nearest office.

How long does it take to get a death certificate?

One abridged death certificate is issued free of charge on the same day as registration. If you need an unabridged death certificate (which contains more detailed information and is required by some institutions such as banks and the Master of the High Court), you must apply separately using form BI-132 (also called DHA-132) at a cost of R75 per copy — allow 6 to 12 weeks, though it may take 3 to 6 months or longer depending on whether records have been digitised. Death registration itself is free.

What is the difference between an abridged and unabridged death certificate?

An abridged death certificate is a shorter version issued at the time of death registration — it contains the basic information about the deceased and the death. An unabridged death certificate is a detailed version that includes all information from the death register. Some institutions, particularly banks, insurers, and the Master of the High Court, may specifically require the unabridged version for their processes.

What are the most common mistakes when registering a death?

The most common mistakes include: the medical practitioner not having completed Sections A and B of the DHA-1663A before the informant visits Home Affairs, incorrect or transposed digits in the deceased's 13-digit ID number, names on the form not matching the deceased's ID document exactly, attempting to register the death after the 72-hour deadline without an affidavit, not bringing the deceased's original ID document (Home Affairs retains it), and the informant forgetting to sign the Section D declaration. The form must be completed in black ink with block letters — incomplete or illegible forms may be rejected. Our FillMeIn tool validates ID numbers and required fields automatically to help prevent these errors.

What happens if I miss the 72-hour deadline for death registration?

Late registration is possible but involves additional requirements. Within 30 days, you can register at any Home Affairs office with a sworn affidavit explaining the delay. After 30 days but within one year, you need approval from the provincial manager of Home Affairs. After one year, approval from the Director-General of Home Affairs is required, which may involve a court order. The longer the delay, the more difficult and time-consuming the process becomes.

Do I need a police report to register a death?

A police report is only required if the death was due to unnatural causes — such as an accident, violence, suicide, or unknown causes. In such cases, you must have a South African Police Service (SAPS) case number and a certified copy of the police report. The body will also need to go through a post-mortem examination at a state mortuary before the death can be registered. For natural deaths, no police report is required.

What is the difference between the BI-1663 form and a death certificate?

The BI-1663 is the form you complete to report and register a death — it is the input document. A death certificate is the official document issued by Home Affairs after the death has been registered — it is the output. You cannot get a death certificate without first submitting the BI-1663. An abridged death certificate is issued free on the same day as registration. An unabridged certificate requires a separate application (form BI-132, R75) and takes 6 to 12 weeks or up to several months.

Which sections of the BI-1663 do I fill in as the informant?

The BI-1663 has sections A through F. As the informant, you are responsible for two sections: Section A (Particulars of the Deceased) — where you verify and complete the deceased's personal details such as name, ID number, address, and marital status; and Section D (Particulars of the Informant) — where you provide your own details, relationship to the deceased, and contact information. You also sign the declaration. Sections B and C (medical certification) are completed by the doctor or forensic pathologist, Section E by the funeral undertaker, and Section F by the Home Affairs official.

Where can I get the BI-1663 form?

If the death occurred at a hospital, the medical practitioner will complete the BI-1663 and provide it. For non-hospital deaths, the funeral home or mortician typically completes the form and hands it to the next of kin. The form is also available at any Department of Home Affairs office and at most large public hospitals with Home Affairs desks on-site. You can use FillMeIn to prepare your information in advance so the process at the counter is faster.

How do I register a stillbirth in South Africa?

A stillbirth is registered using the same DHA-1663A (BI-1663) form as a death. Under the Births and Deaths Registration Act (Act 51 of 1992), a stillbirth is defined as a child that had at least 26 weeks of intra-uterine existence but showed no sign of life after complete birth. The attending medical practitioner or registered professional nurse completes Sections A and B (a midwife may certify under Section 18 of the Act if they are also a registered professional nurse). The informant (typically a parent) verifies the details in Section A and completes Section D. Section C (forensic pathologist) and Section E (funeral undertaker) do not apply to stillbirths. The same 72-hour reporting deadline applies. Home Affairs issues an abridged death certificate — the same type of document issued for a death.

What is the difference between registering a stillbirth and a death?

The key differences are: (1) A stillborn child is never assigned an ID number and is not entered in the National Population Register — leave the ID number field blank. (2) Fields such as marital status and usual occupation do not apply to a stillborn. (3) The stillbirth is registered as a single event using the date of delivery — the stillborn child is not registered as a birth followed by a death. (4) Home Affairs issues an abridged death certificate for a stillbirth, as it does for a death. (5) A registered professional nurse (or a midwife who is also a registered professional nurse) can certify a stillbirth under Section 18 of the Act; for a regular death, only a medical practitioner or registered professional nurse may certify. (6) Only Sections A, B, D, and F are required — Sections C (forensic pathologist) and E (funeral undertaker) do not apply to stillbirths.

What certificate does Home Affairs issue after registering a stillbirth?

Yes — Home Affairs issues an abridged death certificate after a stillbirth is registered, the same as for a death. The stillborn child is not entered in the National Population Register and is never assigned an ID number. A stillborn is not registered as a live birth followed by a death — the DHA-1663A covers the entire event in a single notification.

Is my personal information safe when using FillMeIn to fill the BI-1663?

Yes. FillMeIn processes all your data entirely on your device. Your personal information, the deceased's details, ID numbers, and all form data never leave your phone or computer — nothing is sent to our servers or stored in the cloud. This privacy-first approach means sensitive information about the deceased and the informant stays under your control at all times.

BI-1663 — Notice of Death / Still Birth

Department of Home Affairs · Verified 18 April 2026