Funerals in Accra can take months to plan, but the paperwork should start within days. Under the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1965 (Act 301), every death in Ghana must be registered. The Births and Deaths Registry has warned that burying a body without a permit is illegal, yet many families do not know the steps until they are in the middle of grief.
Why it matters
A death certificate is needed to settle estates, claim pensions and insurance, close bank accounts, transfer property and, for widows and widowers, to remarry. Without registration, the family may face long delays and expensive legal processes later.
Step one: the medical certificate
If the person died in a hospital after being admitted for some time, the hospital issues a medical certificate of cause of death, signed by the attending doctor. Ask for it before leaving the hospital. If the death happened outside a health facility, or very soon after arrival, the police must be informed and may investigate before a coroner’s certificate is issued.
Step two: the Registry office
Take the medical or coroner’s certificate to the Births and Deaths Registry office in the district where the death occurred. A registration assistant will interview the informant, usually a close relative, and complete the death registration form.
Step three: permit or certificate
If the burial will take place in the same district, the Registry issues a burial permit, which is handed to the cemetery manager. If the burial is elsewhere, the family obtains a death certificate for a fee. Families who plan a funeral in a hometown outside Accra need the certificate before moving the body.
The 12-month rule
Registration within twelve months of death is the standard process. After twelve months, the process becomes stricter. The informant must make a sworn declaration before a commissioner of oaths, court registrar or notary, supported by documents such as the medical certificate or an affidavit from family heads, and a penalty is payable.
Common problems
Research on death registration in Ghana has found that families sometimes struggle to obtain the cause-of-death form from doctors, waiting a long time or facing demands for informal payments. Some private burial grounds do not ask for permits, which allows families to bypass the process.
Mortuary and funeral planning
Many Accra families keep a body in the mortuary for weeks while the funeral is organised. Use that time to complete the registration. Keep copies of every document.
Check before you act
Fees, forms and penalties change. Confirm the current requirements with your local Births and Deaths Registry office before you start.
In the rush of funeral arrangements, a form at a government office can seem minor. Years later, when a pension or a house title needs settling, it is often the most important piece of paper the family has.
