Reportable deaths

Violent, unnatural or unexpected deaths

These include homicide, suicide, and drug, alcohol and poison-related deaths.

Accidents or injury-related deaths

When someone dies from an accident or injury, even if there is a prolonged interval between the incident and death. This includes:

• road fatalities
• public transport fatalities
• accidental falls
• workplace deaths
• electrocutions
• drownings
• animal attacks.

The person’s identity is not known

There may be some cases where a person’s identity is unknown. These deaths must be reported to the coroner for investigation.

The cause of death is not known

When a medical practitioner cannot form an opinion about the probable cause of death and therefore cannot sign a death certificate.

Healthcare-related deaths

When someone:

• dies unexpectedly during or following a medical procedure that a doctor would not have expected to result in death, or
• was a patient under the Mental Health and Wellbeing Act 2022 immediately before their death.

Deaths where a death notice was not signed and not likely to be signed

A doctor who was responsible for a person’s medical care immediately before death, or who examines the body of the deceased person after death, must, within 48 hours after the death, notify Births, Deaths and Marriages of the death and of the cause of the death.

There may be some cases where this is not possible or has not occurred. These deaths must be reported to the coroner for investigation.

Deaths in care or custody

The death of a person who immediately before the death:

• was detained in a mental health service under a compulsory assessment, treatment, or supervision order
• was detained in a residential treatment facility under a supervision or detention and treatment order 
• was under the control, care or custody of police, protective services, or corrections (prison) officers
• was under the control, care or custody of the Secretary to the Department of Health, the Secretary to the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing, or the Secretary to the Department of Justice and Community Safety, or an authorised person
• dies from injuries sustained while in the custody of the State, or when a police officer, corrections officer or authorised person attempted to take the person into custody
• was a child who had been placed in emergency care or who the Secretary to the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing has parental responsibility for
• was detained in a remand centre, youth residential centre or youth justice centre, or
• was a resident of specialist disability accommodation (SDA) who is funded to reside in an SDA enrolled dwelling through the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) or Commonwealth Continuity of Support Program.

Supervision orders

The death of a person who was subject to a non-custodial supervision order under the Crimes (Mental Impairment and Unfitness to be Tried) Act 1997 immediately before the death.

Reporting a death

Are you obligated to report a death? Do you believe a death was not reported to the court but should have been? Find out how to notify us.