Singapore death certificate: download or request an extract
In Singapore, a death is registered automatically after a doctor certifies it online, and eligible next of kin can download the digital death certificate from LifeSG within thirty days. If that window has closed or the certificate is lost, check eligibility for a paid digital death extract through ICA instead.
Choose the certificate or extract route
| Your situation | Starting point |
|---|---|
| A doctor has recently certified a death in Singapore | LifeSG digital death certificate download |
| The initial download window has ended or the file is lost | ICA digital death extract application |
| Details needed for an extract are missing | ICA death-record search option |
| The death occurred outside Singapore | The authority in the country or place of death |
- For a recent Singapore death, obtain the certificate number, deceased person's identification number and date of death from the doctor or hospital.
- Follow ICA's death certificate page to the official LifeSG download service.
- Check that you are eligible to retrieve it, or authorised by eligible next of kin, then complete the service's checks.
- Download promptly, open the complete file and save it for later use.
The initial certificate and a replacement extract are separate services. Start with the route that matches your situation before submitting another application or paying a fee.
Download the initial digital death certificate
The doctor or hospital needs the deceased person's identification document, such as an NRIC, FIN card or passport, for certification. Once the doctor certifies the death online, registration is automatic and the initial digital certificate is issued without a registration or certificate fee.
ICA lists the relatives and authorised persons who can download it. Follow that eligibility list rather than sharing retrieval details with anyone who asks. Save the file within the thirty-day download window; keeping only the download link is insufficient once that window ends.
If certification or download is unavailable, ask the doctor and ICA about the appropriate next step. Do not make your own certificate from a scan or an application acknowledgement.
Apply for a digital death extract
An ICA digital death extract is an official copy of registered death details. The service covers Singapore death records, with eligibility including specified relatives, a legal guardian and solicitors acting for eligible applicants.
Prepare the deceased person's name, sex, date of death and NRIC or Singapore death registration/certificate number. If required particulars are missing, review the record-search route. The application asks for the relevant supporting documents, and ICA may request more information.
The extract fee is S$40; a record search has an additional fee. Check the current amount displayed before payment. Keep the application reference and email address used, since they support checking the status later.
After approval, follow the notification and download the extract within thirty days. Save the complete issued file, then check its holder details. Contact ICA if those details need correction rather than editing the certificate yourself.
Preserve the issued file
Keep the original certificate or extract unchanged and distinguish it from the payment receipt. A screenshot or altered reference copy should not become the only version you retain. Confirm the receiving organisation's requirements before forwarding family documents.
If it accepts a separate image-based reference copy, PDF compression or redaction can help prepare that copy. These operations do not preserve selectable text or digital signatures, and must not remove details needed for verification. Keep the original issuer file available.
For other civil records, see Singapore birth extracts and marriage certificates. If a separate service offers Myinfo sharing, inspect the request before adding unrelated attachments.
- The chosen service matches the certificate or extract needed.
- Eligibility and authorisation are confirmed.
- The complete issued file is downloaded and opens correctly.
- The person's details have been checked.
- The original file is distinct from receipts and edited copies.
Download Dokus to keep family reference documents organised on your iPhone.
Singapore death certificate questions
Do I need to visit a counter to register the death?
For a death in Singapore certified online by a doctor, registration is automatic. Follow the doctor's and ICA's instructions if the online certification system is unavailable or your circumstances differ.
What if the LifeSG download window has expired?
ICA directs you to apply for a digital death extract, subject to eligibility and applicable fees. It is a separate application from the initial certificate download.
Can I get a Singapore death extract for a death overseas?
ICA's death-record service does not hold records of deaths that occurred overseas. Approach the relevant authority in the country or place where the death occurred.