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

The BI-1663 (DHA-1663A) is the South African form for registering a death or stillbirth with Home Affairs under the Births and Deaths Registration Act (Act 51 of 1992). You can fill it free online on FillMeIn and download the completed PDF, or collect a blank copy from any Home Affairs office, hospital mortuary, or funeral undertaker. The medical practitioner or professional nurse fills in Sections A and B. As the informant, you verify the deceased's details in Section A, complete Section D, and sign the declaration. The funeral undertaker completes Section E. Without this form being processed, no death certificate can be issued.

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. Ask the doctor or hospital that certified the death, or get it from any Department of Home Affairs office. You can use FillMeIn to prepare your information in advance so the process at the counter is faster.

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. When the death is registered, Home Affairs issues a free abridged death certificate, or proof of notice of death (DHA-1577) if the certificate can't be issued straight away. An unabridged certificate requires a separate application (form BI-132, R75) and takes 6 to 12 weeks or up to several months.

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

The informant must give notice of the death to the Department of Home Affairs within 72 hours of the death. The same 72 hours applies to a stillbirth. If more than 72 hours have passed, still go to Home Affairs as soon as possible.

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 a certified copy of the informant's ID. If the deceased was a child, bring the child's original birth certificate. 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 gives notice of the death, completes Section D and signs it, certifying the identity of the deceased. A designated funeral undertaker can act as the informant for the family, but must bring proof that the family appointed them.

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

The DHA-1663 and BI-1663 are the same form. DHA-1663A is the current version number; BI-1663 is the old catalogue name still used by most people and Home Affairs documents. It is a 3-page form with six sections: A (deceased's particulars), B (medical certification by the attending practitioner or professional nurse), C (forensic pathologist certificate, if applicable), D (informant's details), E (funeral undertaker), and F (official use). The medical cause of death is recorded in Sections B and C. The doctor or professional nurse who examined the body fills Sections A and B; 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. Home Affairs then issues a death certificate, or proof of notice of death (DHA-1577) if the certificate cannot be issued straight away. 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. If the death happened outside South Africa, you can give notice at a South African embassy or consulate, or at any Home Affairs office in South Africa.

How long does it take to get a death certificate?

When the death is registered, Home Affairs issues one abridged death certificate free of charge. If it can't be issued straight away, you get proof of notice of death (DHA-1577) instead. 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 the shorter version Home Affairs issues free when it registers a death. 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, waiting longer than the 72 hours the law allows to give notice of the death, 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 more than 72 hours have passed since the death?

The law says notice of a death must be given within 72 hours. If more than 72 hours have passed, still go to Home Affairs as soon as possible. When the death is registered, Home Affairs issues the informant a burial order (DHA-14A).

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.

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.

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 a child with at least 26 weeks of intra-uterine existence that showed no sign of life after birth. The attending medical practitioner or registered professional nurse completes Sections A and B. The parent or informant verifies the details in Section A and completes Section D. Sections C (forensic pathologist) and E (funeral undertaker) do not apply to stillbirths. The same 72-hour reporting deadline applies, and Home Affairs issues an abridged death certificate.

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

The main differences are: a stillborn child is not assigned an ID number and is not entered in the National Population Register (leave the ID field blank); stillbirth-specific fields such as marital status and occupation do not apply; and the stillbirth is registered as a single event, not as a birth followed by a death. Only Sections A, B, D, and F are required. Sections C (forensic pathologist) and E (funeral undertaker) do not apply. A registered professional nurse or a midwife who is also a registered professional nurse may certify a stillbirth. Home Affairs issues an abridged death certificate in both cases.

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 6 September 2026

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The BI-1663 (DHA-1663A) is the informant's notice of death or stillbirth to Home Affairs, due within 72 hours, when a doctor issued the cause-of-death certificate.

Deadline: Give notice of the death at Home Affairs within 72 hours

Key facts (4)

Official source: dha.gov.za
Death registration (BI-1663): Free. Home Affairs issues a death certificate, or proof of notice of death (DHA-1577) if the certificate can't be issued straight away
Unabridged death certificate (form BI-132): R75 per copy, allow 6 to 12 weeks
Submit to: Nearest Department of Home Affairs office

Download blank BI-1663 PDF ↓

Filling it in online flags the blank fields and missing signatures that get forms rejected.