What is the Green Form
◆
You may hear a funeral director mention the "Green Form" when arranging a funeral.
The Green Form is the informal name for the Certificate for Burial or Cremation. It confirms that the death has been legally registered and that permission has been given for the burial or cremation to take place.
Although many people still call it the "Green Form", it isn't always green anymore. Depending on where the death is registered, it may be printed on white paper or sent electronically directly to the funeral director or crematorium.
Once the death has been registered, the registrar will usually send the certificate directly to the funeral director or the burial or cremation authority. In many areas, families no longer need to collect or deliver this document themselves.
The Green Form is different from:
• The Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD), which is completed by the doctor.
• Certified copies of the death certificate, which families may need for banks, pensions, insurance companies and other organisations.
Without the Green Form (or its electronic equivalent), a burial or cremation cannot usually take place.