What to Do First When Someone Dies in British Columbia

The first days after a death are overwhelming. You do not need to do everything at once, but a few steps come first and others can wait.

This checklist follows the order most families need, based on British Columbia and federal guidance. Where something depends on the provider or the facts, confirm it directly.

This article covers the law of British Columbia.

The first hours

If the death was unexpected, call 9-1-1 or the BC Coroners Service at 1-855-207-0637. The Coroners Service investigates deaths that are unnatural, sudden and unexpected, unexplained, or unattended. If the death was expected, speak with the medical professionals involved.

Only the person named in the will, or someone authorized under the Cremation, Interment and Funeral Services Act, can let a funeral director move the body.

Funeral home and certificates

A funeral home typically registers the death. Without a funeral home, the death can be registered at a Service BC location or with the Vital Statistics Agency once you have the Medical Certificate of Death from a coroner or physician.

You can order online by credit card (eCOS), in person at a Service BC counter with form VSA 430D, or by mail. A funeral home can also supply copies. Fees are set by regulation and can change, so confirm before paying.

Who decides on the funeral, and who pays

Under the Cremation, Interment and Funeral Services Act, the right to control what happens to the remains goes in order of priority, starting with the personal representative named in the will, then the spouse, an adult child, an adult grandchild, a parent, an adult sibling, and so on down a longer list. If the person with the right is unavailable or unwilling, it passes to the next person in line. Where several people have equal rank, such as several adult children, they can agree among themselves; with no agreement it begins with the eldest and descends by age.

A written preference about disposition in a will or preneed contract binds the person with control, as long as it is consistent with the Human Tissue Gift Act and is not unreasonable, impracticable or a cause of hardship. If people disagree, a person claiming sole control may apply to the Supreme Court.

• If the estate and the responsible person cannot pay the full cost, the Burial or Cremation Supplement may help, and it is not limited to income assistance recipients.
• For the Burial or Cremation Supplement specifically, the ministry's preapproval is required before burial or cremation services are provided; payment goes directly to the funeral provider, and reimbursement is considered only in exceptional circumstances.
• The responsible person looked to first may include a spouse, or a parent if the deceased was a minor.
• For deaths on or after April 15, 2026, the basic funeral provider fee is capped at $1,685 and the urn at $200 under the supplement; deaths before that date keep the earlier rates until April 15, 2027.
• In an insolvent estate, reasonable funeral expenses incurred by the personal representative are paid first.

Who is liable to the funeral home depends on the contract you sign, so read it before signing and ask questions.

Finding the will

A will may name an executor. If there is no will, a person can apply to handle the estate as administrator. If you cannot find a will, anyone who provides the documentation and payment can apply for a wills registry search after the death, using form VSA 532 with a photocopy of the death certificate. The fee is $20 per search plus $5 per additional name the person may have used, by mail.

The result shows the date the will was signed, where it was located then, and when Vital Statistics received the notice. It does not show the will itself. A wills search result must be included with a probate application.

If the will is in a safety deposit box leased in the deceased's name, the person controlling the premises must not allow removal until a representative of the deceased or the joint holder has prepared a signed, dated inventory. After that, a representative may remove the original will and copies. Practice varies by bank, so ask yours.

Who to notify

• Service Canada, to cancel CPP and OAS. Benefits are payable for the month of death, and payments issued after that month must be returned. Phone 1-800-277-9914.
• The CRA, and cancel a valid passport. Tell IRCC if the person held citizenship or permanent residence documents.
• Equifax and TransUnion, to reduce fraud risk.
• In the months following: ICBC, the vehicle and policy through an Autoplan broker, and MSP.
• Mail forwarding and pharmacies, as needed.

For MSP, Vital Statistics notifies Health Insurance BC of deaths in BC. Confirm cancellation if the person died outside B.C. or if more than 60 days have passed without records updating.

What to do next

• Make sure the death is reported and a funeral home is contacted.
• Order several death certificates.
• Look for the will and any written funeral wishes.
• Notify Service Canada and the CRA.
• Keep a list of every call and every expense.
• Do not distribute anything until you understand the estate; speak with a lawyer about probate and your duties as executor.

Institutions set their own rules on whether probate is required before releasing assets or closing accounts. Some require a grant of probate and others do not.

Frequently asked questions