What to Do in the First 24 to 48 Hours After Someone Dies

A calm checklist for the first day or two after a death in Australia. Who to call depending on where and how the person died, what can safely wait, what happens when a coroner is involved, and the small practical things worth doing.

By Anne G, reviewed by Kate B · Last updated 5 October 2026 · Editorial standards

Key points

• Expected death at home: call the doctor or palliative care team. Unexpected death: call 000.
• A doctor completes the medical certificate of the cause of death, usually within 48 hours.
• Some deaths must be reported to a coroner. That can delay the funeral, but you can still start planning.
• Very little has to happen in the first hours. It's fine to take time with the person and with family.
• You don't have to register the death yourself. The funeral director usually does it.

The first day or two after someone dies can feel like a blur. You may have been expecting it for months, or it may have come out of nowhere. Either way, there are only a few things that need to happen quickly, and most of them other people can help with. This guide covers what to do first, depending on where and how the person died, and what can safely wait.

What Should You Do Straight Away?

What you do first depends on where the person died and whether the death was expected.

If the death was expected and happened at home, call the person's doctor or palliative care team. Healthdirect, the Australian Government's health information service, says you don't need to call an ambulance or the police for an expected death at home. If the person died during the night, you can wait until morning to make the call.

If the death was unexpected, call 000 and ask for an ambulance. The police may also attend after an unexpected death. That's a normal part of the process, and doesn't mean anyone has done anything wrong.

If the person died in hospital, a hospice or an aged care home, the staff will confirm the death and guide you through what happens next. You don't need to arrange anything straight away.

If the person died somewhere else, such as a car, a workplace or outdoors, call 000.

Who Confirms the Death?

A doctor, or in some situations an authorised nurse or paramedic, confirms that the person has died. A doctor then completes a medical certificate of the cause of death. According to healthdirect, this is done within 48 hours of the death.

That certificate is needed before the funeral can go ahead and before the death can be registered. In most cases the doctor or the funeral director sends it to the right place. You usually don't need to handle it yourself.

When Does a Coroner Become Involved?

Some deaths must be reported to a coroner, who investigates how the person died. The rules are set by each state and territory, but in general a death is reportable if it was:

• violent or unnatural
• sudden, with an unknown cause
• in suspicious or unusual circumstances
• not the expected outcome of a medical procedure.

If the doctor can't say what the probable cause of death was, they must report it to the coroner rather than issue a certificate.

When a coroner is involved, the person is usually taken into the coroner's care for an examination. This can be hard to hear, and it can feel as though things are out of your hands. The coroner's office and the police will explain each step. You can still contact a funeral director and start planning, though the funeral may take a little longer to schedule.

Can You Take Some Time Before Calling a Funeral Director?

Yes. After an expected death, there's no rush. Many families spend a few hours with the person, wash or dress them, say prayers, or simply sit together. Others prefer the person to be cared for by a funeral director quickly. Both are fine.

If you're not sure what's possible, for example keeping the person at home for longer for cultural or religious reasons, the funeral director can tell you what's allowed where you live.

If you already know which funeral director you'd like, you can call them when you're ready. Many take calls at any hour.

Who Should You Tell First?

Start with the people closest to the person: partner, children, parents, brothers and sisters. It's often easier to make a short list and share the calls with someone else.

A few tips:

• Ask one person to help with calls. Telling the same story over and over is exhausting.
• Think about how children will hear. It's usually best they hear from someone they trust, in clear and simple words.
• Don't post on social media until close family know. It's a painful way for someone to find out.
• Write down who you've told. It saves calling the same person twice.

Other people, like friends, colleagues, neighbours and clubs, can wait until you're ready, or can be told when the funeral details are known.

What Practical Things Need Doing in the First Day or Two?

Most practical tasks can wait. These are the few worth thinking about early:

• Dependants and pets. Make sure any children, people in their care or animals are looked after.
• The house. If the person lived alone, lock up, check the stove and heaters are off, and collect any spare keys.
• Medications. Keep them somewhere safe. Pharmacies can dispose of unused medicines.
• Important papers. Look for a will, a prepaid funeral plan or funeral insurance, and any written wishes. Don't worry if you can't find everything yet.
• Work. Let your own employer know you need time off. Under the National Employment Standards, employees (casuals included) can take 2 days of compassionate leave when an immediate family or household member dies. It's paid for employees other than casuals, and some workplaces offer more.

What Can Safely Wait?

Quite a lot. You don't need to do any of these in the first 48 hours:

• registering the death (the funeral director usually does it)
• telling banks, government agencies or utilities
• dealing with the will or the estate
• sorting the person's belongings
• making every decision about the funeral.

Our step-by-step guide to planning a funeral in Australia shows how these fit together over the coming weeks. When you're ready, How to Register a Death in Australia explains how registration works in each state and territory, and Who to Notify When Someone Dies has a printable checklist.

Looking After Yourself

In the first days, many people run on adrenaline and forget to eat or sleep. Try to do both. Accept help when it's offered, and let others take care of meals, lifts and phone calls.

If you need to talk to someone, Lifeline is available any time on 13 11 14. Our page on grief support in Australia lists other free services.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who do I call when someone dies at home? If the death was expected, call the person's doctor or palliative care team. You don't need to call an ambulance or the police. If the death was unexpected, call 000 and ask for an ambulance.

Can I wait until morning if someone dies during the night? Yes, if the death was expected. According to healthdirect, you can wait until the morning before calling a doctor after an expected death at home.

How long can the person stay at home after they die? Many families spend a few hours with the person before they're taken into a funeral director's care. If you'd like longer, ask the funeral director what's possible where you live.

What happens if the death is reported to the coroner? The doctor won't issue the usual certificate, and the person may be taken into the coroner's care for an examination. The coroner's office and the police will keep you informed, and you can still contact a funeral director and start planning.

This guide is general information for people in Australia, not medical or legal advice. Rules differ between states and territories. How we write and check our guides is set out in our editorial standards.

Sources

1. healthdirect (Australian Government), Preparing for a death at home (checked 5 October 2026)
2. Queensland Courts, Reportable deaths (checked 5 October 2026)
3. Coroners Court of NSW, For healthcare professionals (checked 5 October 2026)
4. Services Australia, What to do when someone dies (checked 5 October 2026)
5. Fair Work Ombudsman, Sick and carer's leave and compassionate leave fact sheet (checked 5 October 2026)
6. Queensland Government, What to do after someone dies (checked 5 October 2026)

About the author

Anne G writes Mixtape Memories' guides on the first steps after a death, from the first hours to registering the death and telling the people and organisations who need to know. She also reviews guides before they are published, checking that each one is accurate, clear and kind to read for someone in the middle of arranging a funeral. If a step could be simpler, or a word could land harder than intended, it gets changed.

Reviewed by Kate B.