This checklist follows the one Services Australia publishes, with the phone numbers it lists. There is no deadline for most of it. Work through it over the coming weeks, and tick things off as you go.
Before you start
- The death certificate. Most organisations, and the Australian Death Notification Service, need it. Our guide explains how to get a death certificate. Our guide to the Australian Death Notification Service explains how it works.
- Account and membership numbers for the person who died. Bank statements are the easiest way to find who they paid regularly.
- The executor's details, and a copy of the will or grant of probate if you have them. Some organisations ask for these before they will close or transfer accounts.
- A simple log of who you contacted, when, and any reference numbers.
Step 1: Use the Australian Death Notification Service
The Australian Death Notification Service is a free government service that lets you tell many organisations at once with one online notification. You choose from a list of participating organisations, such as banks, super funds, utilities, telcos and insurers. It checks the details against the death certificate, so you need the certificate first.
Not every organisation takes part, so anything not on its list still needs to be contacted directly. Service NSW also notes that the person with an official role in the estate, usually the executor, is best placed to close or transfer accounts.
Step 2: Government
| Who | Why | How |
|---|---|---|
| Services Australia (Centrelink, Medicare, Child Support) | Stops payments and updates their records | Call 132 300 and say someone has died, or complete the Advice of death form (SA116). One notification updates their Medicare, Centrelink and Child Support records. |
| Medicare, for a family card | A new card is not sent automatically if a family member on it dies | Call 132 011 |
| Australian Taxation Office | Final tax return and the estate's tax | Online form plus an interview at a participating Australia Post outlet, or the paper form by mail. A phone call (13 28 61) is not an official notification. |
| Australian Electoral Commission | Removes them from the electoral roll | Call 13 23 26 or use the AEC's online form |
| Department of Veterans' Affairs | If they received a DVA pension or support | Call 133 254 |
| My Aged Care | If they received aged care services | Call 1800 200 422 |
| Child Support | If they paid or received child support | Call 131 272 |
| Overseas pension authority | If they received a pension from another country | If you don't know the authority, call Centrelink International Services on 131 673 |
| State licensing and registration | Driver licence and vehicle registration | Your state transport authority |
| Local council | Rates, and any council services | The council's customer service line |
If they held an Australian passport, also tell the Australian Passport Office. Our guide to notifying government agencies after a death has more detail on each.
Step 3: Money and insurance
- Banks and credit unions. Our guide explains closing a bank account after a death.
- Superannuation funds, which may pay a death benefit. See superannuation when someone dies.
- Insurance companies: life, home, contents, car and travel
- Private health fund
- Credit card, loan and hire purchase providers
- Funeral insurance, funeral bond or prepaid funeral provider
- Share registries and investment platforms
Step 4: Home
- Landlord, or tenants if they rented out a property
- Electricity, gas and water
- Phone and internet providers
- Australia Post, to redirect or hold mail
Step 5: People and services
- Family and friends, and the executor of the will
- Their employer, if they were working
- School, TAFE or university, if they were studying
- Doctors, dentists, physiotherapists, optometrists, hearing centres and any hospital they attended
- Solicitor, accountant and financial adviser
- Clubs and associations, such as the RSL
- Their religious adviser, social worker or the Public Trustee, if involved
- Libraries and other public services
Step 6: Online accounts and subscriptions
Email, social media, streaming and other subscriptions can keep charging the estate. Most large platforms have a process for reporting a death or memorialising an account. Our guide to digital estate planning explains how to find and close them.
Rules in your state
Licensing, registration and some other details differ between states. See our guides for NSW, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia and South Australia.
Common questions
Who do I need to notify when someone dies in Australia?
Usually Services Australia (for Centrelink, Medicare and Child Support), the ATO, the Australian Electoral Commission, their banks, super funds and insurers, utilities and telcos, their employer, and any other organisation they paid regularly. Services Australia publishes a full checklist.
Is there one place to notify everyone of a death?
Partly. The free Australian Death Notification Service lets you notify many participating organisations, such as banks, super funds and utilities, in one online step once you have the death certificate. You still need to contact any organisation that doesn't take part directly.
How do I tell Centrelink and Medicare about a death?
Call Services Australia on 132 300 and say someone has died, complete the Advice of death form (SA116), or visit a service centre. One notification updates the person's Medicare, Centrelink and Child Support records.
How do I notify the ATO of a death?
Use the ATO's online form and attend an interview at a participating Australia Post outlet, or post the paper form with certified copies. You need the death certificate, or a grant of probate or letters of administration. A phone call alone is not an official notification.
How do I remove someone from the electoral roll after they die?
Contact the Australian Electoral Commission on 13 23 26 or use its online death notification form. The AEC removes people who have died from the federal roll.
Once the funeral is arranged, our guide to sharing funeral details with family and friends covers what to include and simple ways to let people know.
Tick it off as you go
Beyond the Service in your Remember Well• account lists each notification in a sensible order, with links for your state, so you can track what has been done.
Start freeBuilt in Australia from lived experience. Your information is private and never shared or sold.
Sources
- Services Australia: Who to notify checklist, December 2024
- Services Australia: Needing help after someone has died, December 2024
- Service NSW: Use the Australian Death Notification Service, October 2024
- ATO: Notifying us of a death, checked October 2026
- Victorian Electoral Commission: Remove someone from the roll
This is general information, not legal or financial advice.