It is imperative that a Death Notification Form is filled out by the next of kin of the deceased in order to get a death certificate.
This form is only available from the doctor who attended the deceased be it in a hospital or at home. The cause of death is filled out by the doctor on one side and the next of kin fill out the other side with all the personal details of the deceased. It can then be brought to the civil registration office along with a valid ID and a death cert can be issued.
In the event that the death involves a coroner, this form is not needed by the next of kin. Instead, the coroner will issue an interim death cert so the administration of the estate can proceed. Eventually, the coroner will be responsible for the registering of the death cert. He or she will then let the family of the deceased know when it is registered and then the family can proceed to purchase the real death cert. It is a long process when a coroner is involved.