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Resources & Frequently Asked Questions
Resources

Resources & Commonly Asked Questions

What do I do if someone dies at home?

What to do after an expected death at home, and after a sudden or unexpected one.

Updated September 29, 2026

What to do after a death at home depends on whether the death was expected.

If the death was sudden or unexpected

Call 911 and follow the dispatcher's instructions.

A sudden or unexpected death must be reported to the BC Coroners Service. Police or paramedics usually make the report. By law, the person and their immediate surroundings should not be moved or disturbed without a coroner's authorization.

A coroner will contact you and will tell you when the person can be moved. Once the coroner has released them, the person with the legal right to make the arrangements can call a funeral provider to bring them into its care.

If the death was expected and planned for

Many people prefer to spend their final days at home, supported by their doctor or nurse practitioner and home health nurses. BC's Joint Protocol for Expected/Planned Home Deaths sets out how this works.

As part of the plan, the doctor or nurse practitioner may complete a Notification of Expected Death in the Home form (HLTH 3987) and send it to the funeral home you have chosen before the death. The person with the legal right to make the arrangements also signs it. The form is in effect for three months from the date it is signed.

When this form is in place:

  • Do not call 911. The police and the coroner do not need to be called for an expected death from natural causes.
  • No doctor or nurse has to come to pronounce the death. BC law does not require it.
  • Note the time breathing stopped. Wait at least one hour, then call the funeral home to bring the person into its care.
  • The doctor or nurse practitioner, or someone they designate, completes the Medical Certificate of Death within 48 hours.

There is no urgency to move the person for a number of hours. The provincial protocol notes that the BC Funeral Association recommends not waiting longer than 4 to 6 hours after the death.

You can change your mind. If you would rather have a doctor or nurse come to pronounce the death, call them and wait. There may be a wait, especially at night.

If you call 911 in the moment, you can ask the dispatcher to cancel the call. If paramedics or firefighters still arrive, show them the No CPR form and explain your plan.

If the death was expected but there is no form

Call the doctor, nurse practitioner or home health nurse who was caring for the person. They can confirm the death and will tell you when the person can be moved.

Calling us

We answer the phone 24 hours a day at (604) 856-2346. If you are planning a death at home and would like us to be the funeral home named on the form, call us ahead of time. A transfer from a home is an extra charge, listed on our pricing page.

For the other steps in the days ahead, see what to do when someone dies in British Columbia.

If you are not sure what to do next, call us at any hour at (604) 856-2346.