Out of England form (Form 104)

The out of England form, Form 104, is the notice given to the coroner when someone who has died in England or Wales is to be taken out of the country for a burial or cremation abroad. The coroner checks whether the death needs investigating and, if not, gives permission for them to leave. Scotland has its own out of Scotland procedure.

When you will need one

For every repatriation out of England and Wales, even after a natural death in a hospital. The law behind it is the Removal of Bodies Regulations 1954: before anyone who has died is taken out of the country, the coroner for the district must be given written notice. The carrier, the border and most consulates then ask to see the coroner’s acknowledgement, and a laissez passer is usually issued only once it is in hand.

How long it takes

The coroner has four clear days to acknowledge the notice. If the acknowledgement says no further enquiries are needed, your loved one can leave sooner. A funeral director who knows the process sends the notice on the first day, before the death is even registered, so that the four days run alongside the registration rather than after it. This is the step that most often sets the date of departure.

Not the same as a coroner’s investigation

The notice is a formality. A referral to the coroner is a different thing: it happens when a death is sudden, unexplained or unnatural, and the registration and everything after it wait for the coroner’s conclusion. Families often confuse the two, so it is worth asking which one applies.

Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own procedures. Scotland uses an out of Scotland form, and in Northern Ireland the coroner issues a certificate for removal out of Northern Ireland.