# Title 33 — State Department of Health

## Article 33-04 — Health Statistics

## Chapter 33-04-09 — Death Registration

### § 33-04-09-01. Acceptance of incomplete death record - Delayed record of cause of death.

If the attending physician or coroner is unable to complete the medical certification of cause of
death or if the funeral director is unable to obtain the personal information about the deceased within
the prescribed period, the funeral director shall file a death record with all available information
completed. Such records shall be the authority for the subregistrar to issue a burial transit permit.
A supplemental report providing the information missing from the original record shall be filed with
the state registrar as soon as is possible, but in all cases within thirty days.
The supplemental report shall be made a part of the existing death record. Such reports shall not
be considered an amendment, and the death record shall not be marked "amended".
History: Amended effective January 1, 2008.
General Authority: NDCC 23-02.1-04, 28-32-02
Law Implemented: NDCC 23-02.1-19
### § 33-04-09-02. Attending physician not available.

An associate physician who relieves the attending physician while the attending physician is on
vacation or otherwise unavailable may certify to the cause of death in any case where the associate
physician has access to the medical history of the case, provided that the associate physician views the
deceased at or after death and that the death is from natural causes. In all other cases in which a
physician is unavailable, the coroner shall prepare and file the medical certification of cause of death.
General Authority: NDCC 23-02.1-04, 28-32-02
Law Implemented: NDCC 23-02.1-19(3)
### § 33-04-09-03. Hospital or institution may assist in preparation of record.

When a death occurs in a hospital or other institution and the death is not under the jurisdiction of
the coroner, the person in charge of such institution, or the person's designated representative, may,
when the cause of death is known, initiate the preparation of the death record by all of the following:
1. Place the full name of the deceased and the date and the place of death on the death record
and obtain from the attending physician the medical certification of the cause of death and the
physician's signature.
2. Present the partially completed death record to the funeral director or person acting as such.
History: Amended effective January 1, 2008.
General Authority: NDCC 23-02.1-04, 28-32-02
Law Implemented: NDCC 23-02.1-19
