Skip to content
Home/Tools/FORM D1

Cancelling a passport after a death (form D1)

HM Passport Office notification that a passport holder has died.

The quickest route is Tell Us Once (no passport required, handled by the registrar or online); the paper D1 form is used when Tell Us Once wasn't available, or when the family want to physically return and cancel the passport.

Families can request the cancelled passport back as a keepsake — most don't know to ask.

Pre-filled from your Civil Dossier and Personal Record.

✓ Official source checked 23 August 2026 · GOV.UK last revised this form 20 January 2023D1 on GOV.UK
Executor's First Hour — £179
Free
United KingdomInformational, not legal or financial adviceOfficial source: GOV.UK
Official form · always current

This is the same official D1 file HM Passport Office publishes on GOV.UK — the link below fetches the current version live from GOV.UK the moment you click it, so it can never go out of date.

The button gives you D1 passport-return form (ODT).

Current version: January 2023 · confirmed on GOV.UK 23 August 2026

This walkthrough takes D1 field by field, in plain English. There are barely any fields to get wrong; the two decisions that actually matter are whether to notify through Tell Us Once or the paper D1, and whether to ask for the cancelled passport back as a keepsake before HM Passport Office destroys it.

The box that decides return or destroy
Many families don't realise they can ask for the cancelled passport to be returned after HMPO has cancelled it — as a keepsake.

The D1 form asks you to indicate your preference (return or destroy); if you don't tick return, the passport is shredded.

Valoren's walkthrough makes sure you see that choice before you post.
The form, in summary
Valoren
D11 page12 fields guided
With Valoren5 minutes
Without Valoren20–30 minutes
Deadline
No deadlinereturn promptly to
prevent identity fraud
Who Files
Next of kinexecutor, or estate
administrator
£
Fee
Freeto file
Filed with HMPO
Draws from your Estate File
the records this form is built from
PersonalCivil Dossier·Personal Record·Digital Access Map·Financial Accounts·Asset Inventory·Income & Outgoings·Policy Index·Legal Instruments·Medical Abstract·Property Folio·Succession Plan·Digital Legacy Registry·Business Interests & Directorships·Funeral & Committal Wishes·Dependent Care & Handoff·RegistryRenewal Register·Master Registry·People, Authority & Contacts·Designated Places·Kinship & Succession Map·SecureAccess Controls·Recovery Routes·Custody & Contingency·EventsDeath & Estate Activation·Incapacity & Medical Proxy·Absence & Continuity Cover·Access Loss & Identity Recovery·Legal Dispute & Evidence Protocol·Theft & Asset Compromise·Property Damage & Incident Response·Relocation & Address Update Protocol·Separation & Custody Documentation·Business Interruption & Continuity·PersonalCivil Dossier·Personal Record·Digital Access Map·Financial Accounts·Asset Inventory·Income & Outgoings·Policy Index·Legal Instruments·Medical Abstract·Property Folio·Succession Plan·Digital Legacy Registry·Business Interests & Directorships·Funeral & Committal Wishes·Dependent Care & Handoff·RegistryRenewal Register·Master Registry·People, Authority & Contacts·Designated Places·Kinship & Succession Map·SecureAccess Controls·Recovery Routes·Custody & Contingency·EventsDeath & Estate Activation·Incapacity & Medical Proxy·Absence & Continuity Cover·Access Loss & Identity Recovery·Legal Dispute & Evidence Protocol·Theft & Asset Compromise·Property Damage & Incident Response·Relocation & Address Update Protocol·Separation & Custody Documentation·Business Interruption & Continuity·
Legal basisStatute

There is no statutory duty to return a deceased person's passport — HM Passport Office guidance is administrative only.

The Identity Documents Act 2010 creates criminal liability for possessing or using a false identity document, which is the principal reason HMPO advises prompt return: a cancelled passport cannot be used fraudulently.

The Fraud Act 2006 ss.1-4 would also apply to any third-party misuse of an uncancelled passport.

Section by section

The form, section by section.

Before you start, you’ll need:
  • Who Files — Anyone — usually next of kin, executor, or estate administrator
  • 1 page · 12 fields guided
  • Draws from your Estate File — Civil Dossier, Personal Record, Renewal Register
Section 1

Choose your notification route first

There are two ways to cancel a deceased person's British passport.

Most families should use Tell Us Once — it's faster, requires no paperwork, and doesn't require you to post the physical passport. The D1 form is for situations where Tell Us Once wasn't used, or where the family wants to return the physical document.

Tell Us Once (fastest route — England, Scotland and Wales)

If you used Tell Us Once at the registry or online (gov.uk/tell-us-once), HM Passport Office is notified automatically and the passport is electronically cancelled.

You don't need to complete a D1 form or return the physical passport.

The service is free and available within 28 days of receiving your unique reference number from the registrar.

Tell Us Once is not available in Northern Ireland — use the D1 form instead.

D1 form (paper route — all UK; required for Northern Ireland or if Tell Us Once was missed)

Download the D1 form ('What to do when a British passport holder dies') from gov.uk/government/publications/what-to-do-with-a-passport-when-the-passport-holder-has-died.

Alternatively, call the HMPO adviceline on 0300 222 0000 and ask for a D1 to be posted to you.

Complete and send it with the physical passport (or death certificate if the passport is lost or stolen) to HM Passport Office, CSMT, PO Box 767, Southport, PR8 9PW.

If you're unsure whether Tell Us Once covered the passport

Check with the registrar or call HMPO on 0300 222 0000.

If the registrar did not have the passport number at the time of registration, the TUO notification to the Passport Office may be incomplete.

In that case, send a D1 form and the passport to CSMT Southport as a belt-and-braces precaution.

Who can file

Anyone can notify HMPO of a death — there is no requirement to be next of kin for cancellation purposes.

The D1 form asks for the sender's name and return address.

For a live passport application that was in progress at the time of death, the representative must provide evidence of their relationship to the deceased (birth/marriage certificate, proof of executor status, or confirmation they were the informant on the death certificate).

There are two ways to cancel a deceased person's British passport.

HM Passport Office (Home Office) · D1
Section 2

About the deceased passport holder

Section 1 of the D1 form. These details are checked against HM Passport Office records to locate and cancel the correct passport. Match the death certificate exactly.

Full name as it appears on the passport

Use the exact name on the passport — including middle names if shown.

A common mismatch is a maiden name or hyphenated surname that appears in one form on the passport and another on the death certificate.

If the names differ, include both in a brief covering note.

Date of birth

Day/month/year as on the passport.

This is the primary identifier HMPO uses alongside the passport number.

If you can't locate the passport number, date of birth plus full name is usually sufficient for HMPO to locate the record.

Date of death

As shown on the death certificate.

Must be an exact date — 'approximately' or 'month only' is not accepted.

If the death was registered abroad, use the date on the overseas death certificate; note the country.

Passport number

Nine-character alphanumeric code on the data page (top right of the photo page).

Include if known; if the passport is being physically returned, HMPO will read the number from the document.

If the passport is lost or stolen, provide as much identifying information as possible (name, date of birth, nationality, approximate issue date) so HMPO can locate the record.

Last known address

The deceased's home address at the time of death.

Used by HMPO to confirm identity and to return the death certificate and (if requested) the cancelled passport.

Section 1 of the D1 form. These details are checked against HM Passport Office records to locate and cancel the correct passport. Match the death certificate exactly.

HM Passport Office (Home Office) · D1
Section 3

About the person submitting the form

Section 2 of the D1 form.

HMPO needs a return address to send the acknowledgement letter and, if requested, the cancelled passport. There is no requirement to prove your relationship to the deceased for a straightforward cancellation — just supply contact details.

Your full name and return address

Print clearly.

This is where HMPO will send the acknowledgement letter, the returned death certificate, and — if you request it — the cancelled passport.

A PO Box is acceptable.

Your relationship to the deceased

The form asks for this as context but HMPO does not require proof of relationship for routine cancellations.

Common entries: spouse/civil partner, child, sibling, executor, solicitor acting for the estate, funeral director.

Live applications — when additional evidence is required

If the deceased had a passport application in progress (applied but not yet received), you must also include: (a) a signed letter asking HMPO to withdraw the application, (b) the original death certificate or certified copy, and (c) evidence of your authority — e.g. grant of probate, letters of administration, or confirmation you were the informant on the death certificate.

The application fee is refunded to the estate; fees for a completed application that has already been issued cannot be refunded.

Section 2 of the D1 form.

HM Passport Office (Home Office) · D1
Section 4

Preparing the passport and what to enclose

Before posting the physical passport, the D1 form instructs you to cut the top-right corner off the passport.

This is the standard physical cancellation step — it does not prevent the cancelled document being returned to you as a keepsake.

Snip the top-right corner of the passport

Cut approximately 5mm off the top-right corner of the passport booklet before posting.

This visually marks it as cancelled and prevents accidental use.

HMPO will also cancel the electronic record on receipt.

Note: snipping the corner yourself is required by the D1 instructions — don't skip this step thinking HMPO will do it.

Enclose the D1 form, the passport, and the death certificate

Send all three together: the completed D1 form, the passport (corner snipped), and the original death certificate or an official certified copy.

HMPO returns the death certificate to you after processing — you won't lose it permanently.

Retain a photocopy of the death certificate before posting in case of postal delays.

If the passport is lost or stolen

Send the D1 form and the death certificate only — there is no passport to return.

Include a note that the passport was lost or stolen.

HMPO will cancel the electronic record and forward the details to their Lost, Stolen and Recovered (LSR) team.

You do not need to complete a separate LS01 form for this scenario — the D1 with a note is sufficient.

How to post

Use Royal Mail Signed For or Special Delivery — the death certificate and passport are irreplaceable originals.

Keep your proof of postage until HMPO's acknowledgement arrives.

Standard processing time after receipt is approximately 5–10 working days.

Send to: HM Passport Office, Customer Service Management Team (CSMT), PO Box 767, Southport, PR8 9PW.

Before posting the physical passport, the D1 form instructs you to cut the top-right corner off the passport.

HM Passport Office (Home Office) · D1
Section 5

Choose: return or destroy the cancelled passport

This is the choice most families miss.

The D1 form asks whether you want the cancelled passport returned to you or securely destroyed. If you don't actively tick 'return', HMPO will shred it. Once destroyed, it cannot be recovered. Many families want to keep the passport as a document of the person's life.

Option A — Return the cancelled passport to me

Tick this box on the D1 form (or include a clear written instruction in a covering letter if the D1 form doesn't have a checkbox version).

HMPO will cancel the passport electronically and physically (cutting corners and/or stamping 'CANCELLED'), then return it to your address.

It arrives by Royal Mail.

The returned passport cannot be used for travel — it is a cancelled document — but is a legal and valid keepsake.

Option B — Destroy the passport

HMPO will shred the passport using a secure electronic shredder; pieces go into a confidential waste bin.

An acknowledgement letter is sent confirming cancellation.

Choose this only if no family member wants to keep the document.

What you get back regardless

Whether you choose return or destroy, HMPO sends back the original death certificate to your return address by Royal Mail (or secure overseas delivery if outside the UK).

An acknowledgement letter confirming the passport has been cancelled is also sent.

Paper D1 forms are retained by HMPO in secure storage for 12 months for audit purposes.

If you used Tell Us Once and now want the physical passport cancelled

Tell Us Once cancels the electronic record but doesn't physically cancel or retrieve the passport — HMPO simply marks the record.

If you want the physical document cancelled or returned, you can still send the passport to CSMT Southport with a covering letter (no D1 form needed) after Tell Us Once notification, stating the holder has died, the date of death, and your preferred outcome (return/destroy).

This is the choice most families miss.

HM Passport Office (Home Office) · D1
Section 6

After you've sent the form

What to expect once the package is in the post.

Acknowledgement letter

HMPO sends an acknowledgement letter confirming the passport has been cancelled.

Allow 5–10 working days from receipt by HMPO.

If you haven't heard back within three weeks of posting, call the adviceline on 0300 222 0000 with your proof-of-postage reference number.

Return of the death certificate

The original death certificate is returned with the acknowledgement letter (or shortly after).

Keep it safely — you will need multiple certified copies for other estate tasks (banks, insurers, Land Registry, probate).

If you don't have spare certified copies, order them from the General Register Office (GRO) online before posting the original to HMPO.

Tell Us Once and HMPO — they don't overlap perfectly

If Tell Us Once notified HMPO, the electronic cancellation is handled by the Customer Service Liaison Team in Peterborough (not the CSMT in Southport).

This is an internal routing difference — for the family, the end result is the same.

If you later send a physical passport to CSMT Southport, HMPO will update the record regardless.

Northern Ireland: separate process

Tell Us Once is not available in Northern Ireland.

Use the D1 form and send to CSMT Southport as above.

The Northern Ireland Bereavement Service (nidirect.gov.uk) covers DWP/benefits notifications separately; it does not cover passport cancellation.

When a passport application was outstanding at death

If the deceased died while a passport application was in progress, the fee is refundable to the estate.

Write to CSMT Southport enclosing the death certificate, a signed letter requesting withdrawal, and evidence of your authority (probate, letters of administration, or death certificate noting you as informant).

HMPO will close the application and refund any fee paid.

What to expect once the package is in the post.

HM Passport Office (Home Office) · D1

Many people file D1 themselves — that is what this walkthrough is for. If the estate behind it has stopped being simple — inheritance tax to pay, a trust, foreign assets, a dispute — Signum, Valoren’s own specialist desk, can take it on, and we say so plainly: it starts with a free intake, and if you do not need us, we will tell you. Prefer an independent adviser? STEP and the Chartered Institute of Taxation both keep public member directories, and neither pays Valoren a referral fee.

FAQ

D1 questions, answered.

No. There is no statutory duty to return or cancel a deceased person's passport — it is voluntary, with no fixed deadline.

But cancelling it is strongly recommended to prevent identity fraud, which is why HM Passport Office and the gov.uk bereavement guidance encourage it.

You can do it through Tell Us Once or by sending the paper D1 form.
There is no legal deadline.

Because cancellation protects against identity fraud, the practical advice is to send it once the death is registered and you have the death certificate to hand.

If you used Tell Us Once at registration, the electronic cancellation is already in motion and you only need the paper D1 if you specifically want to return the physical passport.
Yes — but you have to ask.

The D1 form lets you choose whether the cancelled passport is returned to you or securely destroyed.

If you do not tick 'return' (or say so in a covering letter), HMPO destroys it, and it cannot be recovered.

The returned passport is cancelled and cannot be used for travel, but many families keep it as a record of the person's life.
Tell Us Once is the faster route in England, Scotland and Wales: it notifies HMPO automatically and you do not need to post the physical passport.

Use the paper D1 form if Tell Us Once was not offered or not used, if you live in Northern Ireland (where Tell Us Once is not available), or if you specifically want to physically return the passport and ask for it back as a keepsake.
Anyone can — usually the next of kin, the executor, or whoever is administering the estate — and it is free.

You do not have to prove your relationship for a routine cancellation; HMPO simply needs a return address for the acknowledgement.

Extra evidence of your authority is only needed if a passport application was still in progress when the person died.
Not realising they can ask for the passport back.

The return-or-destroy choice is easy to miss, so the cancelled passport is destroyed by default.

Two smaller traps: post the death certificate and passport by a tracked service because they are irreplaceable originals, and keep a spare certified copy of the death certificate before you send the original away.

Library

Free guides behind this form

These free institutional briefs cover the records and context that make this form easier — what to gather before you start.

All guides are available free from the Valoren library — no account required.

The monthly note

Keep this walkthrough — and get the monthly note.

Leave your email and we'll send you a link to this guide, plus the Valoren monthly note: one practical household-records briefing, one law or form update, and one worked example each month.

You can unsubscribe with one click.

Valoren is a trading name of Standard Index Group — in formation.
We never sell your data. We never spam. The unsubscribe link is in every email.

Where this fits

D1 is one form. The file behind it is the rest.

Forms are easier when the records are ready.

For D1, that means the death certificate (the original or a GRO certified copy you can spare), the passport itself, the deceased's full name and date of birth exactly as they appear on the passport, the passport number if you can find it, and your own name and return address for the acknowledgement.

When you're ready — not before — our £179 Executor's First Hour walks you through registering the death, notifying banks and pensions, and getting probate started, in the right order. The free checklist above covers the essentials; this is for when you'd rather have a hand to hold. Executor's First Hour — £179

HM Passport Office (Home Office)12 fieldsFree to file5 minutes with Valoren
Plate R · Related

If this was useful, you might also need —

● Open

DVLA licence walkthrough

DVLA notification (similar small form)

Open page
● Open

BD8 walkthrough

DWP notification (similar process)

Open page
● Open

TUO Companion

Tell Us Once notifies Passport Office

Open page
● Open

Bereavement First Steps

The wider checklist

Open page
Part of a working library79form walkthroughs90+free guidesevery calculator & checker

We use first-party analytics only — no third parties, no ad tracking — to see which pages actually help people. You can keep that off. Privacy