Who to Call in the First 24 Hours After a Death

There’s no single correct order, but where the death happened changes the first call. This is a practical starting point, not a rule.

What’s the bigger picture?

If you’re just getting started, it helps to see the whole road ahead - you don’t need to handle everything today.

Beyond the calls, the home itself needs a little protecting in the first days - see our guide on securing the home after a death.

Who should I call first?

It depends on where the death happened. Getting a legal pronouncement of death is the first formal step, according to Consumer Reports.

• In a hospital or nursing facility, staff handle it, according to a Funeral Consumers Alliance checklist.
• At home under hospice, call the hospice, not 911. The hospice nurse can declare the death and help arrange transport of the body, according to Consumer Reports and Hospice Foundation of America.
• At home without hospice, or unexpectedly, call 911, according to Consumer Reports and the Funeral Consumers Alliance. See Coroner vs. Medical Examiner for when the medical examiner becomes involved.

Once the death has been pronounced, the funeral home is usually the next call, if you haven’t already been connected with one through a hospital, hospice, or facility. It can help with the death certificate and transport. A Colorado Bar Association chapter notes that the quickest way to get certified copies is usually through the funeral director. See our guide on choosing a funeral home right after a death.

Next: closest family - the people who need to know immediately - spouse, children, parents, siblings.

Is anything time-sensitive?

Organ and tissue donation is the one thing with a real clock, and it mostly applies when someone dies in a hospital. A Utah donation organization explains that donation only becomes an option after every attempt to save a person’s life, that the hospital is required to contact the donation organization, and that donation takes place after death has been declared. A Funeral Consumers Alliance checklist adds that most people who die at home won’t qualify. If you know the person registered as a donor, tell the hospital staff right away. See Organ and Tissue Donation After Death.

Whole-body donation programs may also need a call straight away. The same checklist lists a local program’s number as an immediate call.

Do I have to choose a funeral home right away?

You can take a little time to compare. Funeral homes must give prices over the phone if you ask, and you generally have the right to choose only the goods and services you want, according to the Federal Trade Commission as reported by FOX stations. News5 Cleveland adds that the Funeral Consumers Alliance recommends shopping around. Ask the hospital or hospice how long it can keep the body, because policies vary. See What Happens in the Hospital Room Immediately After Someone Dies and How Long Can a Family Stay With Someone After They Die?.

Do I have to call everyone myself?

No - it’s very common, and completely reasonable, to ask one or two close family members to help split up notification calls. Grief and logistics don’t mix well done entirely alone.

What if I don’t know who else needs to be told?

Start with the closest circle - immediate family, closest friends - and ask them who else should know. This naturally expands the list without you having to remember everyone alone.

Who should I tell next, and should I call the person’s employer right away?

If anyone will need to arrange travel to attend a funeral or be with the family, telling them sooner rather than later gives them more time.

A Funeral Consumers Alliance checklist lists these early steps:

• Arrange care for dependent children and pets.
• Notify the employer if the person was working, and ask about benefits and life insurance. It doesn’t need to be the very first call.
• Ask someone to watch the home: answer the phone, collect the mail, and keep the property secure.

The same checklist puts contacting other relatives and close friends in the first week. It’s also worth telling anyone who was a regular part of the person’s life, such as a caregiver, a place of worship, or a close neighbor.

What about social media - should I post right away?

Many families wait until close family and friends have been personally notified before posting anything publicly, so no one learns the news that way first. There’s no deadline that requires this to happen within the first day. See Is It Okay to Post About a Death Before Family Does?.

Do I have to do this alone?

No - if the idea of making these calls feels overwhelming, it’s completely reasonable to ask someone else to help - even just for the harder calls. The tasks in this guide are just the beginning - see our guide on the 30 days after the funeral for what typically comes next, once the immediate rush has passed.

Want this as a printable reference? Download our free First 24 Hours After a Death Checklist.

If the death was by suicide, see what families face in the first days after a suicide.

For time off from work, see are you entitled to time off when someone dies?.

There’s no universally “correct” order — this is a practical starting point, not a rule. Procedures vary by state, and the medical examiner’s or coroner’s office may need to be involved first in some deaths.