Office of the Chief Medical ExaminerReporting a Death

Under New Hampshire law, there is mandatory reporting of medico-legal deaths. In general, all sudden and unexpected natural deaths and all non-natural deaths should be reported to the OCME. These deaths are defined by RSA 611-B:11.

If in question, please report the death to the OCME. (Note: When the OCME accepts jurisdiction for a death, only the pronouncement section of the death certificate should be completed by hospital staff. The certification section, including cause of death, will be completed by the OCME.)

To report a death, please contact the appropriate county dispatcher listed below:

Belknap County: 603-527-5454
Carroll County: 603-539-2284
Cheshire County:
- For Keene: 603-357-9813 (Keene Police)
- For remainder of Keene County: 603-355-2000 (Cheshire County Dispatch)
Coos County: 603-846-3333
Grafton County: 603-787-6911
Hillsborough County: 603-271-3636
Merrimack County: 603-225-5584
Rockingham County: 603-679-2225
Strafford County: 603-742-4968
Sullivan County:
- For Charlestown: 603-826-5747 (Charlestown Police)
- For Claremont, Cornish, Unity, and Lempster: 603-542-9538 (Claremont Dispatch)
- For Langdon: 603-355-2000 (Cheshire County Dispatch)
- For Newport, Goshen, and Springfield: 603-863-3232 (Newport Police)
- For Plainfield and Grantham: 603-643-2222 (Hanover Dispatch)
- For Sunapee and Croydon: 603-526-2626 (New London Dispatch)
- For Washington: 603-464-5512 (Hillsborough Dispatch)