Funeral Homes ONLY

The District of Columbia Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) is implementing a standardized Authorization to Release Form. 

• A funeral director or his/her designee must fax a completed and signed copy of the form to the OCME at 202-698-9100. 
• The OCME staff will review and approve the form prior to scheduling a decedent release date and time with the funeral home staff.
• Present the complete and signed form at the time of body removal.

The OCME will not release a decedent without receipt of the Signed Release Form from the funeral home representative at the time of removal.

 If you have questions regarding the form or the decedent release process, call the OCME Identifications Unit at 202-698-9000. 

Instructions for the Authorization to Release Form:

1.     Type the following Decedent information into the fillable PDF:            

- Full Name (first, middle, last and suffix)

- Race

-Sex Assigned at Birth

- Gender

- Age

- Date of Birth

- Date of Death

- Deceased Location

- Funeral Home or Crematory’s Name

2.     Obtain the Next-of-Kin’s signature and date

3.     Print the Next-of-Kin’s Name

4.     Print the Relationship to the Deceased

5.     Obtain the Witness's signature and date

6.     Fax the form to the Identifications Unit at 202-698-9100

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