Births, Deaths & Marriages (BDM)
What Is BDM?
BDM is the abbreviation commonly used for Births, Deaths and Marriages.
In the funeral industry, when someone refers to “BDM”, they are usually talking about the government registry responsible for recording births, deaths and marriages, and particularly the registration of a death and the issuing of death certificates.
The name of the registry varies between Australian states and territories.
- Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and Western Australia: Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages
- Tasmania, South Australia and Northern Territory: Births, Deaths and Marriages
- Australian Capital Territory: Births, Relationships and Deaths
Although the official names differ, “BDM” is commonly used as a general shorthand for the relevant state or territory registry.
In Funeral Work
For us, BDM is most often associated with registering a death and completing the paperwork required after someone has died.
BDM is separate from the Coroner. A death may be registered through BDM whether it is a straightforward medical death or a death that has been investigated by the Coroner, although the process and responsibility for registration can differ.
Related
- Cause of Death Certificate (Form 9)
- Death Registration