Frequently Asked Questions

So that you can find the information you need as quickly as possible, this page includes answers to the most common questions about obituaries and Guest Books.

We recommend that you check the following links for help before contacting Legacy.com. While our customer service team responds to emails very quickly (typically within one business day), you may find your answer even faster by checking below.

• How can I find an obituary or Guest Book?
• How can I sign a Guest Book?
• I have signed a Guest Book, but I don’t see my entry online. Where is it?
• How can I keep a Guest Book online longer?
• How can I restore a Guest Book that is no longer online?
• How can I get a printed copy of a Guest Book?
• How can I find older obituaries?
• How can I view an archived obituary?
• How can I submit an obituary for publication?
• How can I request a correction to an obituary?
• What if I have another question?

To locate an obituary or Guest Book, please visit the main obituaries page.

To view an obituary published today

Near the top of the main obituaries page is a list of the obituaries that appear in the newspaper today. Click on a name to access the full notice. If there are more obituaries than can be displayed in the list, you can click the “view all” link to view more names. You can view obituaries from yesterday or two days ago by selecting these options in the drop-down menu near the top of the list.

To search for an obituary by name

Use the search box at the top right of the main obituaries page to search for an obituary by name. Type the last name of the deceased into the search box and select a date range. When you click "search," all listings for that last name and date range will be returned. Click on the name you are looking for to view the full notice.

To view all obituaries published on a particular day

To view all obituaries from a particular day, click the calendar icon in the search box at the top right of the main obituaries page. When the calendar appears, you can click the arrows to scroll back through previous months. Click the date you want, and then click "search." All obituaries published on that day will appear. Click on a name to view the full notice.

To view a Guest Book

To view Guest Book entries, first locate the obituary or death notice. If the obituary includes a Guest Book, a link that reads "View all messages" will appear below the obituary. Clicking this link will bring you to the page where you can view all current entries. Please note that our staff screens all Guest Book entries for appropriate content before placing them online. Typically, entries appear online within a few hours. In rare cases, however, there may be a delay. If the Guest Book includes the sentence, "We encourage you to be the first to share your memories or express your condolences", this means that we have not yet approved any entries for online posting.

• How can I find older obituaries?
• How can I restore a Guest Book that is no longer online?
• How can I sign a Guest Book?

To sign a Guest Book, first locate the obituary or death notice. If the obituary includes a Guest Book, you will see a box below the obituary with the heading, "ADD A MEMORY OR CONDOLENCE TO THE GUEST BOOK."

Click on the box that reads "Enter your message here" to begin typing your condolence or memory. After you type your message, click "Add Message." This will take you to a preview of your entry on the Guest Book page. You can make changes or corrections on this page. When you are satisfied with the appearance of your entry, complete the process by clicking "Submit." You must click "Submit" to complete your entry. You will know you've successfully submitted your entry when you see a thank-you message on the confirmation page.

Please note that entries do not appear online immediately. All entries are reviewed for appropriate content and typically appear online within a few hours.

• How can I find an obituary or Guest Book?
• How can I restore a Guest Book that is no longer online?
• I have signed a Guest Book, and I don’t see my entry online. Where is it?

All Guest Book entries are screened by our staff for appropriate content before being placed online.

Please allow 24 hours for review, and then check the Guest Book for your entry. If you don't see your entry after 24 hours and you believe it meets our guidelines, please contact us with your name, the full name of the deceased and the date of your entry. We will be happy to investigate the status of your entry.

• How can I find an obituary or Guest Book?
• How can I find older obituaries?

Keeping this Guest Book available online is a wonderful way to allow those who knew your loved one to express their sympathy and share fond memories. Even if you are not a member of the family, consider keeping this Guest Book open as a special gift to the family. You can keep this Guest Book online by purchasing a sponsorship. By doing this, you'll be giving loved ones a place to express their feelings and share memories any time they'd like in the months and years ahead.

To sponsor a Guest Book, please click "Keep Online" at the top right of the Guest Book. This will take you to a page where you can view options for extending the Guest Book past the current expiration date and place an order online.

If you do not see this link, the Guest Book has already been sponsored.

If the Guest Book has already been sponsored for one year and you would like to extend it further, please check the Guest Book approximately five days before the current sponsorship is due to expire. At that time, there will be a link on the Guest Book page to extend the sponsorship.

• How can I restore a Guest Book that is no longer online?

Even after a Guest Book expires, we retain all Guest Book entries that appeared online. If you would like to restore a Guest Book that is no longer online and view all previous entries, you can do so by purchasing a paid sponsorship. If you are interested in this option, please contact us.

• How can I find an obituary or Guest Book?
• How can I find older obituaries?

Many archived obituaries are available for a small fee through a search on the newspaper's main obituaries page. If you can't find the obituary you are seeking on the main obituaries page, you may be able to find it in the newspaper's online archives.

For obituaries published prior to the start date of the newspaper's archives, you may be able to find help at a public library, many of which maintain historical newspaper archives.

• How can I find an obituary or Guest Book?
• How can I view an archived obituary?

Each obituary appears online for a set period of time, after which the notice is archived. If an obituary has expired, the word "archived" will appear next to the deceased’s name in the search results.

For a small fee, you can access an archived obituary for a 24-hour period. To do so, click the obituary name and input your credit card information on our secure order form. Once your order is complete, a direct link to the obituary will appear on the order page. This link will be your only means of accessing the obituary, so please copy and save the link. The link will expire 24 hours after you place your order.

• How can I find an obituary or Guest Book?
• How can I find older obituaries?
• How can I restore a Guest Book that is no longer online?

For information on submitting a Tribute Notice in The Sydney Morning Herald, please phone 13 25 35, book online at advertisers.com.au, or email smhclassifieds@fairfaxmedia.com.au.

Fax and email deadlines are 1 hour prior to phone deadlines listed below:

Corrections must be handled through the newspaper’s obituary department. For more information on corrections, please contact the obituary department directly.

If you have a question that is not addressed on this page, please send us an email. Our staff will be happy to assist you. We generally respond to inquiries within one business day.