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Registering the death · Scotland

How to register a death in Scotland

Registering the death comes first. A death in Scotland must be registered within 8 days, where possible; if it has been referred to the procurator fiscal, that may not be possible. You can use any registration office in Scotland, and the funeral can only take place once the death is registered.

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Take it one step at a time.

01

Check who can register the death

You can register a death if you are related to the person who has died, were there when they died, are their executor or solicitor, or lived with them if they died at home. If you are none of these but no one else can register the death, you can do it as long as you know the details of the person who has died and have the right documents.

02

Find out where the medical certificate has been sent

The registrar needs a Medical Certificate of Cause of Death to register the death. It is normally issued by a doctor and sent to the registrar, but you will need to know which registration office it has been sent to. A death cannot be registered without this certificate.

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Take what you have

As well as the medical certificate, you should also take the person's birth and marriage certificate, their NHS medical card, and anything you have that confirms they had a pension or payment from government funds. If some of these are missing, you can still go: if you only have the medical certificate, a registrar can still register the death.

04

Choose any registration office in Scotland

You can register a death at any registration office in Scotland. It does not need to be the district where the person lived or died, so you can choose the office that is easiest for you to reach. Information about registration offices is on your local council's website.

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What the registrar gives you

When the registration is complete, the registrar will give you a certificate of registration of death, which you will need to show to the funeral director, and a shorter 'abbreviated' copy of the full death entry made in the national register. There is no charge for these documents. The registrar will also explain the Tell Us Once service, which lets you report the death to most government organisations in one go.

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If the medical certificate is selected for review

Some medical certificates are randomly selected for review, to help check that they are correct. You will be told at the registration office if this is happening. It can delay the registration, and the funeral cannot go ahead until the death has been registered; the delay should be no more than 1 to 3 working days. If the funeral has to take place within a certain timescale, you can apply for advance registration by contacting the registration office as soon as possible.

Sources · read on 18 October 2026

mygov.scot: Register a death
mygov.scot: Arranging a funeral
mygov.scot: Tell Us Once

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A short checklist for this step.

Free to use — nothing to sign up for. Work down it at your own pace.

Checklist · 8 steps

Check you are someone who can register the death
Find out which registration office the medical certificate has been sent to
Gather their birth and marriage certificate and NHS medical card, if you have them
Bring anything that confirms a pension or payment from government funds
Choose a registration office in Scotland that suits you
Collect the certificate of registration of death for the funeral director
Take the abbreviated copy of the death entry the registrar gives you
Ask the registrar about Tell Us Once

An older woman's hands writing a list on a lined notepad at a kitchen table early in the morning, a half-drunk mug of tea, a phone face down and a pair of folded reading glasses beside her. — Sample household.

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Answered, plainly.

A death in Scotland must be registered within 8 days of the death, where possible. In some cases it may not be possible, for example if the death has been referred to the procurator fiscal. The period in England and Wales is different, so take care if you are reading guidance written for there.

If the death was sudden or unexplained, you might not be able to make the final funeral arrangements until the procurator fiscal has finished their investigation, and it may not be possible to register the death within 8 days.

The period of 8 days applies where possible, and a referral is one of the cases where it may not be.

The registrar gives you a certificate of registration of death, which you show to the funeral director, and a shorter 'abbreviated' copy of the full death entry.

There is no charge for these documents. Some organisations may ask you for a copy of the person's death certificate, and you can order more copies if you need them.

No. A funeral can only take place after the death has been registered. If the medical certificate is selected for review, the delay should be no more than 1 to 3 working days. If the funeral has to take place within a certain timescale, you can apply for advance registration; contact the registration office as soon as possible to ask for it.

You must register the death according to the laws of the country where the person died. Once you have a death certificate, you can use it in the UK if you need to confirm the person has died. If it is not in English, you may need a certified translation. You can also apply to register the death in the UK, but you do not have to.

You can register a death if you were there when the person died, are their executor or solicitor, or lived with them and they died at home.

If you are none of these but no one else can register the death, you can register it as long as you know the details of the person who has died and have the right documents.

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Related next steps

↑ OverviewWhat to do when someone dies (the England and Wales guide) →→ StepTell Us Once in Scotland →↓ HelpForm help →

When you're ready

The Family Handover Kit is a set of prepared pages where a household writes down who to call, where things are kept and what the people who step in will need; its Scotland page explains how confirmation differs from probate.

The Family Handover Kit for Scotland

Informational, not legal or financial advice. This guide covers Scotland; England, Wales and Northern Ireland differ. Always confirm current rules at mygov.scot before acting.