What does an executor have to do in Scotland?
A step by step checklist from the first days to the final distribution, with the key deadlines.
Read the guideThe short answer
Every death in Scotland must be registered within 8 days, where possible. You can register at any registration office in Scotland. The doctor sends the medical certificate of cause of death to the office you choose, and the registrar then contacts you. Most councils now register deaths by phone. Registration is free, and you receive an abbreviated death certificate, the Form 14 for the funeral director and a Tell Us Once reference. Full death certificates cost £10 each.
Registering a death can feel daunting, but it is usually a single phone conversation with a registrar. The registrar records the details in the national register, which is kept by the National Records of Scotland, and gives you the documents you need for the funeral and for dealing with the estate.
Who can register a death
The person who registers the death is called the informant. You must be at least 16, and you can register the death if you:
- are a relative of the person who died;
- were present when they died;
- are their executor or another legal representative, such as their solicitor;
- were the occupier of the place where they died, or lived with them if they died at home.
If none of these people can do it, anyone who knows the required details can register the death. When the doctor sends the medical certificate, they normally include the informant's contact details. Glasgow City Council notes that this can be a family member or a funeral director.
How registration works, step by step
- The doctor issues the medical certificate. The medical certificate of cause of death, often called the MCCD or Form 11, is completed by the GP or hospital doctor. You cannot register a death without it. If the person died in hospital or a care home, see what happens next.
- You choose a registration office. The doctor sends the certificate electronically to one office, usually the one nearest to where the person lived. Sending it to more than one office can cause delays.
- The registrar contacts you. In most of our local council areas, the registrar phones the informant to arrange or carry out the registration. The call may come from an unknown number.
- You give the details. The registrar asks about the person who died, and records the entry in the register.
- You receive the documents. The certificate of registration is usually emailed straight to the funeral director, and you are given the abbreviated certificate and your Tell Us Once reference. The funeral can then go ahead; see our guide to funeral costs and who pays.
What information and documents you will need
The registrar can register the death with only the medical certificate, but it helps to have the following to hand:
- the person's full name, any previous names, occupation, address, and date and place of birth;
- the name, date of birth and occupation of their spouse or civil partner, if they had one;
- the names and occupations of their parents, including their mother's maiden surname;
- the name and address of their GP;
- their birth certificate, marriage or civil partnership certificate and NHS medical card, if you have them;
- details of any pension or payment they received from government funds.
What you receive after registration
| Document | What it is for | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate of registration of death (Form 14) | Needed by the funeral director before any burial or cremation | Free |
| Abbreviated death certificate | A short copy of the entry in the register | Free |
| Tell Us Once reference | Lets you tell most government departments about the death in one go | Free |
| Full death certificate (extract) | Often needed by banks, insurers and pension providers, and for the Confirmation application | £10 each at registration or within the first month |
It is usually worth ordering a few full certificates at registration, when they are cheapest. Many organisations will accept a certified copy and return the original, so you may not need one for every bank. The executor will need a full certificate to apply to the sheriff court for Confirmation.
Registering a death in our local council areas
Each council runs its own registration service, and the arrangements differ. This is how the councils where most of our clients live handle it at the time of writing. Check the council's website for any changes before you contact them.
| Council | How registration works | To book or ask |
|---|---|---|
| Glasgow City Council | Remote registration by phone, Monday to Friday, 9am to 3.30pm. The doctor emails the certificate to the registration office, and the team contacts you, normally within a few days of receiving it. The service has been very busy, and the council suggests you may get an earlier appointment at another registration office in Scotland. Payment is by card over the phone | The council phones you |
| Renfrewshire Council | Remote registration by phone. Once the certificate arrives, the council phones you, and you do not need to book or visit an office. Full certificates cost £10 at registration, or £15 if ordered more than four weeks after registration. Out of hours emergency line 07971 158 453, only for a burial within 24 hours or repatriation | The council phones you |
| East Renfrewshire Council | Remote registration by phone. The council aims to contact you within 5 working days of being notified. Face to face appointments are available at the Barrhead or Giffnock council offices. Full extracts cost £10 each | The council phones you |
| South Lanarkshire Council | Appointment only. In person appointments are held at Licensing and Registration, Floor 11, Council Offices, Almada Street, Hamilton ML3 0AA. Full certificate £10 at registration | 0303 123 1015 (option 7) |
| North Lanarkshire Council | Appointment only, with remote registration by phone. One central office: Motherwell Registration Office, Dalziel Building, 7 Scott Street, Motherwell ML1 1PN (registration@northlan.gov.uk). Full certificate £10 plus postage in the first month. Out of hours emergency line 07985 330371 | 01698 302206 (10am to 12 noon and 2pm to 4pm) |
| Dumfries and Galloway Council | By phone or in person. Dumfries Registration Office is at Municipal Chambers, Buccleuch Street, Dumfries DG1 2AD, open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. Full certificate £10 within a month | 030 33 33 3004 |
If you are dealing with a death in one of these areas, our local pages explain the other steps too: Glasgow, Paisley, Renfrew, Barrhead, Hamilton, East Kilbride, Motherwell and Dumfries.
When registration can be delayed
- Death certification reviews. NHS Scotland's Death Certification Review Service randomly selects some medical certificates for review, to check their accuracy. If yours is selected, registration can be delayed, usually by no more than 1 to 3 working days. If the funeral must take place within a set time, ask the registration office about advance registration as soon as possible.
- Referral to the procurator fiscal. Sudden, unexpected or unexplained deaths are reported to the procurator fiscal. Registration may then take longer than 8 days, and the registrar will tell you what to do. See our guide on deaths reported to the procurator fiscal.
- Deaths outside Scotland. A death that happens abroad must be registered under the law of that country. A death in England or Wales is registered there, not in Scotland.
Registering a death is not the same as Confirmation
Registration records the death. It does not give anyone authority to deal with the person's money or property. That authority comes from Confirmation, which the executor applies for from the sheriff court, usually some weeks later. Before that, the executor will need to find out whether there is a will and value the estate.
Registration does start some other things moving. After registration, councils are told about the death for council tax and electoral registration purposes, and the Tell Us Once service can notify government departments such as the Department for Work and Pensions and HM Revenue and Customs. If the person owned their home, see our guide to council tax on a deceased person's home. If they rented from the council or a housing association, see what happens to their tenancy.
How we can help
Registration is something families do themselves, but everything that follows can be passed to us: finding the will, valuing the estate, dealing with banks, applying for Confirmation, and paying out the estate. Our executor's checklist sets out every stage. Your first appointment is free.
Frequently asked questions
How long do you have to register a death in Scotland?
A death in Scotland must be registered within 8 days, where possible. It can take longer if the death has been referred to the procurator fiscal, or if the medical certificate is selected for review, and the registrar will explain what to do in those cases.
Can you register a death anywhere in Scotland?
Yes. A death that happened in Scotland can be registered at any registration office in Scotland. It does not have to be the area where the person lived or died. The doctor sends the medical certificate of cause of death to the one registration office you choose, so decide which office you want to use before it is sent.
Who can register a death in Scotland?
Anyone aged 16 or over who is a relative of the person who died, was present at the death, is the executor or another legal representative, or was the occupier of the place where the person died. If none of these people can do it, anyone who knows the necessary details can register the death.
How much does a death certificate cost in Scotland?
Registration itself is free, and you receive an abbreviated death certificate and the certificate of registration for the funeral director at no cost. Full death certificates, often called extracts, cost £10 each if you order them at registration or within the first month. In Renfrewshire, a full certificate costs £15 if you order it more than four weeks after registration.
Can the funeral go ahead before the death is registered?
No. A burial or cremation cannot take place until the death has been registered and the funeral director has the certificate of registration of death, known as Form 14. You can make provisional arrangements, but councils advise not to fix a date until registration is complete. If the funeral has to happen quickly, for example for religious reasons, ask the registration office about advance or emergency registration.
Need help with an estate?
Our executry solicitors can take the whole process off your hands, or answer a single question. Your first appointment is free.
This guide is general information about Scots law, correct at the date shown. It is not legal advice for your circumstances.
