Registering a death

How do I register a death?

The death has to be registered within eight days of death by the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages in your local area, but it is desirable to have the death registered as soon as possible.   We will advise on when you should have this done by.

Who can register the death?

The death may be registered by any relative, any person present at the death, the executor or other legal representative, the occupier of the premises where the death took place or, if there is no such person, any other person possessing the information the information needed for registration.

Where do I go to register the death?

Deaths may be registered either by the registrar for the registration district in which the death took place or, if the person had lived elsewhere in Scotland, by the registrar for the registration district of the dead person's home address, whichever is more convenient.

If you are registering a death that occurred in Fife or the deceased was normally resident in Fife you can register the death at any registrars across Fife.   Details of local council offices maybe found on Fife Direct here

If you are registering a death that occurred in Perthshire or Kinross-shire or the deceased was normally resident in Perthshire or Kinross-shire you can register the death at any registrars within the Perth and Kinross Council area.   Details of local council offices maybe found on Perth and Kinross Council's website here

If you are registering a death that occurred elsewhere in Scotland and the deceased did not normally live in either Fife, Perthshire or Kinross-shire please contact us for information on registrars in your area.

Take with you:

• Medical certificate of death
• Any pension book, certificate or document relating to any pension or allowances which the person was receiving from public funds.
• NHS medical card, if available.
• The dead person's birth and marriage certificates, if available.

Tell the Registrar:

• Date, time and place of death.
• Full name, occupation and postal address of the dead person and his or her date and country of birth.
• If the person was married, widowed or divorced, the full name of the husband or wife and the occupation of the husband. If the person had been married more than once, details of previous spouses are also required.
• If the person was married at the date of death, the date of birth of the surviving widow or widower.
• The full name and occupation of the dead person's father, and the full name and maiden surname of his/her mother.
• Whether the person was in receipt of a pension or an allowance from public funds.
• The name and address of the person's NHS doctor.

The Registrar will give you:

• A Certificate of Registration of Death (form 14), to be given to ourselves, so that the funeral can go ahead.
• A form 334/SI, "Registration or notification of death" for use in obtaining or adjusting Social Security Benefits or for National Insurance purposes.
• On payment of the appropriate fee, an extract of the entry recorded in the Register of Deaths. This may be required for pension, insurance, savings bank, premium bonds or other purposes.

If death occurs abroad:

Register the death according to the local regulations in the country and get a certificate of death.  We will be happy to advise you on local procedures to be followed.

Register the death with the British Consul, so that a record of the death will be kept in Scotland, and you will be able to get a copy later from the General Register Office for Scotland, New Register House, Edinburgh EH1 3YT, telephone: 0131 334 0380.