When someone passes away in Scotland, their death must be registered within eight days unless the Procurator Fiscal’s involvement prevents this. At the time of making the funeral arrangements we will give you detailed advice on registering your loved one’s death. At this point in time, all deaths are registered over the phone with the Registrars, once an appointment has been made, and the Registrars will phone you at the agreed time.

To register a death, you will be required to provide a death certificate, birth certificate and a marriage certificate, if relevant.  The original death certificate will be retained by the Registrar. The Registrar will automatically issue you with an Abbreviated Extract of the Death Certificate. At this point in time, the death certificate is being emailed to the Registrars by the hospital doctor, police mortuary or GP and there is no requirement to physically collect the death certificate.

The Registrar will issue you with a Certificate of Registration of Death (white Form 14) that your funeral director will require as soon as possible (at this point in time this form is being emailed by the Registrars to the Funeral Director). The Registrar will also issue you with a further form, which upon completion, you should submit this form to The Department of Works and Pensions (along with any benefit books belonging to the deceased). You can request Full Extracts of the Death Certificate from the Registrar for the appropriate payment per copy should they be required by banks, insurance companies, building societies, pension funds etc. as these will likely be required to release the relevant funds.

 

It is essential that a phone appointment is made with the Registrar. 

An appointment can be made by calling your local Registrar’s office:

18-20 City Square, Dundee.

Tel: 01382 435222.
Open: Monday to Friday 8:45am to 4:45pm

St Mary’s Place, St Andrews.

Tel: 03451 550077 (answered Monday to Friday).
Open for appointments : Monday, Wednesday and Friday only.

Appointments are available at other offices namely Cupar, Methil, Glenrothes, Kirkcaldy, Dunfermline, Cowdenbeath and Inverkeithing.