---
type: "Public Service Route"
title: "Scotland death registration route"
description: "Official Scottish guidance for medical-certificate or Procurator Fiscal handoff and death registration."
status: "observed"
assertion_status: "official"
service_family: "register-a-death"
jurisdiction: "scotland"
providers: ["scottish-registration-authority", "crown-office-and-procurator-fiscal-service"]
observed_at: "2026-08-07"
sources:
  - id: "nrs-registering-a-death"
    title: "Registering a death"
    resource: "https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/registration/registering-a-death"
    author: "organisation:national-records-of-scotland"
    observed_at: "2026-08-07"
  - id: "copfs-death-investigation"
    title: "Deaths investigation guide"
    resource: "https://www.copfs.gov.uk/services/bereavement-support/guide-for-bereaved-family-members/deaths-investigation-video-script/"
    author: "organisation:crown-office-and-procurator-fiscal-service"
    observed_at: "2026-08-07"
---

# Scotland death registration route

National Records of Scotland says a Scottish death is normally registered
within eight days and identifies the MCCD, informant and registrar outputs. A
sudden, suspicious, unexpected or unexplained death may instead enter the
[COPFS](../organisations/crown-office-and-procurator-fiscal-service.md)
investigation boundary.

The [Scottish registration authority role](../organisations/scottish-registration-authority.md)
and current COPFS process control the handoff. The eight-day statement is an
observed Scottish rule, not a UK-wide deadline.
