# Scotland death registration route

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    ---
    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.