What to do when someone dies in Scotland
Last reviewed October 2026
In Scotland a death must be registered within 8 days, at any registrar in Scotland. The doctor issues a Medical Certificate of Cause of Death, which is reviewed before registration in some cases. Unexpected deaths are reported to the procurator fiscal, not a coroner. Tell Us Once is available after registration. To deal with the estate, executors apply for confirmation from the sheriff court rather than probate. The steps below follow the usual order for the first weeks.
The order of things
Most families follow this sequence.
- Get the medical certificate from the doctor
- Register the death within 8 days
- Use Tell Us Once
- Arrange the funeral
- Value the estate and apply for confirmation if needed
Frequently asked questions
Is probate the same as confirmation?
They do the same job. Confirmation is Scotland's version, granted by the sheriff court.
What if the procurator fiscal is involved?
Registration and the funeral may wait until the fiscal's enquiries allow it. The fiscal's office will keep you informed.
Continue in chat
Alenity walks you through this in plain English and gets you to the right next step.
Build my checklist