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Registration, Bereavement and Archives Services
Registration of a Death
Who may give particulars to a registrar
All deaths occurring in Scotland must be registered by a Registrar of Births, Deaths
and Marriages within 8 days of their occurrence. The duty to provide the particulars
for registration rest principally with a relative of the deceased, but if no such
relative is available the duty may be performed by any person present at the death,
or the deceased's executor or other legal representative, or the occupier of the
premises where the death took place.
The council offers a service called
'Tell Us Once', which passes information securely and
in confidence to various government departments and other Council services. This
is to help ease the burden of having to deal with official paperwork and telephone
calls after the loss of a loved one.
Place of registration
A death occurring in Scotland may be registered in any Scottish registration office.
All Registration Offices within South Ayrshire now operate an appointment system
for all registration matters, please telephone your most convenient Registration
Office to arrange an appointment.
Particulars required
The particulars required for registration purposes include the following:
- The full name, occupation, and postal address of the deceased person, and his or
her date and country of birth;
- If the deceased was a married man or widower or divorced, the full name of his wife
or former wife. If the deceased was a married woman or a widow or divorced, the
full name and occupation of her husband or former husband. If the deceased has been
married more than once, particulars of previous spouses are also required;
- If the deceased was married at the date of death, the date of birth of the surviving
widow or widower;
- The full name and occupation of the deceased person's father, and the full name
and maiden surname of the deceased's mother;
- The name and address of the deceased's own doctor.
Documents required
In addition, the following documents should be taken to the Registrar's office:
- The medical certificate of cause of death (normally given by the deceased person's
doctor, or by the hospital in which the death occurred);
- The deceased's National Health Service medical card, if available;
- The deceased's birth certificate, if available;
- The deceased's marriage certificate(s) (if relevant).
Fees
There is no fee to register a death and you will be issued with an abbreviated death
certificate, Form 14 for the undertaker and Form BD8 for the Department for Work and Pensions free
of charge.
Any other death certificate's purchased at the time or within one month of
registration cost £10.00 each. Please make cheques payable to 'South Ayrshire
Council'.