Registering a Stillbirth
In September 2022 the law in Scotland changed to allow parents to register the still-birth remotely. This means that still-birth registrations can take place remotely or face to face in the office.
Who can register a Stillbirth in Scotland?
If the parents are married to each other either parent can register the still birth.
If the parents are not married to each other and they wish the father/parent's name to appear on the stillbirth entry they should, ideally, attend together.
Further advice can be obtained from any registration office.
How and where do I register a Stillbirth?
Any stillbirth which occurs in Scotland must be registered within twenty one days by the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages. The Certificate of Still-Birth (Form 6) will be emailed directly to the registrar's office by the medical practitioner or midwife .
What documents do I need to provied to the registrar?
To complete the registration you should provide the following:
- The marriage certificate of the child's parents
Do not worry if any of these documents are not available as the registrar can still proceed to register the stillbirth.
Documents the registrar will issue
When the registration is complete the registrar will issue free of charge
- Certificate of registration of stillbirth (Form 8). The registrar will email this form to your chosen funeral director to enable you to proceed with the arrangments for burial or cremation.
- A stillbirth certificate can be requested by the parent if required, and will be issued free of charge if applied for within one month of registration