Register of Deeds


About the register

The Register of Deeds (RoD) contains original documents for safekeeping. Most commonly, wills and leases.

Members of the public and legal professionals can send us original documents to be stored in the RoD for a fee. We call this process ‘registration’.

In return, they get a copy of the document. This is called an extract and has the same legal status as the original.

Documents registered in the RoD:

  • are kept forever, safely and securely
  • can be searched and viewed by the public for a fee.

Registering a document in the RoD does not mean that it is permanent or binding. You can register another document that replaces the original document.

Registering a document in the RoD is voluntary. There’s no legal requirement to register deeds other than in a small number of specific situations (such as Pension Sharing Orders and Parental Rights and Responsibilities Agreements).

With the RoD, you can also:

Why documents are registered in the RoD

You can register documents for:

  • preservation (safekeeping)
  • preservation and execution (execution means that the extract can be used as the basis for summary diligence in certain scenarios)

Cost to register in the RoD

It costs £20 to register and receive an extract. Any additional extracts needed will cost £20 +VAT.

For example, 2 extracts plus VAT will cost £44.

Removing your deed from the RoD

Once your document is registered, it cannot be altered or amended.

If you decide you want to remove the original deed, you’ll need to hire a solicitor and get permission from the Court of Session.

How to register documents in the RoD

If you want to register a document in the RoD, you’ll need to use our Register of Deeds Submission form.

You’ll need to:

  • complete the form
  • print the form out
  • send the completed form and deed to RoS

The steps below explain how to submit an original paper deed to RoS for registration.


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