Economic condition of crofting: 2019 to 2022

27. Registers of Scotland - Crofting Register

27.1. Introduced in 2012, the map-based Crofting Register, maintained by the Keeper of the Registers of Scotland (RoS), is the first official register to provide crofters and other interested parties legal certainty over the extent of, and interests in, croft land.

27.2. Form types:

• Form A: First registration of a croft;
• Form B: Subsequent event affecting a registered croft;
• Form C: First registration of an existing common grazing;
• Form D: First registration of a new common grazing;
• Form E: Subsequent event affecting a registered common grazing;
• Form F: Rectification of the Crofting Register (information not currently available); and
• Form G: Notification to the Keeper by the Crofting Commission following approval of a regulatory decision.

27.3. RoS continues to offer support to crofters and landowners who are considering registering their croft land collectively through a community application. RoS collaborate with other Government bodies (e.g. the Crofting Commission and Highlands & Islands Enterprise) and with external stakeholder groups (e.g. the Scottish Crofting Federation, the National Farmers' Union Scotland and Scottish Land & Estates), with respective initiatives being aligned to ensure that, where appropriate, the correct level and type of support for community registration is offered as part of a package of measures designed to enhance the local economy in rural areas. This is an opportunity for local communities to work together to agree extents and boundaries of, and interests in, croft land in advance of applying to register as, once agreed, the potential for challenge against a registered interest is reduced.

27.4. As at 24 November 2022, RoS has registered 8,666 Crofts and 335 common grazings. RoS has also registered 70 community applications totalling 889 crofts, accounting for 10.2% of the total number of 8,666 registered crofts.

27.5. Where appropriate, RoS encourage crofting landowners to apply for voluntary registration in the Land Register in support of its objective to deliver the benefits of a completed Land Register by 2024.

27.6. Registration fees for the Crofting Register are set by Order by the Scottish Ministers and can be viewed in the Registers of Scotland (Fees) Order 2014 (SSI 2014 No. 188). The current £90 fee per registration has remained unchanged since the Crofting Register was first introduced in November 2012.