The Scottish Register of Tartans is Scotland's official register of tartan. The register is maintained and administrated by the National Archives of Scotland based in Edinburgh. The aim of the register is to provide a definitive and accessible resource to promote and preserve tartan. It also aims to be the definitive source for the registration of new tartans. The register itself is made up of the existing registers of the Scottish Tartans Authority and the Scottish Tartans World Register and new registrations from 5 February 2009 and on. On the register's website users can register new tartans, search for and request the threadcounts of existing tartans and receive notifications of newly registered tartans.
Origin of the register
In the years leading up to 2008, the government of Scotland had been considering sponsoring an official register of tartan, following a Member’s Bill submitted by Jamie McGrigor MSP in February 2007. On 9 October 2008, the Scottish Parliament passed the "Scottish Register of Tartans Bill" clearing the way for a national register of tartan in Scotland. On 13 November 2008 the bill received Royal Assent. The register's website was officially launched on 5 February 2009.