Crofting Commission letters about the legally required Annual Notice will be landing on doormats shortly.

The Annual Notice must be completed as soon as possible by all tenants and owner-occupier crofters under the Crofters (Scotland) Act. 

The letters will contain a unique code to enter online to complete the Annual Notice form, says the Crofting Commission.

They add: “The good news? It has never been simpler. The process is entirely online, designed to be very quick and easy to navigate. Getting it done early means one less thing on your to-do list as we head into the busier months.”

The Crofting Commission’s Annual Notice is sent to all crofters each year, asking them to confirm they are fulfilling their statutory duties of residency and land use. It ensures crofters are meeting their duties — living within 20 miles of their croft, cultivating or maintaining the land, and using it productively.

The Commission uses the information to monitor the state of crofting and identify issues facing crofting communities.

Crofters who fail to return the notice truthfully are breaking the law. A non-return can lead to criminal records, and the Crofting Commission may assume the croft is vacant and re-let it to another tenant.

In 2025, around 3,500 crofters received formal warnings for failing to return their 2024 Annual Notice.

The Commission has recently toughened its stance on non-compliance, issuing warnings and threatening stricter action in future.

Chief Executive Gary Campbell emphasised that the Annual Notice is “fundamental to the regulation of crofting and the proper stewardship of our unique crofting system.