Scottish independence: When will the result of the referendum be announced?

Results will start trickling in in the early hours of Friday morning

The results of the Scottish referendum will start trickling in from as early as 1am on Friday 19 September.

An unofficial estimate puts the announcement between 6.30am and 7.30am, but given the volume of people voting – over four million ballots to be counted – it may be much later on the Friday that we learn the precise result.

Polls open at 7am on Thursday 18 September, closing at 10pm the same day. All 32 regional centres in Scotland will begin counting the votes then.

The result will be announced by the chief counting officer, Mary Pitcaithly, once it has become impossible for the other side to win. This may happen before the precise final result is known.

There are 4,285,323 people registered to vote, the largest ever electorate in Scotland for an election or referendum.

There are, however, logistical issues that may delay the announcement of the vote.

Many of the boxes of ballot papers will have to be transported by boat or aircraft – Comhairle nan Eilean Siar of the Western Isles has planned the use of a helicopter to ensure the timely transfer of its votes.

The New Statesman reports a document released by the Electoral Management Board for Scotland that warns, "whatever logistical and transport plans and contingencies are put in place, weather or road conditions may delay the receipt of ballot boxes at a count. This would delay that count and, as a consequence, the overall national result".

Although there will be no recount nationally, both the Yes and No campaigns can request a recount at each of the local counting stations, so (in theory) the result could be repeatedly delayed as each camp requests a recount across the different counting stations in Scotland.

There is no real way of knowing the immediate consequences of Scottish independence. However, speculation has said there would be massive market uncertainty, coupled with huge political fallout for the three main Westminster parties and David Cameron.

Read more: What might happen if Scotland votes Yes?
Analysis: The topics driving the referendum
Read: Cameron's Scottish links won't help him in the debate over Scotland's future

Yesterday, Alex Salmond ruled out another referendum following the results when he said: “In my view this is a once in a generation, perhaps even once in a lifetime opportunity for Scotland.”