Polling stations throughout the UK have opened, with voting now under way in the EU referendum.

Voters have from 7am to 10pm on Thursday to cast their vote in the referendum, which will decide if the United Kingdom should remain a member of the European Union or leave the organisation.

It is only the second such vote on Britain's membership since the nation joined the then European Economic Community on January 1, 1973. The previous referendum took place in 1975.

To be eligible to vote in the referendum you have to be 18 or over be registered to vote with the Electoral Commission. A record number of people have registered to vote for the referendum, with 46,499,537 people on the electoral roll.

Throughout Scotland, a total of 4965 polling stations are in operation with 10,626 staff working at the stations.

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon cast her vote around two hours after polls opened at Broomhouse Community Hall in the east end of Glasgow.

She said she is hopeful of a large turnout in Scotland in the European Union referendum as she cast her vote, adding: "Scotland can have a big impact on the final vote".

Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson was at St Mary's Parish Centre in Edinburgh to cast her vote while Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale voted at the city's St Ninian and Triduana RC Church.

Counting will begin once the polling stations close, the ballot boxes are locked and are transferred to regional counting centres.

Voting results will be declared in each of Scotland's 32 local council areas with a Scottish cumulative total declared in Grangemouth counting centre once all Scottish local results have been declared.

Ukip Scottish leader David Coburn cast his vote at the Kinghorn Community Centre in Fife.

Greens co-convener Patrick Harvie turned up at his polling station on a bicycle while Scottish Lib Dem leader Willie Rennie also cast his vote.

The national UK result will be declared in Manchester by the chief counting officer.

Coverage of the results begin at 10pm on STV with Referendum Result Live, which can also be watched online on the STV Player.