The structural and magnetic properties of the two Ir(V) perovskites Ba2ScIrO6 and Sr2ScIrO6 were established. The structures were refined using a combined neutron and synchrotron data set. At room temperature the former has a cubic structure in space group Fm (3) over barn with a = 8.1450(3) angstrom, and the latter is monoclinic in P2(1)/n with a = 5.6606(3) angstrom, b = 5.6366(3) angstrom, c = 7.9720(4) angstrom, and beta = 89.977(5). Magnetization measurements show both oxides have magnetic moments close to zero as a consequence of strong spin orbit coupling that results in a J(eff) approximate to 0 ground state. The distortion of the IrO6 octahedra in Sr2ScIrO6 is insufficient to generate crystal field splitting strong enough to quench the spin orbit coupling.