Deed poll and Statutory Declaration Change Name Documents online for £10
How do I change my name?
There are two main ways of changing your name officially, both of which use a document that you can download and print from this website. These are by Deed Poll and by Statutory Declaration.
Changing children's names:
If have sole parental responsibility and wish to change your child's name, for example to use your surname rather than the other parents name, then you do not need the consent of the child's other parent. If you have joint parental responsibility, or if you are not the only person named on your child's birth certificate, then you do need the consent of your child's other parent. To find out if you have sole parental responsibility go to: direct.gov.uk Parents Rights (opens in a new window).
Birth certificate changes:
It is not usually possible to change the name on your birth certificate unless you have had gender re-assignment and have a Gender Recognition Certificate. It is sometimes possible to change a child name under certain circumstances such as if the parents were not married at the time of registration of the child's birth, and the father was not present at the registration and the father subsequently consents for the child to use his name.
Name Change by Deed Poll:
A Deed Poll is a legal document which has one party: the person using this document to change their name. The document is worded to indicate that you relinquish your former old name and adopt your new name. You therefore require everybody to stop using your old name and from this point address you by your chosen new name.
The deed must be signed and dated by you and witnessed by two independent people who must not be relatives. That completes the process, you now have an officially recognised new name.
How to Witness your Deed Poll Document »
What do I do with my Deed Poll?
You must simply take the document with you whenever you need to prove your identity, such as changing the name on your back account or applying for a passport. The organisation will return the original document to you after they have taken copies themselves. Some organisations may accept a copy of the document that has been certified for example by a solicitor.
What to do next with your name change document »
Deed Poll Registration (enrollment)
If you require, it is possible to enroll your Deed Poll i.e. lodge for safe keeping, in the Enrollment Books of the Supreme Court of Judicature, which is within in the Royal Courts of Justice in The Strand, London. There is a fee for this service of several hundred pounds. Enrolling your Deed Poll in this way does not make any difference to the process, and less than 1% of Deed Poll documents are ever enrolled in this way as the process is superfluous.
Name Change by Statutory Declaration
Statutory Declaration is a legal document which is sworn on oath in front of either a Solicitor, Judge, Officer of the Court or Commissioner of Oaths. Once you have your downloaded Statutory Declaration name change document, you must take it to any firm of Solicitors (they will usually do it with no appointment) to have the document 'sworn' on oath. It takes a few minutes and there is a standard fee of five pounds. The solicitor will usually make a charge of £5.00 for this service. The Court officer will usually not charge for this service. Your Statutory Declaration name change document will then be stamped with the solicitors official stamp.
How swear an oath on your Statutory Declaration Document »
Why choose Statutory Declaration rather than Deed Poll:
A Deed Poll is simply witnessed by any two adults who are not related to you. However for many the preferred option is to have a Statutory Declaration, as this is sworn on oath in front of an officially recognised person and receives an official stamp. This makes the Statutory Declaration document feel a little more 'official' but the legal effect is no different from a Deed Poll.
In either case, the process of creating and downloading the document from this website is the same. Choosing whether to change your name by Deed Poll or by Statutory Declaration comes down to personal choice and whether you wish to have the document witnessed or have it sworn in front of a Solicitor or Court official. There is no difference in the official validity of either document.
More: What is a Statutory Declaration? »
