What Identification Documents Do I Need to Change My Name?
Most name changes start with an official document that links your previous and new names.
The document you need depends on why you are changing your name.
- Taking your spouse’s surname after marriage: you will generally use your official Australian marriage certificate.
- Returning to a previous surname: you may need your marriage certificate together with another document showing your former name.
- Any other legal name change: you will generally use your official change-of-name certificate or amended birth certificate issued by Births, Deaths and Marriages.
Once you have the right proof-of-name-change document, individual organisations may ask for additional identification before updating their records.
What document proves my new name?
For most people, the key document is the one that formally connects the name you previously used with your new name.
If you were married in Australia and are taking your spouse’s surname, this is usually your official marriage certificate issued by Births, Deaths and Marriages.
The ceremonial certificate signed on your wedding day is generally not accepted for official name changes. Medicare, for example, specifically requires an Australian marriage certificate and does not accept ceremonial certificates for a legal name update.
If you have registered a legal name change, your evidence will generally be your Births, Deaths and Marriages change-of-name certificate or updated birth certificate.
Will I also need photo ID?
Sometimes.
Each organisation decides what identification it needs before changing the name on an account or record.
Some may only need your proof-of-name-change document. Others may ask for photo identification as well, such as:
- Driver licence
- Australian passport
- Foreign passport
- Government-issued photo card
Whether the photo ID needs to show your old or new name will depend on the organisation and the process being used.
Your name-change document exists partly to establish the link between those names, so do not assume you must update every piece of photo ID before you can begin changing other records.
Do all organisations ask for the same documents?
No.
There is no universal identification checklist for every Australian organisation.
The ATO, for example, currently allows an online name update using an Australian full birth certificate, Australian marriage certificate or Australian change-of-name certificate. If you update your name by post, the ATO accepts a broader range of Australian and foreign identity documents.
Medicare has its own rules and currently accepts documents including an Australian marriage certificate, Australian change-of-name certificate or an Australian birth certificate showing the new name.
Banks, superannuation funds, insurers, professional bodies and other organisations may all ask for different evidence.
That is why it is important to check the requirements of each organisation rather than making multiple copies of every document before you know what is actually needed.
What documents do I need for an Australian passport?
Australian passport applications have more detailed identity requirements than most everyday name changes.
To receive a passport in your new name, you need documents proving your Australian citizenship and identity, as well as documents linking your previous and new names.
Which documents are required depends on why your name changed.
For example, the Passport Office may need to see your:
- Australian birth or citizenship certificate
- Marriage or registered name-change document
- Current or previous passport
- Other identification required for the passport application
Because passport requirements are more specific, follow the current Australian Passport Office checklist rather than relying on the document requirements of another organisation.
Do I need certified copies?
Sometimes.
Some organisations accept details entered online, uploaded scans or ordinary photocopies. Others may ask to see the original document or a certified copy.
The requirement depends on the organisation and how you submit your name change.
For example, the ATO requires a certified copy of the identity document when a name update is submitted by post, but online updates verify eligible Australian documents electronically.
If an organisation specifically requests certified copies, check who it allows to certify them before arranging certification.
For more information, see What Are Certified Copies of Certificates?
What if my documents are in different names?
That is normal during a name change.
You may have a birth certificate in one name, a marriage or change-of-name certificate linking that name to another, and photo identification that has not yet been updated.
The important thing is being able to establish a clear documentary trail between your names.
NSW Births, Deaths and Marriages, for example, notes that a change-of-name certificate is used by many organisations to formally link a previous and current name.
Keep your original certificates and previous identity documents safe even after you finish changing your records. They may be useful later when you need to prove your identity or name history.
How can Easy Name Change help?
The difficult part is often not obtaining the documents — it is knowing what each organisation wants you to send.
Easy Name Change provides personalised instructions for the organisations you select, including what proof documents are required and whether you need an original, copy, certified copy or another form of identification.
That means you can prepare the documents you actually need rather than guessing what every organisation might require.
You can start building your kit for free and see the organisations included before being asked to pay.
Easy Name Change has been helping people through name changes since 2008 and has helped more than one million people worldwide.a
