How to Change Your Name on the Electoral Roll
If you are enrolled to vote and change your name, you should update your details with the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC).
Keeping your electoral enrolment current ensures you are correctly enrolled for federal elections, referendums and relevant state, territory or local elections.
You can update your name online through the AEC website or use a paper form if you prefer.
How do I change my name with the AEC?
The easiest option for most people is to update their enrolment details online.
The AEC currently allows you to verify your identity using one of the following:
- Australian driver licence number
- Australian passport number
- Medicare card details
- Australian citizenship number
- Another person who is already enrolled to vote and can confirm your identity
Proof of Age and 18+ cards are not currently accepted for this process.
Once your identity is confirmed, you can submit the update to change the name recorded on the electoral roll.
Do I need to provide my marriage or name-change certificate?
Not necessarily.
The AEC’s current online update process focuses on verifying your identity using one of its accepted identification methods rather than asking every applicant to upload a marriage or legal name-change certificate.
This is different from many banks, government departments and other organisations, which may specifically ask for documents linking your previous and new names.
Follow the instructions in the AEC update process rather than assuming it needs the same evidence as another organisation.
Can I change my name using a paper form?
Yes.
If you do not want to update your details online, you can download and print an enrolment form or collect one from an AEC office and return it to the AEC.
The paper form also provides options for confirming your identity.
Does changing my AEC record update other organisations?
No.
Updating the electoral roll changes your enrolment details with the AEC, but it does not automatically change your name with Medicare, the ATO, your driver licensing authority, banks or other organisations.
Each organisation maintains its own records and has its own name-change procedure.
Does the AEC update my state electoral enrolment too?
In most cases, you do not need to maintain separate federal and state enrolments.
The AEC maintains the Commonwealth electoral roll in cooperation with state and territory electoral authorities, and completing an enrolment update allows you to participate in relevant federal, state, territory and local elections.
How do I know my name has been updated?
If you update your details online, the AEC provides a receipt number that you can use to check the progress of your application.
You can also use the AEC’s enrolment checking service once the update has been processed.
The AEC advises allowing a couple of days after a recent enrolment or update before checking your details.
What other records should I change?
The electoral roll is usually only one of many records that need updating after a name change.
Depending on your circumstances, you may also need to notify:
- Driver licensing authority
- Passport Office
- ATO
- Medicare
- Centrelink
- Banks and credit cards
- Superannuation
- Employer
- Insurers
- Utilities
- Memberships and other accounts
How can Easy Name Change help?
Easy Name Change saves you from researching the name-change process for every organisation individually.
Your personalised kit provides the relevant instructions, forms, letters and emails for the organisations you select, including government departments, financial institutions and everyday accounts.
You can start building your kit for free, choose the organisations you need to update and see what is 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.
