Changing your name by deed poll
Here, in the U.K, you can change your name at any time. Changing your name is a legal matter, which means that there isn’t a place where you can go to register a change of name. In law, you can simply adopt a new name and start using it.
But, you will need a Deed Poll (some other documents are permissible) to update your Passport, Driving Licence, Bank Accounts, and other official records, to be in your new name.
Anyone can use a deed poll to change their name, but you might be able to use another document that you already have, e.g. a marriage certificate.
So how do you change your name
A quick search of the Internet will reveal a lot of sites and companies, many of them solicitors, that offer this as a service. For a fee, varying from £15-£45, they will take your details and create you a Deed Poll.
All of these sites and companies are taking advantage of a process that you can do yourself – FOR FREE !!!
One of the Internet sites, FreeDeedPoll.Org.Uk, has a little form to fill in, you just need to supply some basic information …
- Your ‘old’ name
- Your ‘new’ name
- Your address
- The date you want your Deed Poll effective from
- the name and address of two witnesses
Next steps
Go to the website, FreeDeedPoll.org.uk, enter your details, then double check your details, and press the button marked ‘Generate Deed Poll’
That’s it, the site will generate a PDF document that you can download, you can then print off as many copies as you like, unlike some of the sites that will charge you for such a service.
Print your new Deed Poll onto nice, heavy, paper. I suggest parchment paper, which you can get from your favourite stationer, sign your name on it, twice – once using each name, and get your witnesses to sign it too.
Congratulations, you have a new name!
Now, as a start, here is a list of people that you might want to tell …