Changing your name

How to register a change of name – Adult

You can apply to the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages in Western Australia (WA) to register a change of name if:

• you are 18 years of age or older.
• you were born in WA, or your birth is registered in WA. Note - if you were born, or your birth was registered in another State or Territory of Australia, then you will need to apply to the Registry of Births Deaths and Marriages in that state.
• you were born outside of Australia and are either an Australian Citizen or permanent resident and you have lived continuously in WA for 12 months. immediately prior to the date of making an application to change your name.
• you have lived continuously in WA for 12 months immediately prior to the date of making an application to change your name.
• you have not registered a change of name in WA or another State or Territory within 12 months immediately prior to the date of making an application to change your name.
• you have not changed your name by registration in WA or another State or Territory 3 times in your life for the period after you turned 18 years of age.
• if you are a Required Declarant, you have obtained the relevant approval of a Supervisory Authority to apply to change your name. Refer to Required Declarant section below.

All applications to register a change of name require three forms of identity documents and if you were born outside of Australia, you will also need to provide evidence of your citizenship or permanent resident status.  Refer to the Proof of residency section below.

Apply using the BDM400 Register a Change of Name (Adult) application form.

How to change a child’s name

There are three ways of changing a child’s name.

1. Changing a child’s given name(s) within 12 months of their birth
   
   Children under 12 months of age who were born in Western Australia can have their given name(s) changed by completing the BDM105 Application to Change a Child’s Given Name within 12 months of their Birth form. A fee is payable for this service and only one change of this kind can be made and only within 12 months of the child's date of birth. No extension of this time can be given.
    
2. Changing a child’s surname
   
   A child’s surname can also be changed at the time of amending the original birth registration information. For example, the addition of their parent’s marriage or certain changes in the child’s parentage details. Refer to the Corrections and Amendments section of this webpage for further details on these application types.
    
3. Registering a change of name
   
   This applies when changing the child’s given name(s) or surname, after 12 months of their birth and up to 18 years of age where 1 and 2 above do not apply.

How to Register a Change of Name – Child

All parents named in the child’s birth registration or the child’s legally appointed guardians can apply to the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages in WA to register a change of name for the child if:

• the child is under 18 years of age.
• the child was born in WA or their birth is registered in WA. Note - if the child was born or the birth was registered in another State or Territory of Australia, then you will need to apply to the Registry of Births Deaths and Marriages in that state.
• the child was born outside of Australia and is either an Australian Citizen or permanent resident and the child’s birth is not registered in another State or Territory.
• the child, or if under 12 months of age the parents (applicants), have lived continuously in WA for 12 months immediately prior to the date of making an application to change the child’s name.
• the child has not had a registered change of name in WA or another State or Territory within 12 months immediately prior to the date of making an application to change the child’s name.
• if the child is a Required Declarant, you have obtained the relevant approval from the child’s Supervisory Authority to apply to change their name. Refer to Required Declarant section below.

All applications to register a change of name for a child require three forms of identity documents for all applicants applying to change a child’s name.  If the child was born outside of Australia the applicants will also need to provide evidence of the child’s citizenship or permanent resident status.  Refer to the Proof of Residency section below.

Apply using the BDM401 Register a Change of Name (Child under 18 years) application form.

Note

If one parent of a child is unable or cannot obtain the consent of the other parent named in the child's birth certificate, a sealed court order from the Family Court, stating that it is in the child's best interests to have their name changed, is required before the Registry can register a change of name for the child.

Where one parent of a child is deceased the applicant parent must provide evidence of the death of the deceased parent at the time of making the change of name application.

Families

Where a family applies to change their name together (ie legally married or de facto couples, different or same sex) all applications for children of that family under 18 years of age are not charged a fee, ie each adult applicant pays a full fee and for each child no fee is payable.

Each family member must complete a separate application form and a separate fee is payable for all change of name certificates (this is separate to the registration fee).

Proof of residency

If the person to whom a change of name application relates (adult or child) was born overseas, the applicant must provide a minimum of two separate forms of documentary evidence to show they (or in the case of a child the parents) have been living continuously in WA for 12 months immediately prior to the date of making an application.

Evidence should:

• not be older than twelve months (except your Western Australian photo driver's licence)
• state your current address and, where applicable, all previous Western Australian addresses within the last 12 months
• display the date of issue of the document
• clearly show a 12 month history of your living in Western Australia

Further detailed information relating to proof of residency requirements can be found in the BDM400 Register a Change of Name (Adult) application form or the BDM401 Register a Change of Name (Child under 18 years) application form.

In extraordinary circumstances, the Registry may accept evidence older than twelve months but only where they clearly link to other forms of evidence of residency in Western Australia. Please contact the Registry to discuss before lodging your application.

Required Declarant (Restricted Person)

Persons restricted from changing their name in WA

The Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Act 1998 restricts certain classes of persons from changing their name without the permission of a supervisory authority.  It also restricts people from making a change of name on behalf of a restricted person.  Restricted persons are:

• a high risk serious offender
• a detainee
• a person subject to an early release order
• a prisoner
• a supervised offender
• a supervised young offender.

Approval requirements

Persons who are a restricted person as set out above must obtain approval from their relevant supervisory authority before making an application to change their name.  Making an application without approval is an offence under the Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Act 1998

Further detailed information relating to Restricted Persons can be found in the:

• BDM400 Register a Change of Name (Adult) application form
• BDM401 Register a Change of Name (Child under 18 years) application form
• Adult community corrections

Application information

By signing the change of name application, you are authorising the Registry to conduct discretionary checks (if required) with appropriate agencies to verify the information in your application including the authenticity of your documentation.

Any person who marries in Australia may choose to assume their spouse's surname. This is done as a matter of custom, not law.  A certified marriage certificate issued by an Australian Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages is usually sufficient evidence to have personal documentation changed to a married surname.

If you were married overseas, you may have to register a formal change of name with the Registry before your married surname is accepted by some organisations.

If you wish to revert back to your maiden name (surname at birth or after adoption), there is no legal requirement for a formal change of name, however, to avoid difficulties with obtaining recognition of your maiden name, registration of the change is recommended.

If you were born in Western Australia and have previously changed your name via Deed Poll or a prior Registry Change of Name License, you can have this recorded on your birth registration using the BDM104 Application to Record a Previously Registered Change of Name in a Birth Registration form. If the change was registered in another State or Territory, a certified copy of the change of name certificate must be submitted with your application. 

No fee is payable for this service, however, if an amended birth certificate or change of name certificate is required a certificate application form must be submitted along with the required fee.

Certificates for a change of name previously registered in Western Australia from 31 January 1957 can be obtained from the Registry by applying online or by submitting a BDM450 Previous Change of Name Certificate Application Form.  If the change occurred in another State or Territory, contact the relevant Registry Office.

Enquiries regarding change of name certificates prior to 31 January 1957 should be directed to Landgate.

Current as at 1 July 2019 and subject to change without notice.

Forms

• Refer to Change of name application forms.

Fees

The fees to register a name change and apply for a change of name certificate:

• $190 Lodgement fee for Application for Registration of a Change of Name. This fee will be retained regardless of the outcome of your application.
• $55 Change a child’s name within 12 months of birth (includes replacement birth certificate)
• $55 Previously registered Change of Name Certificate (1957 onwards)
• $42 Priority Service (certificate applications only & not payable when applying in person)

The following payment methods are accepted:

• Credit Card - MasterCard or Visa only
• EFTPOS Debit Card or Cash - When paying in person
• Cheque or money order - Payable to Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages. When paying at a WA court payable to the Department of Justice
• Overseas applicants - $AUD via credit card (MasterCard or Visa only) or international money order or bank draft payable to Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages.

Refund policy

• The Refund Policy (PDF 541.32KB) outlines the circumstances that are considered for refund of fees paid for goods or services provided by the Western Australian Registry of Births Deaths and Marriages.

Applicants are required to provide at least three forms of evidence-of-identity documents before being eligible to receive certificates.

One from List 1, 2 and 3. At least one containing a photograph

or

One from List 1 and two from List 2. At least one containing a photograph

or

Two from List 2 and one from List 3. At least one containing a signature.

List 1 – Link between photo and signature

• Australian Driver’s Licence
• Australian Learner Driver’s permit card
• Australian Citizenship Certificate (with evidence of residential status)
• Australian Firearm Licence
• Australian Passport
• Defence Force/Police Id Card
• Western Australia Photo Card, Over 18 or Proof of Identity Card

List 2 – Evidence of Operating in the Community

• A financial institution Debit or Credit Card (not accepted for online applications)
• Australian Security or Crowd Control Licence
• Birth Certificates (birth extracts are not accepted)
• Centrelink/Veterans Affairs Entitlement Card
• Document of identity issued by the Passport Office
• Medicare Card
• Naturalisation, citizenship or immigration papers issued by the Department of Home Affairs
• Overseas passport
• Student Identity Document or Statement of Enrolment
• Working with Children Check card

List 3 – Proof of Residency

• Drivers licence renewal notice
• Financial institution statement less than 6 months old
• Motor vehicle registration
• Property Lease or Tenancy Agreement
• Shire/Water rates notice
• Student Report or Certificate less than 12 months old
• Utility Account less than 6 months old

For overseas applicants, the Registry will consider overseas equivalent evidence-of-identity documents.

Applications to register a change of name can be submitted by post or in person only at the Registry Office in Perth.

In person

At the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages
Level 10, 141 St Georges Terrace
PERTH WA 6000

By post

Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages
PO Box 7720
Cloisters Square
PERTH WA 6850

Applications to apply for a previously registered change of name certificate can be submitted as per above or

Online
Apply online at the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages Online