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Changing your name

You can change your legal name in Queensland once every 12 months, if you are 18 or older.

You can apply to change your name if you were:

• born or adopted in Queensland
• born or adopted overseas and have resided in Queensland for the past 12 months (and currently live here).

If you were born or adopted in another Australian state or territory, you need to apply to the interstate registry office.

If your application is approved, we will send the standard certificate you choose and you will need to change your name everywhere you do business in the community.

In most cases, you don't need to apply to change your name if you are changing your name after marriage, separation or divorce.

Rules for changing your name

To change your name, you must:

• choose a name that is not a prohibited name
• not have changed your name in the past 12 months
• give a detailed reason for your name change.

If you are in the custody of corrective services, you must get written approval from the Chief Executive of Corrective Services or the Police Commissioner before applying to change your name. Failing to do so is a criminal offence.

Documents you will need to provide

If born or adopted in Queensland

You must provide:

• certified proof of ID
• evidence explaining the reason if your current name is different to the name on your birth certificate, such as a
  • marriage certificate
  • family deed poll document
  • birth certificate
  • change of name document.

Your application will not be approved, if:

• you have not provided enough documentation to establish your identity
• the change of name appears to be for a fraudulent or other improper purpose
• the name you've chosen is a prohibited name.

Detailed rules and requirements are outlined in our change of name and prohibited names policies.

If born or adopted overseas

You must provide:

• certified proof of ID
• a copy of your birth certificate—if you can’t get one (by applying through the registering authority in the country of your birth or foreign embassy for that country), you must provide an evidence of birth document, such as
  • a travel document
  • an Australian visa
  • a citizenship certificate
  • a passport issued by your country of birth with a letter from the consulate confirming your details
• evidence explaining the reason if your current name is different to the name on your evidence of birth document, such as a
  • marriage certificate
  • family deed poll document
  • change of name document.
• a copy of your Australian citizenship certificate, if you are a citizen.

If the original documents are not in English, please have them translated into English by an accredited translators and provide a certified copy of the original document with the original translation.

You will also need to provide evidence that you currently live and have lived in Queensland for the past 12 months, such as a letter. The letter should:

• be dated and signed on letterhead by either
  • your current employer
  • your doctor
  • your educational institution
  • the Australian Electoral Commission
  • your accountant
  • your financial institution or bank manager
  • your real estate agent
• state how long you have lived in Queensland
• state how long the person or organisation has known you.

Your application will not be approved, if:

• you have not been able to provide enough
  • documentation to establish your identity
  • evidence that you ordinarily reside in Queensland
• the change of name appears to be for a fraudulent or other improper purpose
• the name you’ve chosen is a prohibited name.

Detailed rules and requirements are outlined in our change of name and prohibited name policies.

How to apply

To apply to change your name, you need to:

1. Read and understand the rules above.
2. Complete, download and print the change of name application form.
3. Attach your certified proof of ID and the correct supporting documents, as required.
4. Have another adult (18 or over) witness your signature on the declaration section of the application form.
5. Pay the fee.
6. Submit your application form, supporting documents and payment to us by post.

By post

Post your completed application form with your certified documents and payment to:

Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages
PO Box 15188
CITY EAST  QLD  4002

Pay the fee

You will need to work out the total cost of your order and make sure you pay the correct amount.
You can pay:

• at the customer service centre
• by EFTPOS or credit card
• with a business account cheque
• with a bank cheque
• with a money order
• through the mail
• by credit card
• with a business account cheque
• with a bank cheque
• with a money order.

We will accept cash at the customer service centre, but prefer contactless payments such as EFTPOS or credit card.

Make cheques and money orders payable to 'Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages'.

We do not accept personal cheques.

Fill in the change of name application form

Application fees

Item	Cost
Change of name (includes 1 standard birth or change of name certificate)	$190.90
Additional standard birth or change of name certificate	$50.40

Urgent application fee

We process compliant change of name applications in 7 business days.

You can pay an additional $100.30 fee to get your application processed urgently—within 3 working days.

If an urgent application is not compliant and we have to ask you for more information or documentation, it will be delayed. It has still been reviewed before others. When we receive the requested information or documentation, it will continue to be processed urgently.

Postage fees

Standard postage is included in the price when you order a certificate to be sent by mail.

You can request to have your certificate posted by express or registered post for a fee.

Item	Cost
Express post	$7.15
Registered mail	$5.40
International registered post	$17.70

Certified and translated identity documents

If you are not applying in person, you must have your supporting documents certified by a qualified Justice of the Peace or another authorised person before you post them to us.

For original documents that are not in English, you must provide a translation from a translator accredited by the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI).