Changing your name

Learn more on how to change your name and apply for a previously registered change of name certificate.

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If you are using, or wish to use, a name other than your registered name, there is no legal requirement that you formally change your name. It is, however, recommended that you change your name officially, both for identification and as evidence of your name change.

How to apply to change a 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.

How to change a child’s name

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

Changing a child’s given name(s) within 12 months of their birth

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.

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.

• 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

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.