Who Can Apply For A Deed Poll?

Please read this page in full before you apply for a Deed Poll to ensure that you meet all of the criteria for changing your name by Deed Poll.

Age

To change your own name you need to apply for an adult Deed Poll for which you are required to be 16 years of age. If you are under 16, a parent or legal guardian can apply on your behalf providing everyone with parental responsibility consents to your name being changed. Please visit our Changing your child’s name section if you are planning to apply for a child’s Deed Poll.

Country of residence

Please read the section below that applies to you:

If you are British and reside in the UK

If you are British and currently reside somewhere in the United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland) you can apply for a Deed Poll to change your name by clicking on the "Apply for a Deed Poll" link on the left hand navigation panel.

If you are British and reside outside of the UK

If you are British and currently reside outside of the UK, you can still apply for a Deed Poll to have your name changed on your UK Passport and then use your passport to have your foreign records amended but we advise you to contact your local British mission to ensure that there are no special requirements to be met before they will issue you with a new Passport.

If you are not British but reside in the UK

If you are not British but currently reside in the UK you can apply for a Deed Poll but we advise that you check with the consular services section of your country's high commission or embassy in London before you submit an application to see if they will issue you with a Passport in your new name using your Deed Poll as documentary evidence of your change of name. If your Deed Poll will be accepted, there may be special requirements for you to comply with before they will issue your new passport. If you are not able to obtain a new passport using your Deed Poll, we advise that you do not apply for a Deed Poll as it is likely that you will be met with difficulty when trying to have your records amended with government departments, companies and organisations within the UK because you are not changing your name for "all purposes".

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