www.deedpollsonline.co.uk

About Deed Polls
What is a Deed Poll?
Why is it called a Deed Poll?
What is the purpose of a Deed Poll?
Who can apply?
Can I change my children's names?
Are there any restrictions on names?
Is a Deed Poll registered anywhere?
Can a birth certificate be changed?
Why do people change their name?
Answers to other FAQs

Applying for a Deed Poll
Change your name online now
Example letters of consent

General name change information
Introduction
A woman's rights upon marriage
A man's rights upon marriage
A woman's rights upon divorce
A woman's rights upon being widowed
Your rights upon adoption
Who to advise after changing your name

UK Deed Poll Service
Contact us
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions and your rights
 

Q1: Do I need to send my Deed Poll back to you after I have signed it?
A: No, once you have executed your Deed Poll, you can start using it immediately to get your documents and records changed. You only need to send your Deed Poll back to us if you have ordered our certified copy and archive service.

Q2: Do I need to get a solicitor or someone similar to witness me sign my Deed Poll?
A: No, the witness can be anyone so long as they are over the age of 18 and know you but are not related to you and are independent of you. Therefore, a neighbour, friend or work colleague would be a suitable witness.

Q3: Are your Deed Polls accepted by the UK Passport Service?
A: Yes, our Deed Polls are accepted by the UK Passport Service. If you wish to confirm this, you can telephone the Passport Service's advice line on 0870 521 0410. If you are told that our Deed Polls are not accepted, ask the person to check with their supervisor.

Q4: How much does it cost to change my name by Deed Poll? I cannot find the price on your website.
A: Look towards the bottom of the page Change your name online now and you will find a table that describes the three types of Deed Poll we offer (child, adult and family). The prices for each are shown in the table.

Q5: Are there any other fees payable after I pay for my Deed Poll?
A: The only other expense you will have is the cost of getting your passport reissued in your new name. Current UK passport fees are available via their website or by calling their advice line on 0870 521 0410. You can obtain a passport application pack from most main post offices or complete an application form online on the Passport Service's website.

Q6: Can I get copies of my Deed Poll made so I don't need to keep sending out the original?
A: Copies of a Deed Poll can only be used in place of the original if they are "certified copies". This is where someone like ourselves or a doctor, teacher, solicitor, or someone with similar standing, signs their name and declares in writing on the copy Deed Poll that it is a true copy of the original. Unless you know someone personally who can certify a copy, you will probably be charged for this service. If you are applying to us for a Deed Poll, we offer a certified copy and archive service. You can order certified copies and our archive service on the application form.

Q7: I've lost my Deed Poll, where can I get a copy from?
A: Unless you had a certified copy made (see Q6 above) or had your Deed Poll entered in the enrolment books of the Central Office of the Supreme Court of Deeds at the Royal Courts of Justice in London (telephone 020 7947 6000), a copy of your Deed Poll does not exist - since you had the one and only signed original (if you paid less than about £100 for your Deed Poll, you would not have paid to have your Deed Poll enrolled). The only way to overcome this problem is to order another Deed Poll.

To read a summary of the online application process click on this link. Please read the whole page before clicking on the links to the application forms. When you enter your details, you should enter your 'old name' in the current name fields and your 'current name' in the new name fields. The idea is to replicate the name change shown on your lost deed poll document.

Q8: I am trying to find a record of a relative's name change. Can you tell me if they have changed their name by Deed Poll?
A: Searching for someone's Deed Poll is like looking for the proverbial needle in a haystack. This is because in addition to ourselves, a Deed Poll can be prepared by any of the many thousands of solicitors throughout England and Wales. Even if you discovered who prepared your relative's Deed Poll, client confidentiality prevents the disclosing of any information about the Deed Poll. The only chance you have of locating a Deed Poll is if it was enrolled in the Close Rolls of the Chancery or more recently in the Enrolment Books of the Supreme Court of Judicature in London. However, very few Deed Polls were or are enrolled because it is a voluntary process and enrolling significantly adds to the time taken and the cost of changing your name - hence very few people enrol a Deed Poll.

For further information and advice about searching for evidence of a change of name, please visit the Public Record Office website. You may also wish to visit the Family Records website, which aims to help you research your family's history by locating UK government records.

Q9: My name was changed when I was a child and I now want to revert to my birth name. Do I need to do this by Deed Poll?
A: Yes you do. Whether you want to change your name to a former name or a new name entirely, you will be required to provide 'documentary evidence' of the change. A deed poll provides you with the necessary documentary evidence of your name change. After you have reverted to your birth name by Deed Poll, if you are ever asked to prove your identity you can produce your birth certificate alone. However, if you are ever asked if you have been known by any other name, you must declare your previous names and produce your Deed Poll documents if required.

Q10: I want to change my name now but I have a holiday booked. Can I keep my passport in my old name and change it when I get back?
A: For security reasons, we strongly advise that you do not travel overseas bearing documents in different names e.g. your passport in one name and your travel documents, credit cards and driving licence etc in a different name. If you cannot get your travel documents changed to your new name, we suggest you change you name after your holiday.

Q11: I live in Scotland and have been told that I cannot change my name by Deed Poll because the name change procedure is different in Scotland. Is this correct?
A: You have been wrongly advised. Although a deed poll is an English legal document, it is recognised by all UK government departments, companies and organisations. Therefore, you will not experience any problems getting all your documents and records changed to your new name (including your passport, driving licence, medical records etc). We issue many hundreds of Deed Polls to Scottish residents each year and we have never had to give a refund under our guarantee.

Q12: I was married to the father of my daughter when she was born but I do not know his whereabouts. Can I change my daughter's name without the father's consent?
A: Yes you can but only if you made reasonable attempts to trace the father's whereabouts. You need to read our page Can I change my children's names for information about how to do this.

Q13: Will my credit rating be affected if I change my name by Deed Poll?
A: Your credit rating will not be affected because when you complete any application form for credit or a loan etc, you will be asked on the application form if you have ever been known by a former name. By disclosing your former name, your credit history can be accessed.

Q14: I am changing my surname to that of my boyfriend's. Can I use the title Mrs?
A: Yes, but you must ensure that on any application forms, for example for credit, loans, insurance etc you make it clear your marital status is single.

Q15: I am divorcing my husband and wish to change my name by Deed Poll to my maiden name. Can I use the title Miss or Ms?
A: Yes, but you must ensure that on any application forms, for example for credit, loans, insurance etc you make it clear your marital status is married.

Q16: I am a male-to-female transsexual and wish to change my name by Deed Poll. Will I be able to use the title Miss or Ms?
A: Yes, but you must ensure that on any application forms, for example for credit, loans, insurance etc you make it clear your sex at birth was male. This is particularly important for insurances because you may get a cheaper rate if the insurer thinks you were born a female. In the event of a claim, you will find you will not get paid out if your sex at birth is established. Furthermore, it is a criminal offence to obtain a financial advantage if you deceive someone.

Q17: Can I have Lord or Sir as my first name?
A: Yes you can because there is no law in the United Kingdom that prevents you from calling yourself whatever you like. However, we will not accept an order for a Deed Poll that includes a first name that may result in others believing you have a conferred or inherited honour or title. Therefore, applications for a first name such as Sir, Lord, Lady, Baron, Baroness, Count, Earl, Countess, Duke, Duchess etc will not be accepted.

Q18: Do I need to inform everyone that my name has changed?
A: Yes you do. Two of the declarations you make on your Deed Poll are that you will entirely abandon the use of your old name and you will only use your new name in future. A list of government departments, companies and organisations that you need to notify is included in your Deed Poll pack.

Q19: I want to change my name but I want to continue to use my former name at work because I have built up a good reputation over the years with my clients. Can I do this?
A: Yes, with the permission of your employer you can continue to use your former name. Companies are usually happy to allow you to use your former name if they believe there are commercial benefits from doing so.

Q20: Will my new passport mention my old name?
A: No, you will receive a brand new passport without any mention or reference to your old name.

Q21: I am a British citizen living abroad, can I apply for a Deed Poll?
A: Yes, you can use your Deed Poll to obtain a new British passport from your nearest British consular office and then use your new passport to get any documents and records changed in the country in which you live. We do suggest however that you check with your nearest British consular office before you make your application to ensure there are no special requirements that must be met before they will issue you with a new passport. For example, the British embassy in Tokyo require Deed Polls to be witnessed by a solicitor.

Q22: I have dual nationality. Will a Deed Poll get both passports I hold reissued in my new name?
A: Maybe. Our Deed Polls are guaranteed to get your British passport reissued in your new name. However, you need to investigate the procedure for getting your other passport changed by calling the passport section of the issuing country's embassy or high commission in London. We are aware that our Deed Polls have been successfully used in getting passports changed which have been issued by British Commonwealth countries.

Q23: I am not a British citizen but I live in the UK. Can I use a Deed Poll to change my name?
A: Yes, our Deed Polls will get your documents and records changed that have been issued or are held by UK government departments, companies and organisations. Our Deed Polls may get your passport changed but you will need to check with your country's embassy or high commission in London. We are aware that our Deed Polls have been successfully used in getting passports changed that have been issued by British Commonwealth countries.

Q24: I am getting married abroad and have been told that my Deed Poll and birth certificate must be legalised. What is legalising and what do I need to do?
A: The legalisation of documents, such as deed polls and birth certificates, is handled by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London for the purpose of confirming a document's authenticity, thus enabling them to be accepted by foreign countries. Firstly, you need to take your deed poll and birth certificate to a solicitor for authenticating. The solicitor will write on your documents "I have no reason to doubt the authenticity of this document." The solicitor will sign and print his/her full name under this statement. You should expect to pay about £5 per document for this service but do ask first. You then need to send your documents to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. For further information please click on this link to visit the FCO's website. The legalisation fee is £12 per document (as at July 2002).

Q25: What is the difference between a Statutory Declaration and a Deed Poll?
A: A Statutory Declaration is a similar document to a Deed Poll but because a Statutory Declaration is a much less known method of changing a name, there are sometimes problems with its acceptability. We do issue Deed Polls to people who have been unable to get their Statutory Declaration accepted by everyone. Furthermore, a Statutory Declaration must be sworn before a Commissioner of Oaths or a Justice of the Peace. Therefore, not only can a Statutory Declaration work out more expensive than a Deed Poll prepared by us but you must make an appointment and visit a solicitor's office to swear the document. Our Deed Poll service is more conveniently conducted either entirely online or over the telephone.

Not found you answer you're looking for?
If you have any unanswered questions about changing your name by Deed Poll, please e-mail us. Alternatively, you can call our freephone helpline on 0800-7833048 (10am-1pm & 2pm-6pm, Monday to Friday - except public holidays).

Last updated: 21 May 2003