Name change in Australia

Australian common law allows a person to change their name simply by taking and using the name. However, this is not enough to satisfy businesses or organisations you deal with regularly, like banks, government agencies and other places.

These places require legal evidence you have changed your name. You will need to provide evidence of your current identity and have your application witnessed by a Justice of the Peace. The way to get this legal evidence is to change your name with your local Births, Deaths and Marriages Registry.

Anyone in Australia can change their name to almost any name they like whenever they like, as long as they are not changing their name for criminal purposes (ie. committing fraud).

A legal change of name is as simple filling out the form, paying a fee and collecting your name change certificate. Your new name is legally registered. Fees for changing your name across Australia range from $55 to $180 depending on your state/territory.

Tips when changing your name

You might like to use a name for a while before making it (and paying for it to be) legal. This way you can be sure you comfortable with the name and save money if you change your mind in the future.
You can change your name long before you make any correction to your birth certificate.
You don’t need to be on hormones to legally change your name.
More tips for name change
Sometimes names hurt – Jeremy, Victoria