Change of Name Deeds and Deed Polls

The terms Change of Name Deed and Deed Poll are largely inter-changeable. Each is a legal document used to officially change a name of an adult or child. A Deed Poll is a specific type of Change of Name Deed required if it is to be enrolled (see below).

A Change of Name Deed can be used to update formal documentation such as a passport, driving licence, bank accounts and other records.

Changing your name can include changing any aspect by adding or deleting hyphens, changing the spelling or altering any other part of the name.

There are two types of Change of Name Deeds:

• Unenrolled Change of Name Deeds/Deed Polls
• Enrolled Deed Polls

An unenrolled Change of Name Deed or Deed Poll is a document you can make yourself without going through a formal legal process. The deed poll must be signed by the individual in the presence of one witness and can be completed by anyone above the age of 16. There is no set format although the wording does need to make it clear what your former and new names are. It can be useful to get a solicitor or notary to help you draft and complete it. They can also act as your witness.

An enrolled Deed Poll is a Change of Name Deed that is officially registered at the Royal Courts of Justice. You must be over the age of 18 to apply to register and use the Courts deed poll process which involves particular wording. Two witnesses are required (one of which could be your solicitor or a notary) and a statutory declaration needs to be made by someone who has known you for 10 years, usually in front of a solicitor or notary. Once registered, your new name is on the public record and can be searched online.

To change your name, you simply need to start using your new name for all purposes. However, when you start to apply for a new passport or to open a bank account, for example, you may be asked to provide formal evidence that you changed your name. This is where a Change of Name Deed or Deed Poll is essential.

If would like help with a Deed Poll or Change of Name Deed, we can guide you through the process, including providing a suitable template for a Change of Name Deed. We charge £160 plus VAT (£192). If you want a Deed Poll, there is also an enrolment fee, payable to the Courts, of just under £50.

Our fee includes providing witnesses and completing the statutory declaration which, as indicated above, is required for an enrolled Deed Poll and needs to be declared in front of a solicitor or notary public by someone who has known you for at least 10 years.