Change of Name Letter Following Divorce/Marriage/Civil Partnership

What is a change of name letter?

A change of name letter can be used by an adult, to notify an organisation that they have changed their name. The letter can be used by an adult who is living in England and Wales. The letter should be used by an adult who has changed their name following marriage, civil partnership, divorce or dissolution.

Is it mandatory to send a change of name letter?

No, it is not generally mandatory to send a change of name letter after a marriage, civil partnership, divorce or dissolution. However, there are certain organisations that should be notified if a person has changed their name. For example, this includes:

• The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)
• HM Revenue and Customs
• The Student Loans Company

What are the prerequisites for a change of name letter?

In order to use this change of name letter, a person should have recently:

• been married
• entered into a civil partnership
• been divorced
• gone through the dissolution process

Who cannot send this type of change of name letter?

This change of name letter should not be used by a parent or guardian to change the name of a child. A different process must be used if a parent or guardian wishes to change a child's name.

This change of name letter should not be used to change the name of a company or corporate entity.

What has to be done once the change of name letter is ready?

Once the change of name letter is ready, it should be signed and emailed or posted to the relevant organisation. The sender should check whether the recipient organisation specifies how a change of name letter should be sent.

What documents should be attached to a change of name letter?

The sender can attach proof of their change of name which can include a copy of:

• a marriage certificate
• a civil partnership certificate
• a divorce certificate
• a dissolution certificate

It is important to check whether the relevant organisation requires any additional, specific information or proof in order to process a change of name.

What are the costs involved in sending a change of name letter?

Some organisations may charge a processing fee in order to change a name on an official document. This information should be checked with the recipient organisation.

What is the legal process for an adult to change their name?

An adult can assume a new name without any formalities. They can do this by simply asking other people to refer to them by a different name.

Some organisations may ask for formal proof of a change of name in order to update their records. This process will vary between organisations. The type of evidence that can be used to evidence a change of name can include:

• a deed poll
• a marriage or civil partnership certificate
• a divorce or dissolution certificate

This letter is designed to notify an organisation of a change of name following a marriage, civil partnership, divorce or dissolution.

What should a change of name letter contain?

A change of name letter should:

• refer to the sender's former name
• inform the recipient of the sender's new name
• include a request that the relevant records are updated to reflect the new name

What laws apply to a change of name letter?

An adult can assume a new name without any formalities. They can do this by simply asking other people to refer to them by a different name. Therefore, there is no single statute governing the issue of adult name changes.

Organisations will generally specify what evidence will be accepted as proof of a name change. Some organisations may ask for a copy of a marriage, civil partnership, divorce or dissolution certificate. Some organisations may request for an enrolled deed poll to be provided in order to process a change of name.

Help from a lawyer

You can choose to consult a lawyer if you need help.

The lawyer can answer your questions or help you through the process. You will be offered this option when you complete the document.

How to modify the template?

You fill out a form. The document is created before your eyes as you respond to the questions.

At the end, you receive it in Word and PDF formats. You can modify it and reuse it.