How to Register an Adult's Change of Name

Eligibility

• You must be 18 years of age or older
• You were born and/or your birth is registered in Western Australia (WA) or
• If you were born overseas, you must be a permanent resident or an Australian citizen and ordinarily residing in Western Australia for 12 months immediately preceding your application. See proof of residency information.
• You can only change your name once in any 12 month period unless there are exceptional circumstances such as personal safety issues.

Note: If you were born in another State or Territory of Australia you must apply to change your name in your birth State. You cannot apply to the WA Registry.

For full instructions and detailed requirements regarding identification, supporting documentation and residency requirements refer to the downloadable Application to Register a Change of Name (BDM400) below.

Certification requirements

Photocopies of identification will only be accepted if they are certified by a qualified person as being "true copies" of the original documents. Do not post original documents.

Information about who can certify documents can be downloaded from this page.

If applying from overseas - The Western Australian Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages will consider current photocopied and certified overseas identification documents equivalent to those stated in the identification lists. Do not post original documents.

Further information is available on the Evidence-of-Identity Requirements page.

Family applications

Where a family apply to change their name together (i.e. legally married or de facto couples) all children of that family who are under 18 years of age are not charged a registration fee, i.e. each adult applicant pays a registration fee and for each child no fee is payable. 

A separate Application to Register a Change of Name must be completed for each family member and a change of name certificate will be provided for each person.

How the change of name is registered

If your application is approved, you will receive a change of name certificate which authorises the use of your new name.

If you were born in Western Australia, your original name will remain on your birth certificate and your new name will also appear on the certificate as a notation. A birth certificate including the change of name notation is available on payment of an additional fee. 

Name changes may be notified to other organisations, for example the Police Department, Passport Office, Department of Home Affairs and the Department of Transport.

Legalising documents for use in overseas countries

Note: Some overseas countries require Australian documents to be authenticated. Refer to Smartraveller - Legalising Documents for further information on this requirement.

Last updated: 15-Apr-2019

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