Change your name legally in the UK. For free, if you want to.

There are three steps. First, prepare a deed poll setting out your old name, your new name and your intention to be known only by the new name. Second, sign it in both your old and new names in front of one independent adult witness who is not a family member and does not live at your address. Third, use the signed deed poll to update your records with organisations such as HM Passport Office, the DVLA, your bank and HMRC. Your new name is legally yours from the moment the deed poll is signed and witnessed.

No. In England and Wales you can change your name without a solicitor and without any court involvement. A deed poll signed by you in front of an independent adult witness is enough on its own. Scotland has a separate process handled through National Records of Scotland, and Northern Ireland has its own arrangements through the Enrolment Office at the Royal Courts of Justice.

Yes. A correctly worded, signed and witnessed deed poll is legally valid whether it was prepared by you at home or by a paid service. You can use our free deed poll generator to create the wording and then print, sign and witness it yourself. Some people choose a paid service for the convenience of receiving a checked, printed version on certificate paper.

An enrolled deed poll is registered with the Senior Courts of England and Wales and becomes part of the public record, published in The London Gazette. An unenrolled deed poll is not registered and stays private, but is equally valid for everyday name-change purposes. The vast majority of UK name changes use an unenrolled deed poll. Enrolled deed polls are only needed in narrow circumstances and can be applied for through the UK Government website.

Sign the deed poll twice, once in your old name and once in your new name, in front of one independent adult witness aged 18 or over. The witness must not be a family member or someone who lives at the same address. They then sign the document, print their name and add their address and occupation. A professional witness such as a solicitor, doctor or accountant is not legally required, though some organisations prefer one.

A properly executed deed poll is accepted by HM Passport Office, the DVLA, HMRC, the NHS, banks and building societies, credit reference agencies, insurers, pension providers, employers, universities, utilities and local councils. Each organisation has its own process for updating records, usually by presenting the original deed poll in person, sending it by post or uploading a scan.

Yes. A child under 16 can have their name changed by deed poll with the consent of everyone who holds parental responsibility. If a parent with parental responsibility does not consent, the change generally cannot proceed without a specific issue order from the family court. Children aged 16 or 17 can usually sign their own deed poll, though parental consent is normally still expected.

UK name changes are relatively unrestricted, but a name will be refused if it is offensive or vulgar, contains numbers or symbols, is impossible to pronounce, is unreasonably long, includes a title you are not entitled to (such as Lord, Sir, Dr or Reverend), promotes criminal activity, or could be used to deceive or defraud. HM Passport Office and the DVLA will refuse to issue documents in a name that breaches these rules.

Preparing and signing a deed poll takes a day or two. Once signed, updating your main records typically takes two to six weeks in total, depending on each organisation's turnaround: HM Passport Office usually takes around three weeks for a standard application, the DVLA around two to three weeks, and banks often update within a few working days. There is no waiting or cooling-off period after signing; your new name is legally yours immediately.