Legality & validity
Yes. An unenrolled deed poll is a legally binding document under English and Welsh law. It is the standard and most common way to change your name in the UK, and is accepted by all major institutions including the Passport Office, DVLA, HMRC, NHS, and banks. You do not need to enrol your deed poll with the courts for it to be legally valid.
No. You do not need a solicitor, a court appearance, or any other legal professional to change your name in the UK. A deed poll is simply a legal declaration that you will use your new name in place of your old one. Once you sign it in front of a witness, it is legally effective.
No. UK law places no requirement on you to give a reason for changing your name. You are free to take any name you wish, provided it is not intended to commit fraud and is not obscene. You do not need to explain your reasons to us, or to any institution when you present your deed poll.
Our deed polls are drafted under English and Welsh law and are generally accepted across the UK. Scotland has its own legal system, and while unenrolled deed polls are widely accepted there in practice, Scottish residents may also use a statutory declaration. If you have specific concerns about Scottish law, we recommend checking with the relevant organisation beforehand. Northern Ireland largely follows the same approach as England and Wales.
There is no legal limit. You can change your name as many times as you wish. Each change simply requires a new deed poll. Some organisations may query frequent name changes, but there is no law preventing it.
Our service
No. You can create a deed poll yourself for free — it will be legally valid once correctly worded, signed, and witnessed. Our paid service is for people who want a professionally printed version on premium certificate paper with an embossed gold seal, without the hassle of doing it themselves. Use our free generator if you prefer the DIY route.
Many people prefer not to worry about correct formatting, printing, or whether the document will be accepted without question. Our printed deed poll arrives ready to sign, on premium certificate paper with an embossed gold seal — the kind institutions are used to seeing. We also guarantee acceptance; if it's ever questioned, we'll re-do it free of charge.
A correctly worded, signed, and witnessed deed poll is legally valid whether it was produced for free or paid for. In practice, some organisations — particularly banks and the Passport Office — may look more favourably on a professionally printed version. A home-printed document on plain paper is less likely to pass without question at a counter, whereas our certificate-paper version tends to be accepted immediately.
Every deed poll we produce is individually and carefully prepared — we don't auto-generate or template our documents. Your deed poll is printed on premium heavyweight certificate paper with an embossed gold seal, making it look and feel like the official document it is. We're UK-based, GDPR compliant, and offer three fully tracked delivery speeds to suit your urgency. And we do all of this from £9.99 — significantly less than most competitors.
No. We are an independent private document provider. We are not affiliated with HM Government, any court, or any government department. Our deed polls are legally valid documents produced by a private company. The UK government does not officially endorse or produce unenrolled deed polls — these are always produced by private individuals or companies.
We take data protection seriously. We process your personal data only to the extent necessary to produce your deed poll and communicate with you about your order. We do not sell, share, or pass your data to third parties for marketing purposes. Our full privacy policy is available on our website, and we operate in full compliance with UK GDPR.
If there is an error on your deed poll that is due to a mistake on our part, we will re-draft and re-send it free of charge. If the error was in the information you provided, we will re-draft at a reduced cost. Please contact us as soon as possible if you notice any issue.
The process
When you receive your deed poll, you need to sign it in front of a witness. The witness must be an adult (18+), must not be a member of your immediate family, and does not need to be a solicitor or any kind of professional — a friend, neighbour, or colleague is perfectly fine. Once signed, your deed poll is legally effective and you can begin using it to update your records.
We recommend updating your records in this order: (1) HM Passport Office — your passport is your primary ID and having it in your new name makes everything else easier. (2) DVLA — driving licence. (3) HMRC — tax records. (4) Banks and financial institutions. (5) Employer, NHS/GP, pension providers, utilities, and other organisations. We include a full guide with your deed poll covering each of these in detail.
Yes. Once you have signed your deed poll in front of a witness, you can immediately begin using your new name in everyday life. You don't need to wait for any official records to be updated before using your new name socially, professionally, or in correspondence.
Some organisations (particularly banks and the Passport Office) may wish to retain a copy of your deed poll or inspect the original before returning it. This is why we recommend ordering multiple copies — 5 is typically sufficient to update all major organisations simultaneously without waiting for documents to be returned.
UK deed polls are primarily intended for use within the UK. Some foreign authorities may accept a UK deed poll, but others may require a notarised or apostilled copy, or may follow their own processes. If you need to use your deed poll in a specific country, we recommend checking requirements with that country's embassy or authorities in advance.
Institutions & acceptance
Yes. All major UK banks, building societies, and financial institutions accept unenrolled deed polls for name changes. The bank may wish to see the original document and may make a copy for their records. Some banks will update your records in-branch, while others may require you to send the document by post. We include guidance on the process for all major banks.
Yes. HM Passport Office accepts unenrolled deed polls for name changes. You'll need to send your signed deed poll along with your passport application. Your new passport will be issued in your new name. We include guidance on the passport application process with every order.
Yes. The DVLA accepts unenrolled deed polls for driving licence name changes. You'll need to complete a D1 form and send it along with your deed poll and current driving licence. Your new licence will be sent to you in your new name.
Yes. You can present your deed poll to your GP surgery and ask for your records to be updated. The surgery will update your name on their system and should also update your NHS records. In some cases, you may need to request updates to the wider NHS system separately.
In the vast majority of cases, this should not happen. If an organisation refuses to accept your deed poll for a reason related to how it has been drafted, contact us and we will re-draft it free of charge. If the refusal is for other reasons, we can provide guidance on escalation. You also have the right to raise a complaint with the relevant regulatory body if an organisation unreasonably refuses to accept a valid legal document.
Enrolled vs unenrolled deed polls
An enrolled deed poll is registered with the Senior Courts of England and Wales, making it part of the public record. An unenrolled deed poll is not registered anywhere. Both are legally valid for the purpose of changing your name — the vast majority of name changes in the UK use unenrolled deed polls. Enrolled deed polls are typically only necessary in very specific circumstances, such as if you need to appear on a company register.
Almost certainly not. For everyday name changes — updating your passport, driving licence, bank accounts, GP records, and so on — an unenrolled deed poll is entirely sufficient. Enrolled deed polls are only strictly required in a small number of niche situations. If you are unsure, check with the specific organisation concerned.
We do not provide enrolled deed polls. If you need one, you can apply directly through the UK Government. Full information is available at gov.uk.
Children's names
Yes. Parents or guardians with parental responsibility can change a child's name by deed poll. If only one person holds parental responsibility, they can act alone. If more than one person holds parental responsibility, all of them must consent to and sign the deed poll.
If another person with parental responsibility does not consent, you cannot change the child's name without a court order. We are unable to prepare a deed poll in these circumstances. If you are in this situation, we recommend seeking independent legal advice.
From age 16, a young person can apply for their own deed poll without parental consent, though parents' approval is recommended and most organisations will still expect parental involvement. From age 18, they are fully independent.
Delivery & copies
We offer three delivery options. Standard (£4.99): we dispatch within 3–5 working days via Royal Mail 48, which delivers in 2–3 days once posted. Faster (£5.99): we dispatch within 1–2 working days via Royal Mail 48. Fastest (£9.99): we dispatch the same day if your order is placed by 3pm, via Royal Mail 24 which delivers the next working day once posted. Dispatch times begin once we have completed drafting your deed poll.
We recommend ordering at least 5 certified copies. Many organisations keep your original deed poll temporarily — or permanently — which means you cannot move on to the next institution until it is returned. Certified copies are exact likenesses of your original, legally identical and accepted everywhere the original is. Having multiple copies means you can update your passport, driving licence, bank, employer, and GP simultaneously rather than one at a time. Our most popular option is 5 certified copies (+ £5.00), which is sufficient for most people. Photocopies of a signed deed poll are not accepted by most organisations.
Yes. Certified copies are exact likenesses of your original deed poll — printed to the same premium standard, on the same certificate paper, with the same embossed gold seal. They carry the same legal weight and are accepted everywhere the original is. Each copy must be signed separately by you in front of a witness to be valid. Standard photocopies of a signed deed poll are not accepted by most UK institutions.
Yes. You can place a new order at any time if you need additional copies. The cost is the same as for your original order. Please note that each copy must be signed individually to be valid.
Payment & pricing
You can change your name for free using our free deed poll generator — no payment needed. If you'd prefer a professionally printed version, our paid service starts at £9.99. Certified copies are also available: 2 copies (+ £2.00), 5 copies (+ £5.00), 10 copies (+ £10.00), 20 copies (+ £20.00). Delivery: Standard £4.99 (3–5 working days); Faster £5.99 (1–2 working days); Fastest £9.99 (same day if ordered by 3pm). No hidden charges.
Yes. Payment is processed securely via Stripe, which uses 256-bit SSL encryption and is PCI DSS compliant. We do not store your card details.
Because our deed polls are hand-drafted custom documents, we are unable to offer refunds once preparation has begun. If there is an error on your document that is our fault, we will re-draft it free of charge. Please read our full terms and conditions for details.