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Name Changes in Australia

Change of name is usually done in your state’s Births, Deaths, and Marriages office. If you’re 18 or older, you can apply on your own at the BD&M Office, providing you have 100 points ID. If you’re under 18, you must have consent of your legal guardian, who will apply on your behalf for change of name.

See also The Gender Centre’s Documents of Identity guide.

You can apply to either the BD&M of the state you reside in or the BD&M of the state your birth was registered in.

ACT

To change your name in the ACT you need to go into the ACT Registrar’s Births, Deaths and Marriages office. Click here for an online copy of the required form. It costs around $121.00 (2007).

To change your name you must be 18 years or older or if under 18 have written consent from both parents. Click here for the required form for child name changes. The price is the same.

In the ACT you may apply to have your Birth Certificate changed as well if you were born in the ACT. Click here for the application form for a new certificate. The price is $37.00.

If you were born outside of the ACT then you need to apply to the state of birth to change your certificate.

Oh and don’t forget your 100 points ID when you go to the office

New South Wales (NSW)

If you are an adult (18 years and over) you may apply for a Change of Name if:

  • You were born in New South Wales, or Your birth was registered in New South Wales, or You are a permanent resident of Australia and are ordinarily a resident in New South Wales, or
  • You are an Australian citizen and are ordinarily a resident in New South Wales

If you are under 18 years of age, your parents (as recorded on your birth certificate) or legal guardian may apply to change your name on your behalf if:

  • You were born in New South Wales, or Your birth was registered in New South Wales, or
  • You are a permanent resident of Australia and are ordinarily a resident in New South Wales, or
  • You are an Australian citizen and are ordinarily a resident in New South Wales.

If one parent refuses to consent to the Change of Name, a court order approving the Change of Name will be required.

If you were born in NSW, you may apply for the change of name to appear on your birth certificate.

Cost: $127.00

Victoria

The Australian state of Victoria has a straightforward method of name changes, requiring a simple form (available here) to be completed and taken to the Department for Victorian Communities (DVC), along with enough ID to satisfy the four criteria listed on the form (we are informed that a drivers’ licence, medicare card, passport and a bill with your address on it will be enough) plus the current fee (AU$58 as of 25-11-2005).

A new birth certificate should be then issued within 8 weeks.

The process is pretty much the same when changing the gender marker on a birth certificate.

Western Australia (WA)

To be done at the registry of Births, Deaths, and Marriages.

If you are an adult (18 years and over) you may apply for a change of name if:

  • You were born in Western Australia; or Your birth was registered in Western Australia; or
  • You are a permanent resident of Australia and are domiciled or ordinarily reside in Western Australia; or
  • You are an Australian citizen and are domiciled or ordinarily reside in Western Australia.

Parents may apply to change their minor (under 18) child’s name on their behalf if:

  • Their child was born in Western Australia; or Their child’s birth was registered in Western Australia; or
  • Their child is a permanent resident of Australia and is domiciled or ordinarily resides in Western Australia; or
  • Their child is an Australian citizen and is domiciled or ordinarily resides in Western Australia.

Please Note: All legal guardians (eg: Mother, Father) registered on your birth certificate must give consent. If this can’t be done, a court order must be applied for by at least one legal guardian (not necessarily mother or father) showing that it is in the child’s best interest to change their name.

Price: $150.00 for Name Change, $47.00 for new birth certificate

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