Sample letters to notify a Change of Name

The sample letters are offered as guidance for you to modify and use but we are unable to provide any guarantee of acceptance by all the record holding organisations to which they may be directed. It is your responsibility to provide undertakings which are correct, honestly given and adequate for the circumstances.

Adults and young persons of 16/17 years of age

CLICK HERE for sample letter.

In some instances it may not be necessary to send your Deed Poll. Your dentist, optician, motoring organisation or club(s) you belong to, for example, will generally amend their records upon receiving a very simple letter from you. When in doubt sending a photocopy of the Deed Poll anyway is probably the least expensive option in terms of both time and cost. If a record holding organisation requires your Deed Poll they will advise you.

Some organisations have specific requirements which you must satisfy before your name change can be processed. When applying for a passport or driving license in your new name, for example, in addition to providing your Deed Poll you will need to complete an application form and in/with this make declarations concerning the change of name in a prescribed way. Just sending a notification letter along the lines of the one attached in such circumstances will not be appropriate.
For details regarding changes of name and the issue of new passports go to UK Identity & Passport Service http://www.ips.gov.uk/passport/index.asp For details regarding changes of name and the issue of new driving licenses go to Driver & Vehicle Licensing Authority http://www.dvla.gov.uk

On behalf of children under 16 years of age

• where there is joint parental responsibility and all those holding this consent to the change of name CLICK HERE

• where there is sole parental responsibility due to death of other parent CLICK HERE

• where there is sole (maternal) parental responsibility CLICK HERE

• where there is joint parental responsibility but one party is absent CLICK HERE

As for an adult's name change, there will be record holders which can amend their records concerning children on receipt of a simple letter sent, in this case, by a parent or legal guardian. Sending the Deed Poll will be necessary for the recipient to action the change of records in most instances, however, as record holding organisations, rightly, will take great care to check requests where children are concerned.

Schools, doctors and others will generally proceed only with the Deed Poll and a statement of consent to the change of name signed by all those with parental responsibility. The sample letters are drafted on this basis. For simplicity the letters are generally drafted for the child's natural parents. Legal guardians will require to make some small, obvious, changes.

As for an adult's name change, there will be circumstances (ie, a passport application) where sending a letter along the lines of those attached will not be appropriate as any declaration will be made as part of an application process.