Frequently asked questions

Do passports or driving licenses mention old names?

No, neither passports nor driving licenses mention any previous names which you have had. Therefore, once you have changed your name by deed poll and applied for a replacement passport and driving license, there will be no mention of your old name. Please note, however, that both the Identity and Passport Service and the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) will keep a record of your previous name on their internal systems.

Will my credit rating be affected by a name change?

The short answer is that your credit rating will not be affected at all following your change of name (be it by deed poll or any other reason such as marriage).

Whenever you apply credit you will be asked to complete a form which requests that you supply all names which you have previously been known by. Disclosure of your previous names means that the company processing your application for credit can check your previous history. Also be aware that when you notify banks, etc of your change of name, they in turn will tell the credit reference agencies to which they subscribe.

Can people with criminal records change their name?

Yes. There are no restrictions on people with a criminal record changing their name by deed poll or by any other means (marriage, civil partnership, etc). However, if there are ongoing criminal investigations or prosecutions against you, you should tell the police station which is dealing with your case of your change of name, probationers should notify their probation officer of the legal name change immediately after executing the deed poll, and people required to sign the sex offenders' register must notify their local police force of the change of name by deed poll within 14 days of the change taking place.

Can I revert to my maiden name before getting divorced?

Yes you can. While waiting for your divorce proceedings to complete (this also applies to civil partnership dissolutions), you can apply for a deed poll in order to revert to the name you used before marriage. Be aware that you must disclose your correct marital status if you are asked to.

Who do I have to inform of my name change?

Everyone! Two of the three declarations on your deed poll state that you will completely abandon your former name and from the date on the deed, you will take and adopt your new name for all purposes. Therefore, in order to comply with the declarations you make, you must inform everyone of your change of name. We will include a comprehensive list of organisations to be informed in your name change pack to aide you in the notification process.

Can education certificates be amended?

Documents such as degree and other educational certificates cannot be amended following a legal change of name. This is because they are considered historical documents which were correct at the time of issue. Therefore, when asked to produce your certificates, you must also produce documentary evidence (your deed poll) of your name changing from the one shown on your certificate to the one you are using at the time.

Are there any restrictions on the name I can change to?

While there are no laws specifically relating to unsuitable names, we operate an acceptable names policy and will not process an application which:

• Does not include at least one forename and one surname
• Includes numbers or symbols
• Might be considered vulgar, offensive or blasphemous

In addition to the acceptable names policy we reserve the right to refuse to process any application for a deed poll where we consider the name to be unsuitable.

Who can witness the execution of my deed poll?

The only requirements for the person witnessing you executing (signing) your deed poll are that they must be at least 18 years old and be totally independent of you (not a member of your family or someone residing at the same address). You will usually find that neighbours, work associates and friends make perfect witnesses to your change of name.

Do I need to return my deed poll to you?

There is no reason for you to return your deed poll to us once it has been executed. As soon as you've signed the document, and had it witnessed, your name has legally changed. You can start using the deed poll immediately to inform organisations of your change of name.

Will I be able to get my passport reissued using a deed poll?

As per our guarantee, our deed polls are accepted by all government agencies, private companies and other organisations within the United Kingdom which includes the Identity and Passport Service (the executive agency of the Home Office responsible for issuing British passports). So, in short, you will be able to have your passport reissued in your new name using a Deed Poll issued by the UK Deed Poll Office.

Is a deed poll required to revert to an old name?

Yes. Whenever you change your legal name (even when reverting to a previously held name), you must provide documentary evidence of the name change in order for it to be accepted by official record holders such as the Identity and Passport Service and the DVLA. However, once you have used your deed poll to change all of your records back to your previous name, you can then just provide your original birth certificate if you are ever asked to prove your identity in the future. You must tell people of your previous names where required.

What's the difference between a deed poll and a stat dec?

Deed polls and statutory declarations (stat decs) are very similar in that they are both legal documents drawn up for the purposes of changing your legal name. However, there are additional requirements in order for Stat Decs to become legally binding. The most obvious difference is that stat decs must be notarised by a solicitor or Magistrates Court clerk which will incur a fee between £10 and £100. Moreover, because stat decs are a far less common way to change your name, there are sometimes problems in getting your Stat Dec accepted by some private companies and organisations such as banks and building societies whereas there are no problems in getting deed polls accepted.

Can I change my child's name by deed poll?

Yes you can. In order to change a child’s name by Deed Poll you will need to obtain the consent of everyone else with parental responsibility for the child. A letter signed by all those with parental responsibility for your child must be received before we can release the Deed Poll document.

We highly recommend that you read the article entitled Changing a child''s legal name as it contains important information on the subject of name changes for children.

Have unanswered questions?

If you have a question which has not been answered in this FAQ, please feel free to get in touch with us. You can call our deed poll helpline on 604 757 1028 or you can send an email to helpdesk@deedpoll.co.uk and a member of our team will be happy to help you.

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