A comprehensive guide to changing

your name by Deed Poll in the UK

About Deed Polls

• What is a Deed Poll

• Deed of Change of Name

• Change of Name Deed

• Changing your Name by Usage

• Why is it Called a Deed Poll

• Who Can Apply for a Deed Poll

• Legalising a Deed Poll

Changing Your Name

• Choosing a New Name

• Documentary Evidence

• Updating your Passport

• Notifying Organisations

• Changing your Birth Certificate

• Tracing a Name Change

Reasons for a Name Change

• Reasons for a Change of Name

• Name Change upon Marriage

• Name Change upon Separation

• Name Change upon Divorce

• Name Change for Widows

• Name Change for Transsexuals

• Change a child's name

• Name Changes on Adoption

• Name Change for Civil Partners

Legalising a Deed Poll

Time Saving Tip: The quickest and easiest way to change your name in the UK is to

Apply For Your Deed Poll Online.

It is not necessary to have a Deed Poll document legalised unless a person wishes to use it outside of the United Kingdom.

What is 'Legalising a Deed Poll'?

If somebody needs to use their Deed Poll document abroad it is likely that the foreign country will require the Deed Poll to be 'legalised'. This is a process by which the Foreign & Commonwealth Office confirms the authenticity of a legal document. The FCO are usually happy to legalise most UK document provided they bear an original signature, seal or stamp from a UK public organisation or an official.

The FCO state that by legalising a document they are not confirming that its contents are accurate, and it does not then carry any sort of official approval by themselves.

How to legalise a Deed Poll

A Deed Poll document needs to be certified by a UK solicitor or notary public as being original, before it can be legalised. This involves the solicitor/notary clearly stating exactly what it is that they are certifying to regarding the document. The Deed Poll must be signed in their own name rather than a company signature and below this they should print their name, and the name of the firm.

Copies of the original Deed Poll  can also be legalised provided they have been certified by a UK solicitor or notary public as being true photocopies. However if a person does decide to legalise a copy of their Deed Poll they should check that the foreign country will also accept a photocopy.

The signed Deed Poll should then be sent of to the FCO. This can be done either by post or by visiting their public counter in Milton Keynes. They will check the signature and if it is accepted they will then attach an apostille (the legal term for the legalisation certificate) to confirm that it is genuine.

How much will it all cost?

Applying for a Deed Poll document will cost £29 for an adult and £34 for a child. The cost for having a solicitor certify your Deed Poll can vary hugely from approximately £10 up to £50 depending on the firm so it is worth receiving several quotes. The FCO will then charge for their service at £28(June 2009) per document.

Time Saving Tip: The quickest and easiest way to change your name in the UK is to

Apply For Your Deed Poll Online.

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