Change Your Name in Ontario
How to legally change your first, middle, or last name. Whether it is after marriage, divorce, or personal choice, here is everything you need to know.
What Kind of Name Change Do You Need?
Select your situation and we will show you the right process.
Two Ways to Change Your Last Name After Marriage
Assume Your Spouse's Name (Free)
Use your marriage certificate to update your last name on all your IDs. No application form needed, no government processing time, and your birth registration stays unchanged.
Legal Name Change ($137)
A formal legal process through the Office of the Registrar General. Changes your name on your birth registration and issues a new birth certificate. Takes up to 24 weeks.
Legal Name Change for Adults
You can apply if you:
How to apply:
What you receive if approved:
A change of name certificate showing your old and new name. If you were born in Ontario, you also receive a new birth certificate in your new name automatically (without parental information). You can use these documents to update your driver's licence, health card, and other IDs.
To change a child's name, the child must have lived in Ontario for the past 12 months (or since birth if under 1 year), be 17 or under, and not be married. If the child is 12 or older, they must consent. Every adult with legal custody must also consent, and every person with access rights must be notified.
The application process is the same as for adults: download the Application to Change a Child's Name, get a police records check, and submit by mail or in person. The fee is $137, or $22 if submitted with a parent's name change.
If you are a Survivor of a residential school, you and your family can reclaim your Indigenous name. ServiceOntario fees may be waived for eligible applicants. You can also change to a single name if your culture has a tradition of single names.
Learn more about reclaiming an Indigenous name →If you need your name change documents urgently (for example, for a pending adoption, postsecondary graduation, correcting a sex designation on a birth certificate, or an immigration matter), contact ServiceOntario at 1-800-461-2156 or 416-325-8305 to discuss alternative service options.