Birth Certificates are accepted as proof of personal identity for a wide range of administrative and legal procedures. Consequently people who change their surnames by adopting a new surname which has no connection with their former one, may experience some difficulty when they produce a birth certificate in which their surname differs from the one in usage.

It is advisable therefore to prepare at the time at which the change is made a formal deed poll or affidavit indicating that you have ceased to use the former surname and that henceforth wish to be known by the assumed name.

It should be noted that at this present time you cannot legally change your gender as it currently recorded on your Birth Certificate, howerver this policy may change at a future date.

 

Enrolment of a Deed Poll has the advantage that a record of the change is preserved for future identification. This can be attached to your birth certificate and is acceptable for most administrative procedures and provides an easy and inexpensive solution for most of the difficulties which may be encountered on changing a surname.

Procedure: You can get a solicitor to do the Deed Poll for you or you can do it yourself, in which case the only cost would be Stamp Duty. If you are doing it yourself you will have to call in person or get someone else to call for you to collect the necessary forms from the:

Deed Poll Section,

Central Office,

Four Courts,

Dublin 7.

Tel: (01) 888 6000.

Any queries you may have regarding Deed Polls can be sent to deedpollquery@courts.ie 

You will have to bring the affidavit or declaration form to a Commissioner for Oaths or a practising solicitor. There may be a small charge. You must then bring these documents back in person to the Four Courts where you will have to pay Stamp Duty.

Details of the stamp duty applicable are available in the  Supreme Court and High Court Fees Order.

Note: For administrative reasons, these documents cannot be posted and you must call back in person with the completed documents to the Four Courts.

Once you have changed your name you will need to notify some, if not all, of the below organisations and amend appropriate documentation:

Employer

Inland Revenue for tax and National Insurance records

School/College/University – for change of details on your certificates/diplomas etc

Doctor

Dentist

Driver & Vehicle Licensing Authority

Driving Licence (to apply for a new Licence)

Vehicle registration documents

Passport Office (to apply for a new passport)

Bank/Building Society:

• Current Account

• Saving Accounts

• Mortgage

• Credit Card Companies/Retail Credit Cards

Utility Companies:

• Water

• Sewerage

• Electricity

• Gas

• Telephone Company

• Mobile Telephone Company

• Internet Service Provider

• Satellite/Cable TV provider

Trade Union

Professional institutes and bodies

Clubs, societies and associations

Local Authority

Council Tax

Register of electors

Land Registry (if you own land or property)

TV Licensing Office

Finance/Loan companies

Premium Bond Office

Investment Companies

Companies you have shares in

Pension Company

Insurance companies:

• Motor

• Life

• Endowments

• Buildings

• Contents

Mail-order companies

Motoring organisations