
Changing your name in Western Australia involves different procedures depending on your age, citizenship, and marital status. The Western Australian Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages is the government agency responsible for issuing and regulating name changes. The process for changing your name may vary depending on the specific document you wish to update, and whether you were born in Western Australia or overseas. If you are a parent wanting to change your child's name, you will need to meet certain requirements, and possibly participate in Family Dispute Resolution.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Where to apply | Western Australian Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages |
| Who can apply | Adults or children (if the child is under 18, their parents or guardians must apply on their behalf) |
| Documents required | Three forms of identity documents, evidence of citizenship or permanent residency (if born outside Australia), evidence of residency in Western Australia for the last 12 months (if born overseas), updated birth certificate with new name, citizenship certificate, or change-of-name certificate |
| Fees | A fee is payable for changing a child's name within 12 months of their birth. The fee for changing an adult's name may be waived in certain circumstances, such as severe family violence. There is no fee for updating your name with the Department of Transport. |
| Name change after marriage | A certified marriage certificate issued by an Australian Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages is sufficient evidence to change your name to your married surname. If married overseas, you may need to register a formal change of name. |
| Name change after divorce | You can revert to your former name by providing your Australian BDM-issued marriage certificate and divorce decree, or BDM birth certificate, foreign birth certificate, or citizenship certificate. |
| Name change for children | Parents can apply to change their child's name if the child was born in Western Australia or if the child is an Australian citizen or permanent resident and has lived continuously in Western Australia for 12 months before applying for the name change. |
| Dispute resolution | If the other parent does not agree to the name change, you can participate in Family Dispute Resolution or apply to the Family Court of WA for orders requiring the use of the child's registered name. |
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What You'll Learn

Changing a child's name
To change a child's name in Western Australia, you must first ensure that you have the appropriate legal authority to do so. If you are the child's
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Changing your name after marriage
If you were married in Australia and want to change your name, you can do so without registering a formal name change. You will be given a certificate as evidence of your new name, but it will not be recorded on your marriage certificate. A certified marriage certificate issued by an Australian Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages is usually sufficient evidence to have personal documentation changed to a married surname.
If you were married overseas, you may have to register a formal change of name with the Registry before your married surname is accepted by some organisations. If you wish to revert to your maiden name, there is no legal requirement for a formal change of name, but registration of the change is recommended to avoid difficulties with obtaining recognition of your maiden name.
To update your family name on documents such as your driver's licence, passport, and bank accounts, contact those organisations. Most organisations will require a standard birth certificate and a marriage certificate. If you do not have a marriage certificate, you can apply for one.
If you were born in Western Australia, your original name will remain on your birth certificate, and your new name will be added as a notation. If your name change is not noted on your WA birth certificate, you can apply to the Registry for that name to be added to your birth record. No fee is charged for this process.
If you were born overseas, you will need to provide evidence of your citizenship or permanent resident status. You must also provide a minimum of two separate forms of documentary evidence to show that you have been living continuously in WA for 12 months immediately prior to the date of making an application.
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Changing your name on your passport
To change your name on your passport, you must first change your name with the Western Australian Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages. This can be done by applying online or by submitting a BDM450 Previous Change of Name Certificate Application Form. You can access the 'Application to Register a Change of Name' forms on the Western Australian Government website.
Once your name has been changed with the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, you can apply for a new passport. You will need to provide documents that prove your Australian citizenship and identity, as well as documents that link your new name to your old name. The specific documents required will depend on the reason for your name change. For example, if you have changed your name due to a change in marital status, you will need to provide an updated Australian birth certificate, citizenship certificate, or change-of-name certificate. If you have changed your name for other reasons, you will need to provide a name change certificate issued by an Australian RBDM, as well as evidence of the circumstances and existence of the relationship.
It is important to note that you cannot have different Australian passports in different names. If you have two or more concurrent passports, you must change the name on all of them at the same time. Additionally, the name in your new passport will generally be your most recent name registered in Australia.
For more information on changing your name on your passport, you can refer to the Australian Passport Office website.
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Changing your name with the Australian Taxation Office
To change your name with the Australian Taxation Office, you can update your name and title online, by phone, or by post. The quickest way to update your name or title is online. To do this, you need a myGov account linked to the ATO. To update your name to a new name, you need to verify an Australian identity document. If you don't have an Australian identity document, you must update your name by post. To use a name that was previously on record or to update only your title, you don't need to verify an identity document.
To update your name or title online, you need a myGov account linked to the ATO. To update to a new name, you will also need one of the following identity documents: an Australian full birth certificate (not an extract), an Australian passport, or an Australian change of name certificate. You may be presented with the option to choose a previous name – if you select this option, you won't need to verify an identity document. To update to a new name, select the identity document you will be using to verify your name change.
To update your name by phone, contact the Australian Taxation Office to speak to a customer service representative. To update to a new name, you need one of the following identity documents: an Australian full birth certificate (not an extract), an Australian passport, or an Australian change of name certificate. The Taxation Office will check your document information with the agency that issued the document. If they can't make the changes over the phone, they will give you other options.
To update your name by post, download and complete the form "Change of details for individuals" (NAT 2817). Post the completed form and a certified copy of your original identity document to the address on the form.
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Changing your name with Medicare
To change your name with Medicare in Western Australia, you must first change your name with the Western Australian Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages (BDM). Young people over the age of 18 can make an application directly, whereas if you are under 18, your parents or guardians must apply on your behalf.
If you were born in Western Australia, or your birth is registered there, you can apply to the Western Australian Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages to register a change of name. If you were born outside of Australia, you will need to provide evidence of your citizenship or permanent resident status, as well as three forms of identity documents.
Once you have successfully changed your name with the BDM, you can then change your name with Medicare. You can do this over the phone by calling 132 011, or by sending a letter. You will need to provide your current Medicare card number, old and new names, contact details, and reason for the change. You will also need to provide your BDM certificate as proof of your name change.
It is important to note that you cannot change your primary name via myGov. However, you can add an alternate name by logging into your myGov account and accessing the Medicare module. This will allow medical professionals to search for you using the alternate name, but it will not update your primary name or trigger a new Medicare card.
After your name change is processed, you will receive a new Medicare card by mail within 3-4 weeks. You can continue using your existing card until the new one arrives.
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