Legal change of name

Introduction

You can legally change your name once every 12 months in the Northern Territory.

Find out how to:


Legally change your name

To change your name in the Northern Territory (NT), you must be:

  • over 18 years old
  • one of the following:
    • born in the NT
    • born overseas and a resident of the NT for at least 12 consecutive months.

If you were born interstate, you must change your name in that state or territory.

If you were born overseas, you must submit the following with your application:

  • proof that you've been an NT resident for 12 consecutive months, such as:
    • bank statement with your name, current address and transactions within the NT
    • Power and Water bills with proof of payment, your name and current address
    • payslips from an employer in the NT showing your name and your employer's name or ABN number
  • certified copies of identity documents with your current name - if your name is not the same, you must provide a birth certificate and any previous change of name certificates
  • proof of citizenship or permanent residency status in Australia.

To change your name, follow these steps.

Step 1. Fill in the application

If you were born:

Step 2. Choose to change birth certificate to new name

If you were born in the NT, you can choose to change your birth certificate to your new name.

To do this, you must:

  • give consent on on your application
  • return your previously issued birth certificate.

If you can't provide your previous birth certificate, fill in and attach the statutory declaration.

Statutory declaration PDF (84.2 KB)
Statutory declaration DOCX (15.5 KB)

If you were not born in the NT, contact the Births, Deaths and Marriages office where you were born.

Step 3. Sign the application in front of a witness

You must sign the application in front of a witness over 18 years old.

Step 4. Submit your application and supporting documents

You must submit your application with the following, by mail or in person to a Births, Deaths and Marriages office:

  • proof of identity documents and evidence of any previous name changes eg. change of name, marriage or birth certificate
  • a detailed reason for changing your name - statements like ‘I want to’ or ‘personal’ are not detailed enough
  • a marriage certificate if you're changing your name after getting married
  • payment for the change of name fee - check the fee
  • statutory declaration (if applicable)
  • supporting documents if you were born overseas.

After you've submitted your application, you may be asked to provide a national police check at your own cost.

This may delay your application.

Lost or misplaced change of name certificate

If you have lost or misplaced an NT change of name certificate and need another, follow these steps:

Step 1. Fill in the application for certified copy of a name change.

Application for certified copy of name change PDF (157.7 KB)
Application for certified copy of name change DOCX (64.0 KB)

Step 2. Attach identity documents.

Step 3. Submit your application with identity documents and pay the fee.


Legal name change for child over 12 months

You can apply to change the name of a child over 12 months old, if:

  • you’re their parents or guardians
  • they were born in the Northern Territory (NT) or overseas.

If the child was born interstate, you must apply in that state or territory.

If both parents are named on the birth certificate, both parents must apply.

One parent can apply if:

  • only one parent is named on the child’s birth certificate
  • the other parent is deceased and no other person has legal responsibility for the child
  • a court order is issued allowing only one parent to change the child’s name.

Guardians

Guardians can change a child's name if one or both parents:

  • are deceased
  • can’t be found
  • can’t exercise their parental responsibility.

If the child was not born in the NT, you must provide the following with your application:

  • proof of residency in the NT for 12 consecutive months, such as:
    • bank statements showing transactions in the NT, the names of the parents or guardians and a current address
    • Power and Water bills showing the names of the parents or guardians, their current address and proof of payment
    • payslips from an NT employer showing the names of the parents or guardians and the employer's name or ABN number
  • their birth certificate issued by their country of birth - if it’s not in English, you must include a translation of the certificate by a certified translating agency
  • proof of citizenship or permanent residency status in Australia for the parents or guardians.

To apply as both parents or as guardians, follow these steps.

Step 1. Fill in the application

If your child was born:

Step 2. Choose to change birth certificate to new name

If the child was born in the NT, you can change their birth certificate to their new name.

To do this, you must:

  • give consent on on your application
  • return the previously issued birth certificate.

If you can't provide their previous birth certificate, fill in and attach the statutory declaration.

Statutory declaration PDF (84.2 KB)
Statutory declaration DOCX (15.5 KB)

If your child was not born in the NT, contact the Births, Deaths and Marriages office where the child was born.

Step 3. Sign the application in front of a witness

The application must be signed by:

  • both parents or guardians
  • any other person with an interest in the name change
  • the child if they’re over 14 years old.

All signatures should be signed in front of a witness over 18 years old.

Step 4. Submit your application and supporting documents

You must submit your application with the following, by mail or in person to a Births, Deaths and Marriages office:

  • proof of identity documents for both parents or guardians and any other person with an interest
  • a court order or proof of guardianship authorising the change of name by guardians (if applicable)
  • evidence of any previous name changes for the child (if applicable)
  • a detailed reason for changing the child’s name  - statements like ‘we want to’ and ‘personal’ are not acceptable
  • statutory declaration (if applicable)
  • payment for the change of name fee - check the fee
  • supporting documents if the child is born overseas.

To apply as one parent or guardian, follow these steps.

Step 1. Fill in the application

If your child was born:

Step 2. Choose to change birth certificate to new name

If the child was born in the NT, you can change their birth certificate to their new name.

To do this, you must:

  • give consent on on your application
  • return the previously issued birth certificate.

If you can't provide their previous birth certificate, fill in and attach the statutory declaration.

Statutory declaration PDF (84.2 KB)
Statutory declaration DOCX (15.5 KB)

If your child was not born in the NT, contact the Births, Deaths and Marriages office where the child was born.

Step 3. Sign the application in front of a witness

All signatures must be signed in front of a witness over 18 years old and must be done by:

  • one parent or guardian
  • any other person with an interest in the name change
  • the child if they’re over 14 years old.

Step 4. Submit your application and supporting documents

You must submit your application with all of the following, in person or by mail to a Births, Deaths and Marriages office:

  • proof of identity documents for the parent or guardian and any other person with an interest
  • evidence of any previous name changes for the child (if applicable)
  • a court order, death certificate or proof of guardianship authorising the change of name by one parent or guardian (if applicable)
  • a detailed reason for changing the child’s name - statements like ‘I want to’ and ‘personal’ are not acceptable
  • statutory declaration (if applicable)
  • payment for the change of name fee - check the fee
  • supporting documents if the child is born overseas.

Change the name of your baby

If your baby was born in the Northern Territory (NT) and is under 12 months old, you can change their name by completing a statutory declaration.

Follow these steps:

Step 1. Complete a statutory declaration.

If both parents are named on the child’s birth certificate, they must complete the double statutory declaration.

Double statutory declaration PDF (86.3 KB)
Double statutory declaration DOC (34.0 KB)

If one parent is named on the child’s birth certificate, you must complete a statutory declaration.

Statutory declaration PDF (86.0 KB)
Statutory declaration. DOCX (16.2 KB)

It must include all of the following:

  • the child’s full old name
  • the child’s full new name
  • a reason for the change.

Step 2. Sign the statutory declaration in front of a witness who is 18 or older.

Step 3. Submit your documents in person or by mail to a Births, Deaths and Marriages office.

You need to submit all of the following:

  • the completed statutory declaration (it must not be a copy)
  • proof of identity documents for the parents or one parent making the application, making sure any copies are certified
  • your child’s existing NT birth certificate with the old name - if you can’t find their birth certificate, you will need to complete a statutory declaration form
  • payment for the amendment fee - check the fee.

Change back to your name before marriage

You may change back to the name you had before marriage at any time.

Many do this after a divorce or separation.

To find out more information about how to change your name back, contact the Births, Deaths and Marriages office.