Requirements for change of name

Proof of ID (identification)

Copies of proof of ID documents sent to us by post with your application must be certified as a true and correct copy by a qualified witness—don't send original proof of ID by post. If you apply in person at a counter, customer service officers are able to sight your original proof of ID (at your interview appointment, if one is required).

If you currently live overseas, you may use the local equivalent for the ID items listed. If your overseas ID is not in English, you need to provide a translation from a translator certified by the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI).

You must provide 3 forms of current ID:

• 1 from each category below

OR

• 2 from Community ID and 1 from the Home address evidence categories below.

We value fraud prevention—do not provide credit or debit cards as proof of ID.

All forms of ID must either be:

• current—document has an expiry date, is valid, and not past the expiry date

OR

• recent—document does not have an expiry date, and was issued no more than 6 months before being submitted to us.

Types of ID (categories)

Personal ID

• Australian photo driver licence
• Australian passport
• Overseas passport
• Adult proof of age card (formerly 18+ card)

Community ID

We value fraud prevention—do not provide credit or debit cards as proof of ID.

• Medicare card
• Concession or health care card
• Student ID
• School or other educational report from the last 12 months
• Salary advice or payslip
• Private health provider ID card
• Defence force or police service identification card
• Australian firearms licence
• Document of identity issued by the passport office
• Naturalisation, citizenship or immigration certificate
• Birth certificate (does not expire)
• Security guard or crowd control licence
• Government employee photo ID
• Blue card

Home address evidence

Only provide the page with your name and current home address details. If the home address evidence provided is older than 6 months, we may still accept it.

• Utility account—such as gas, electricity, home phone
• Rent or lease agreement
• Rates notice
• Vehicle registration or driver licence renewal notice from the last 12 months
• Official letter from other government service providers (not us)
• Electoral enrolment document
• Insurance policy notice from the last 12 months

Living in Queensland

If born overseas, you may need to use more than 1 document to show that you have lived in Queensland. The evidence you send us must be for the 12 months before the date your application is submitted to us.

For example, this may be 4 back-to-back quarterly rates notices.

Evidence of Queensland residency

If born overseas, evidence must show you have lived at a Queensland addresses for 12 months before your application (or more), such as:

• rental agreement(s)
• rates notices
• utility bills
• a letter that
  • is dated and signed on letterhead by either
    • your current employer
    • your doctor
    • your educational institution
  • state how long you have lived in Queensland
  • state how long the person or organisation has known you.

You may need to use more than 1 document to show that you have lived in Queensland for 12 months (or more).

Living in Queensland

If your child was born overseas, you may need to use more than 1 document to show that they have lived in Queensland. The evidence you send us must be for the 12 months before the date your application is submitted to us.

For example, you may need a letter from your child's doctor and day care.

Evidence of Queensland residency

If your child was born overseas, evidence must show they have lived at a Queensland addresses for 12 months before your application (or more), such as a letter. The letter should:

• be dated and signed on letterhead from your child's
  • day care
  • school
  • doctor
  • employer
• state how long they have lived in Queensland
• state how long the person or organisation has known your child.

You may need to use more than 1 document to show that your child has lived in Queensland for 12 months (or more).

Certified identity documents

If you are not applying in person, you must have your supporting documents certified.

You can do this in Australia with a:

• Justice of the Peace
• commissioner for declarations
• barrister or solicitor
• notary public.

Or outside Australia with a:

• notary public
• Australian Embassy officer
• Australian Consulate officer.

For original documents that are not in English, you must provide a translation from a translator certified by the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI).

Evidence of overseas birth or adoption

If you can’t provide a birth certificate, we may accept one of these (showing the birth name), you must provide either:

• a travel document
• a passport issued by your country of birth with a letter from the consulate confirming your details

and

• a statutory declaration that
  • explains why the birth certificate isn't available
  • includes name at birth
  • includes date and place of birth.

If any of the original documents are not in English, you must have them translated into English by an certified translator and provide a certified copy of the original document with the original translation. Contact the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters  (NAATI) to seek assistance.

Certified and translated identity documents

The copies of the documents you provide must be certified by a qualified Justice of the Peace or another authorised person.

Documents that are not in English must be translated into English. Contact the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters  (NAATI) to seek assistance.

Prohibited name

The Registrar-General may refuse to register a name that:

• is obscene or offensive
• is too long
• includes symbols without phonetic significance—e.g. brackets (), colons (:), question marks (?), quotation marks (“), numbers, at symbols (@), plus signs (+)
• includes or resembles an official title or rank—e.g. Duchess, Sergeant, Doctor, MP (Member of Parliament)
• is a statement—e.g. Save Mother Earth
• is a political slogan
• is otherwise contrary to the public interest.

Fraudulent or improper purposes

To determine if an applicant is motivated by fraudulent or improper purposes, the application is reviewed against the person’s circumstances and a range of other relevant factors, including:

• the reason for seeking the change
• the extent of the change (how much of their name they are seeking to change and how different it will be)
• their history of previous name changes (how often and under what circumstances)
• the quality of identity documents provided (current, accurate and demonstrating name consistency)
• whether the applicant has a history of fraud or criminal activity.