Change Your First Name Legally UK: Deed Poll Guide

Why people change their first name

You do not have to give a reason, and nobody will ask for one. Most first name changes still fall into a handful of familiar patterns, though.

Some people want to make a nickname official, so that Katherine becomes Kate on every document. Others are fixing a spelling. Kathryn to Katherine looks minor, but even one letter counts as a change of name for a passport. A lot of people have gone by their middle name for years and want it to come first. Some are choosing a name that matches their gender identity (see deed polls for trans and non-binary people). Some are anglicising a name, or going back to the original form of one that was anglicised for them. And some just like a different name better.

Get your deed poll in the next few minutes

Fill in the form, check the preview, pay once. Your PDF downloads straight away — one payment of £19.99, no account and nothing that renews.

Make your deed poll — £19.99

One-off payment · Instant PDF · No subscription

Do you need a deed poll if you just use a nickname?

No, not while it stays informal. Plenty of people are Bob at work and Robert on their passport, and that is perfectly legal.

A deed poll matters once you want the new name on official records, or when the mismatch starts to cause trouble, like a flight booked in a name that does not match your passport. At that point your documents need to agree with each other.

Who to tell after changing your first name

The same organisations as any other name change: passport, driving licence, bank, employer and HMRC first, then everyone else in your own time. Work, especially, tends to notice a first name change faster than a surname one, so it can help to tell your employer early. The name change checklist has the full list, and if your surname is changing too, changing your surname covers the rest.

How does the cost compare?

Option	Typical cost	Speed
This service	£19.99	Instant download
Other online services	£22 – £36	Instant or posted
High street solicitor	£50 – £150	Days – weeks
DIY (free wording online)	Free	However long it takes you

Option

Typical cost

Speed

This service

£19.99

Instant download

Other online services

£22 – £36

Instant or posted

High street solicitor

£50 – £150

Days – weeks

DIY (free wording online)

Free

However long it takes you

All correctly completed deed polls carry the same legal weight, regardless of cost.

Step-by-step: How to Change Your First Name in the UK

Make your deed poll Fill in the form with your current full name and your new full name. Write your surname the same in both if it is not changing.

Sign it in front of two witnesses Print the deed poll and sign it in both your old and new names while two adults who are not close relatives watch. They sign and add their names and addresses.

Make certified copies Photocopy the signed original, write on each copy that it is a true copy of the original, then sign and date it.

Update your ID and your employer Send the original deed poll to the Passport Office and the DVLA, and certified copies to your bank, employer and HMRC.

Notify everyone else Work through the remaining organisations over the next few weeks, and keep the original safe.

What is your new name?

Who is this deed poll for?

MyselfAged 16 or over — £19.99 My childUnder 16 — £19.99

Name you are changing from

First name

Middle name optional

Last name

Name you are changing to

First name

Middle name optional

Last name

A few details about you

Email address

Only used to retrieve your deed poll if you lose it. No marketing emails.

Date of birth

Day

Month

Year

Your current address

Address line 1

Address line 2 optional

Town / City

Postcode

Date of deed

Your witnesses

A UK deed poll requires two witnesses. They must be adults, not related to you, and present when you sign. They do not need to be a solicitor.

Legally recognised across the UK Secure payment via Stripe Instant PDF download No account needed One-off payment — nothing renews Accepted by DVLA & HM Passport Office

Add the letter pack All 9 letters written for you and filled in with your details — ready to print, sign and post. £6.99

See the 9 letters

Address included, ready to post

HMRC — tax and National Insurance
DVLA — driving licence

You add the address

HM Passport Office
Bank or building society
GP surgery / NHS
Employer — HR and payroll
Local council — council tax and electoral register
Utilities & broadband
Pension provider

Being straight with you: the DVLA and passport letters are cover letters — a driving licence is changed with the free D1 form, and a passport needs a new application. The letters make the paperwork easier, not different.

Post me printed copies 2 copies on heavyweight 100gsm paper, 1st class next working day — as well as your instant download. £7.99

Deed poll £19.99

Make your deed poll — £19.99

Your deed poll

A4, print-ready Updates as you type Yours to keep

Common questions

Can I change only my first name and keep my surname?

Yes. Your deed poll lists your full old name and your full new name, and the surname is simply the same in both. Nothing else about your name has to change.

Is a spelling change a name change?

Yes. Changing Jon to John, or Kathryn to Katherine, is a change of name as far as the Passport Office and the DVLA are concerned, and you need a deed poll to update them.

Do I need a new signature after changing my first name?

There is no rule about signatures. You sign the deed poll itself in both your old and new names, and after that you can sign however you like. Most people pick a signature that matches the new name so it is not questioned.

Can I change my first name back later?

Yes. There is no limit on how many times you can change your name. Changing back is done with a new deed poll, the same way as any other change.

Can a child's first name be changed by deed poll?

Yes, but everyone with parental responsibility normally has to agree. Young people aged 16 or 17 can sign their own deed poll. This site makes child deed polls too, for £19.99.

How to Change Your First Name in the UK

Why people change their first name

Do you need a deed poll if you just use a nickname?

Swapping your first and middle names

Are there limits on the first name you can choose?

How much does it cost to change your first name?

Who to tell after changing your first name

How does the cost compare?

Step-by-step: How to Change Your First Name in the UK

What is your new name?

A few details about you

Your witnesses

Common questions

Can I change only my first name and keep my surname?

Is a spelling change a name change?

Do I need a new signature after changing my first name?

Can I change my first name back later?

Can a child's first name be changed by deed poll?

How to Change Your First Name in the UK

Why people change their first name

Do you need a deed poll if you just use a nickname?

Swapping your first and middle names

Are there limits on the first name you can choose?

How much does it cost to change your first name?

Who to tell after changing your first name

How does the cost compare?

Step-by-step: How to Change Your First Name in the UK

What is your new name?

A few details about you

Your witnesses

Common questions

Can I change only my first name and keep my surname?

Is a spelling change a name change?

Do I need a new signature after changing my first name?

Can I change my first name back later?

Can a child's first name be changed by deed poll?

You might also need