If you have recently gotten married or are planning to do so, and now you are considering changing your name, how does the process work? This is a question I get asked a lot as a celebrant. Let's take a closer look at the steps involved.
First things first, it is your choice! It is your choice to use your spouse’s last name after marriage. If you do choose to take your spouse's last name you will need to inform all the organisations, institutions and companies that you deal with and provide them with a copy of your official marriage certificate from Births, Deaths and Marriages (BDM) which is different to the one I give you at the ceremony.
IMPORTANT NOTE: The certificate I give you on the day of your marriage is a commemorative certificate (a.k.a the pretty one) it can not be used for legal identification. If you chose to pre-order your legal marriage certificate during the NOIM process you will receive an invoice from the BDM via email (circa $60) and once that is paid you will receive the official marriage certificate in the mail approximately 4 weeks following the marriage ceremony. Don't worry if you didn't pre-order it, you can order it directly from the BDM anytime after the marriage is registered which is usually around 2 weeks after the ceremony.
To arrange for a change of name through the plethora of businesses, institutions, companies etc that you interact with you will need to provide them with a copy of the official marriage certificate and they may also need you to send in a letter, form or email depending on their processes for your accounts/records/ID to be changed.
IMPORTANT NOTE: While this process is commonly referred to as 'changing your name’, it doesn’t require a legal name change application to be lodged or any other legal steps to be taken.
So, with your official marriage certificate and the desire to take your spouse's surname the most common companies to inform include the Department of Motor Transport for your licence & vehicle registrations, the passport office, banks, ATO, Medicare, superannuation, insurance, loyalty clubs, subscriptions, road tolls etc.
How long have you got to get it done in Australia....
You can take as long as you like. You don't even ever have to take your spouse's name, it is your choice, however if you choose to do it it is your responsibility to change all your accounts, identification, subscriptions etc over to your married surname.
And, it is good to know you can revert to your birth surname at anytime, even if you are still married.
What are the options for taking my spouse's name...
Change your birth surname to your spouse's surname (also known as married surname)
Combine your birth surname with your spouse's surname (double barrelled baby) with either a space or hyphen. The combination of whose surname goes first is up to you.
Use both. CAUTION: This can be a difficult balance. You can choose to continue to use your birth surname in some settings and your married surname in others. For example, remain Lilly Lindon at work and professionally, and revert to Lilly Leith in personal life. This does mean you need to choose what is updated so far as personal identification and can cause issues for example with international travel (passport), tax etc.
You have two ways you can go about it in Australia....
1. Do It Yourself (DIY): I am not going to lie, you need a fair chunk of time and patience to wade through this. Start by creating a list of business/services/companies where you need to change your name - it is highly recommended that you prioritise ATO, Passport, Drivers Licence, Health Care, Superannuation, Insurance and Banking! But, believe me you will be surprised at how many places you need to go to/contact to get the ball rolling. Be prepared for a variety of different ways to complete the name change. Some companies/institutions will require you to be present, maybe even make an appointment, while others will have their own forms for you to fill in and return. Expect in-person processes with Department of Transport (Drivers Licence) and traditional Banks.
OR
2. Use ready-to-send forms: There are a number of different options here, and most take away a lot of the heavy lifting for you however, be prepared for a couple of in-person visits to remain as not everything can be delegated when it comes to changing your name. I recommend Easy Name Change, and if you choose to go with them I get an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you.
They provide step-by-step instructions for all the institutions and companies on your list (choose your companies here) and a personalised pack of ready-to-send notifications, including letters, emails and company forms. Attach your marriage certificate, sign and send!
HOT TIP: If you are planning on travelling shortly after your wedding i.e for your honeymoon, it is recommended that you keep all I.D/documentation and travel details (plane tickets, visas, accommodation etc.) in your original/birth surname until after you return home.
It can cause problems if you aren't able to easily prove you have changed your birth surname following marriage. Keep the name change process to a time when you aren't due to travel!
Affiliate Program - I am an affiliate of Easy Name Change. I receive a small commission when any of my couples use their service.
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