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Changing a child's name on a birth certificate
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Changing your child's name factsheet
Changing a child's first name
You can only change your child's first name once and this needs to be done within 12 months of the original registration. The change of name can be recorded on the birth register after 12 months, but documentary evidence, for example, an immunisation card, an NHS medical card or a bank or building society book, will need to be provided to show that the name change took place within the 12 month period.
To change your child's first name you will need to: - complete a Certificate of Name Given In Baptism (form 13), if your child has been baptised in a Christian church. The form must state the new first name and be signed by a vicar or minister of the church where the baptism took place; or
- if your child has not been baptised, complete a Certificate of Name Given Not in Baptism or Certificate of Naming (form 14), and state the new first name. Both forms are available from your local Register Office (details can be found in your telephone directory or on the General Register Office website: www.gro.gov.uk). The completed certificate needs to be taken or posted to the Register Office where the birth was registered.
There is no charge for adding the new name to the register but there is a fee for obtaining a new certificate. Charges vary depending on where you get the new certificate from - see www.gro.gov.uk for further details.
Changing a child's surname
A child's surname on an original birth record cannot be changed, unless there is a spelling mistake on it. However, a birth can be re-registered and a new surname recorded, but only in certain circumstances. Unlike with changing a child's first name, there are no time restrictions for this.
You can only change your child's surname in the following circumstances: - If the father and mother were not married and the father's name was not originally recorded on the birth certificate, the birth can be re-registered and the surname can be changed to the father's, or it could be recorded as a combination of both parents' surnames. It can also remain as the mother's surname. Both parents have to give written permission and there should be no court order in place preventing you from changing the surname. You will need to complete form GRO 185, which is available from Register Offices.
- If the father and mother marry after the child is born and the birth is re-registered so that a new birth certificate can be created to show the child as a child of the parents' marriage. To do this you need to complete form LA1, which is available from Register Offices. If the father's surname was originally registered on the birth record, it cannot be changed to the mother's, but a combination of the two surnames can be used. However, if the mother's surname was originally registered on the birth record, it can be re-registered under the same name, the father's surname or a combination of the two.
- If at the original registration the father's name was recorded incorrectly, for example, the wrong man was registered as the father, the birth can be re-registered and the biological father's name can be registered. The child's surname can also be changed to that of the newly registered biological father.
- If a child was born to a surrogate mother and the nonbiological parent obtains a court order called a Parental Order - a new registration will be made to show they are the child's parents.
- If a child is adopted - a new registration will be made giving only the details of the adoptive family.
When can a child's surname not be changed on a birth certificate?
A child's surname cannot be changed on a birth certificate if: - the biological parents were married at the time of the child's birth; or
- the biological parents were not married, but the biological father's name was originally recorded on the birth record.
Note: It is important to be aware that if a court order has been made preventing change to a child's surname, a new surname cannot be recorded at a re-registration of the birth.
Further information about changing your child's name on a birth certificate can be obtained from the General Register Office at www.gro.gov.uk, or by calling 0151 471 4805.
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