Glossary
A plain-English glossary of the words that come up when you change your name in Australia. No jargon, just clear definitions so you always know what each step means.
"Deed poll" is the common term for changing to a new name, but in Australia there is no separate deed poll document like there is in the United Kingdom. You change your name by registering the change with your state or territory Births, Deaths and Marriages, which issues an official change of name certificate. That certificate, not a deed poll, is your legal proof everywhere else.
A change of name certificate is the official certificate issued by a state or territory Births, Deaths and Marriages registry that legally records your new name. After a formal change of name, it is the proof you provide to banks, government agencies and other organisations to update your records.
Births, Deaths and Marriages is the government registry in each Australian state and territory that registers births, deaths, marriages and changes of name. Your official marriage certificate and any formal change of name are issued by the BDM registry in your state.
The official, registered marriage certificate is issued by Births, Deaths and Marriages and is the only version accepted as proof of a name change. The pretty ceremonial certificate your celebrant gives you on the wedding day is decorative and is not accepted by organisations, so you order the official one separately.
A certified copy is a photocopy of an original document that an authorised person, such as a Justice of the Peace, pharmacist or police officer, has verified as a true copy. Some organisations ask for a certified copy of your marriage or change of name certificate rather than a plain photo or scan.
A statutory declaration is a written statement you declare to be true before an authorised witness. It is sometimes requested to support a name change or to confirm details when other proof is not available.
One hundred points of identification is an Australian system for proving who you are by combining documents that are each worth a set number of points until they total 100. Banks and some organisations use it when you update your details.
A foundation identity document is a core document, such as a birth certificate, citizenship certificate or passport, used as the basis for issuing other ID. Updating your name on foundation ID first makes every later change easier.
A maiden name is the surname a person had before marriage, usually their birth surname. After a divorce or separation, reverting to your maiden name generally needs no formal change, because your birth certificate and marriage certificate together evidence it.
Reverting means returning to a name you previously held, most commonly your maiden or birth name after a divorce. Reverting is your choice, and you do not have to wait for a divorce to be finalised to do it.
A gender marker is the sex or gender recorded on an identity document. Updating a gender marker is a separate process from changing your name, with rules that vary by state and by document.
myGov is the Australian Government's online portal that links services such as Medicare, the ATO, Centrelink and the electoral roll. Several name updates with federal agencies can be started through a myGov account.
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