Resource
Every organisation you need to update, in the order that actually works. For marriage, divorce, deed poll and gender-affirming name changes across all 8 states and territories.
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If you married in Australia and are taking or adding your partner's surname, your marriage certificate is enough - no registration needed. Skip to Step 1 below.
If you married overseas, are changing by deed poll, or are affirming your gender, you need to register a change of name with your state Births, Deaths and Marriages before notifying organisations. See the deed poll guide
Do these before anything else. Your driver licence is accepted as proof by almost every organisation below.
Update Medicare first as your Medicare name flows into many other government records.
Passports take longer to process. If you are not travelling soon, you can do this after your ID and government steps.
Banks will want to see your new driver licence or passport plus your proof of name change. Update your main bank first, then any others.
These are the ones people forget. Airline points accounts linked to an old name can cause issues when you travel.
This list covers the most common organisations. Your life may include others. When you use Surname Switch, you can add any organisation not already on our list and we will generate the notification message for it too.
State guide
Where to go in your state to update your driver licence - usually the first step.
| State / Territory | Authority | Update method |
|---|---|---|
| NSW | Service NSW | Online (with marriage certificate) or in-person at a Service NSW centre |
| VIC | VicRoads | In person at a VicRoads customer service centre |
| QLD | Department of Transport and Main Roads | In person at a Queensland Transport and Main Roads customer service centre |
| SA | Service SA | In person at a Service SA centre |
| WA | Department of Transport | In person at a licensing centre |
| TAS | Service Tasmania | In person at a Service Tasmania shop |
| ACT | Access Canberra | Online via Access Canberra or in person |
| NT | Motor Vehicle Registry | In person at a Motor Vehicle Registry office |
Requirements and processes change. Always check your state authority's website for current requirements before your visit.
Common questions
No. If you married in Australia and want to take or add your partner's surname, your official marriage certificate issued by Births, Deaths and Marriages is your proof of name change. You do not need to register anything separately. Simply show your marriage certificate to each organisation on this list.
Start with your driver licence. Almost every other organisation will accept your new driver licence as proof that the change has happened. Then update Medicare, the ATO, and Centrelink if applicable. Next, banks and superannuation. Then employer, professional registrations, and utilities. Leave loyalty programs and subscriptions until last.
The notification letters and emails take a few hours to send once you have a plan and template messages ready. Processing times vary: Medicare typically takes 1-2 days, banks 3-5 days, ATO a few days, passport 2-6 weeks. Some organisations (loyalty programs, subscriptions) update instantly online.
For marriage: your original marriage certificate (or a certified copy). For deed poll or change of name: your official change of name certificate from your state or territory Births, Deaths and Marriages. Some organisations also ask to see current photo ID alongside your proof of name change.
Many organisations allow online updates, especially banks, loyalty programs, subscriptions, and some government agencies. Your driver licence usually requires an in-person visit (though NSW and ACT allow some online updates). Medicare can be updated via myGov. Passport applications must be lodged in person at an approved acceptance facility.
Surname Switch builds your personal checklist, puts it in the right order, and writes every message for you using AI. $25 once, everything included.