namechange

Changing Your Documents

To facilitate the change of name on statutory documents as discussed below, you will need to send:

a copy of your statutory declaration, and
a copy of your birth certificate, and
a letter from your Doctor (GP or Consultant psychiatrist).

The letter from your doctor must be similar to that shown below. It must state that the change you are undergoing is permanent. Without this, many of the authorities such as the passport office will not make the necessary changes.

You can change a range of documentation (see the following sections of this FAQ), by sending both your Statutory Declaration and the doctor's letter along with a short note simply explaining that you are undergoing gender reassignment from female to male and that you need your documentation changing to recognise your new name and gender.

Technically you should always send the original documents by Registered Post, ensuring you enclose the return postage and any extra cost required to ensure that they are returned by Registered Post. Most solicitors will certify photocopies of your statutory declaration for a very small fee.

However, apart from the Passport Office, it would now appear that most of these bodies will now accept photocopies of your Doctor’s letter and your statutory declaration.

Sample Doctor's letter

Headed paper with address of GP, Doctor, GIC or consultant.

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Changing Your Name

These pages set out the steps to take in changing your name.

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Choosing A Name

First Names

Think about the name that you are going to choose for yourself.

Pick something sensible: Scully is not sensible, you are too old to have been named by your parents after a recent television character.

Remember your age, and try to fit in with what would have been appropriate at the time of your birth.

Surname

You should also consider whether you want to change your surname. Some trans people choose to do so, and it is perfectly legal and acceptable … but if you want to maximise your privacy and make life easy, it may be better not to change your surname.

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Preparing a Statutory Declaration

Once you have chosen your name, the first thing to do is to prepare a statutory declaration of name change.

A solicitor will charge you a fee (usually betwen £20 and £50) for drafting your statutory declaration. However, you can type your own statutory declaration, and then pay a much smaller fee to have it sworn (or "notarised").

You can draw up a statutory declaration based on the sample below ... but you will probably find it easier to use our online name-changer, which will create it for you.