Guide to Changing Your Name in Ontario
Table of Contents
To legally change your name in Ontario, you must be 16 or older and have lived in Ontario for at least 12 months. You complete the Application to Change an Adult’s Name, get a guarantor to sign it, have your statutory declaration commissioned, and mail it with the $137 fee. Ontario says complete applications take 6 to 8 weeks, but wait times can be longer.
Key Takeaways
- Adults 16 and older use the Application to Change an Adult’s Name (form 007-11155). Parents use a separate form to change a child’s name.
- You need a guarantor from an approved list, or a non-relative who has known you for at least 5 years, to confirm you’ve lived in Ontario for 12 months.
- The statutory declaration in your application must be signed in front of a commissioner. You can do this online with NotaryPro.
- The government fee is $137. Processing takes 6 to 8 weeks for a complete application, and sometimes longer.
- Once approved, you’ll get a change of name certificate to update your ID and records.
Start your name change application
Who Can Legally Change Their Name in Ontario?
You can apply to change your name in Ontario if you (ontario.ca):
- are 16 or older
- have lived in Ontario for at least 12 months
You can’t apply if you must report in person under Christopher’s Law (Sex Offender Registry), or if you’re serving the custodial part of a sentence or are in custody in a hospital.
If you’re 16 or 17, you also need consent from your legal custodians.
Your new name must use Roman alphabet characters, and the application can be refused if the name is considered improper, confusing or for a fraudulent purpose.
Which Form Do You Need?
- Adults (16 and older): Application to Change an Adult’s Name (007-11155). You can fill it in online, but you still print, sign and mail it.
- Children (17 and under): a parent or person with custody uses the Application to Change a Child’s Name (007-11156). Everyone with legal custody must consent, and so must the child if they’re 12 or older.
- Single name: use the Request for a Single Name (007-11342).
- Reclaiming a traditional Indigenous name: you may qualify for a fee waiver (007-11341).
All forms are listed on ontario.ca. To fill in the adult form online, use our free Application to Change an Adult’s Name.
How to Complete Your Name Change Application, Step by Step
- Fill in the application. Use the government form or our free fillable version. Skip any parts that don’t apply to you.
- Notify your spouse or partner, if you’re married or have signed a Joint Declaration of Conjugal Relationship, using the notice form in the application.
- Get a police record check, if needed. It’s required if you answered yes to the criminal record questions in the application. ServiceOntario may also ask for one. Use the Requirements for a Police Record Check sheet so the check meets their rules.
- Have your guarantor sign the guarantor’s statement (see below).
- Have your statutory declaration commissioned. Don’t sign it beforehand; you sign in front of the commissioner.
- Gather your supporting documents (see “Documents You’ll Need”).
- Mail everything with the $137 fee to ServiceOntario, Office of the Registrar General, P.O. Box 3000, 189 Red River Road, Thunder Bay, ON P7B 0B3.
Finding a Guarantor and Getting Your Application Commissioned
Who can be your guarantor?
Your guarantor confirms how long you’ve lived in Ontario. The form lists who can do this:
- provincial judges and justices of the peace
- chiefs of First Nations bands in Ontario
- people authorized to perform marriages
- medical doctors
- principals of elementary and secondary schools
- lawyers and paralegals licensed by the Law Society of Ontario (the form still uses its old name, the Law Society of Upper Canada)
- heads of municipal councils and municipal clerks in Ontario
- managers or signing officers at Ontario branches of banks, trust companies, loan corporations, credit unions and caisses populaires
Don’t know anyone on the list? You can ask any adult who isn’t a relative and has known you for at least 5 years. Your guarantor must sign the original form in blue or black ink. Learn more about what a guarantor is.
Getting your statutory declaration commissioned
The statutory declaration in your application must be signed in front of a commissioner for taking affidavits, such as a notary public, an Ontario lawyer or paralegal, an MPP, a municipal clerk, or a judge or justice of the peace. Learn more about statutory declarations.
With NotaryPro, you can meet a notary online by video, from home, to have your declaration commissioned.
Get your name change application commissioned online
How Much It Costs and How Long It Takes
Government fees (ontario.ca):
- Adult or child name change: $137
- Adding a child to a parent’s application: $22 per child
- Single name change: $137, or $22 with a parent’s application
- Reclaiming a traditional Indigenous name: $0 if you qualify for the fee waiver
You may also pay for a police record check, commissioning, and new ID afterwards.
Processing time: ontario.ca says a complete application from someone born in Ontario takes 6 to 8 weeks, but it has also noted wait times of up to 24 weeks. Check ontario.ca for the current wait before you apply.
What Happens After Approval
If your application is approved, you’ll receive by mail:
- A change of name certificate listing your previous and new names.
- A new birth certificate, if you were born in Ontario. If you were born elsewhere in Canada (except Québec), Ontario notifies the vital statistics office where your birth was registered.
The Ontario Gazette: by law, name changes are published in The Ontario Gazette, which is now online only. Trans people and First Nations, Inuit and Métis people can ask not to have their name change published using the Request for Non-Publication (007-11320).
Documents You’ll Need
If you were born in Canada
- your original long-form birth certificate, or a certified copy
- copies of any previous name change certificates
- court-certified copies of any relevant court orders
If you’re a Canadian citizen born outside Canada
- a photocopy of your original birth certificate or a certified copy of your birth registration
- a photocopy of your citizenship certificate or card (front and back)
- photocopies of any previous name change certificates
- certified translations of documents not in English or French
- court-certified copies of any relevant court orders
If you’re a permanent resident
- a photocopy of your Record of Landing or permanent resident card (front and back)
- a photocopy of your original birth certificate or a certified copy of your birth registration
- photocopies of any previous name change certificates
- certified translations of documents not in English or French
- court-certified copies of any relevant court orders
ServiceOntario may ask for originals or certified copies. Questions? Call 1-800-461-2156.
Updating Your ID After a Name Change
Use your change of name certificate (and new birth certificate, if you have one) to update your ID.
Ontario ID
Visit a ServiceOntario centre to update your driver’s licence, health card and Ontario Photo Card.
Federal ID
- Passport: apply for a new passport in your new name. Include your change of name certificate, ID in your new name and proof of citizenship. Since March 31, 2026, an adult passport applied for in Canada costs $163.50 for 10 years or $122.50 for 5 years. See canada.ca for processing times.
- Social Insurance Number: update your SIN record with Service Canada.
- Permanent resident card: apply to IRCC for a new card in your new name. Check IRCC for current fees and processing times.
- Citizenship certificate: apply to IRCC to change the name on your certificate. Check IRCC for current fees and processing times.
Other records to update
- schools, colleges and universities
- your employer
- banks, credit cards and investment accounts
- credit bureaus
- utility and phone accounts
- medical records
- the Canada Revenue Agency and Elections Canada
- legal documents, like your will and powers of attorney
Start your name change application
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to change your name in Ontario?
The government fee is $137 for an adult. Adding a child to a parent’s application costs $22 per child. You may also pay for a police record check, commissioning, and updating your ID.
How long does a legal name change take in Ontario?
Ontario says 6 to 8 weeks for a complete application from someone born in Ontario, but wait times have been as long as 24 weeks. Check ontario.ca for the current wait.
Who can be a guarantor for a name change in Ontario?
Someone on the form’s approved list, such as a doctor, lawyer, paralegal, school principal, municipal clerk or bank manager. If you don’t know anyone on the list, any non-relative who has known you for at least 5 years can sign.
Do I need a lawyer to change my name in Ontario?
No. You can complete the application yourself. You only need a commissioner, such as a notary public, to witness your statutory declaration.
Does the Application to Change an Adult’s Name need to be commissioned?
Yes. It includes a statutory declaration where you swear or affirm that your information is true, and it must be signed in front of a commissioner, such as a notary public. You can have it commissioned with a NotaryPro notary online, by video.
Do I need to legally change my name after marriage in Ontario?
No. Many people use their spouse’s last name without a legal name change. If you want to make it official, see ontario.ca’s Change your name page for your options.
Can I stop my name change from being published in the Ontario Gazette?
Yes, if you’re trans or First Nations, Inuit or Métis, using the Request for Non-Publication form. The Attorney General can also approve non-publication if publishing would put you at risk of significant harm.
Get Your Name Change Application Commissioned Today
Changing your name takes a few steps, but getting your statutory declaration commissioned doesn’t have to slow you down. Fill in our free application, then meet a NotaryPro notary online by video to have it commissioned from home. For more on the commissioning step, see who can notarize a document in Ontario.