What is a Deed Poll?

You may need a Deed Poll if you want to change your name legally in the UK. A Deed Poll is the simplest way to have your new name recognised by all UK major organisations, including Banks, HMRC, HM Passport Office, and the DVLA.

A Deed Poll is a legally binding document that allows you to change your name in the UK. It is recognised by the UK Government and accepted by Banks, HM Passport Office, HMRC, DVLA and other organisations.

A Deed Poll allows you to change your first name, surname or both and update your name with your Bank and other official records.

When you sign your Deed Poll you will need two independent witnesses to make your document legally valid. A witness must be:

*Over the age of 18

*Not a family member or member of your household

*Someone who can confirm your identity if required

Most people use friend, colleagues or a professional such as a solicitor to witness them signing the document. Once the document is signed your Deed Poll is then a legally recognised document and accepted amongst UK organisations such as DVLA.

You’ll need to update your details with a range of organisations. We provide a full checklist in our Name Change Kit, but here are some common ones:

• HM Passport Office

• DVLA

• HMRC

• Local council

• Land Registry

• Your employer

• Banks and pension providers

• Mortgage or credit card companies

• Doctors

• School

We strongly recommend also purchasing our Name Change Kit to guide you through the process and make sure you update all the correct organisations.

There are a few restrictions when you decide on your new name. You cannot use any name that :

*Is offensive, vulgar, or defamatory

• Could confuse (e.g., includes symbols or numbers)

• Appears to promote criminal activity

• Contains slurs or discriminatory terms

• Uses non-standard punctuation

• It is overly political or promotional

• Uses unofficial titles (like “Lord”, unless peerage is granted)

Acceptable titles include Mr, Mrs, Miss, Ms, and Mx.

Here at UK Online Deed Poll we provide a document service to enable you to complete your Deed Poll with guidance and ease.

You can be confident that by using our service your Deed Poll is correctly written and prepared in order to become a legally binding document accepted by UK organisations such as the Passport Office, DVLA, Banks and many more.

An Enrolled Deed Poll is officially registered with the Royal Courts of Justice, making your name change a public record. It is mainly used for legal transparency but is not required for most people.

An Un-enrolled Deed Poll is a private document that is just as legally valid and widely accepted by UK institutions. At UK Online Deed Poll, We provide Unenrolled Deed Poll services that are legally valid and accepted by UK organisations.