Questions, answered

Usually not. Married in Australia and took or added your partner's surname? Your Births, Deaths and Marriages certificate is proof enough. No separate registration - just show it to each organisation.

Your certificate often won't be enough on its own. In most cases, register a formal change of name here first. Our questionnaire flags this and explains the steps.

When you change your name by choice, affirm your gender, fix a spelling or order, or married overseas. Your state or territory Births, Deaths and Marriages handles this and issues a certificate.

In most states: once every 12 months, up to three times in your lifetime, with some exceptions. We note your state's rule when it applies.

Building your plan takes a few minutes. Each organisation updates at its own pace. With every message ready, most people save hours and weeks of back and forth.

Two plans, each a one-off payment, no subscription.

Lite ($25): your full plan, in order, with step-by-step guides and a link for every organisation. Powered ($65): adds an AI-drafted message for every organisation, plus prefilled forms where they exist (AEC, Medicare, super and more).

A formal change of name has its own state government fee, generally $130 to $220, paid directly to them.

Yes. AI drafts a polite message for each organisation, in plain Australian English, with your name change and proof in it. You review it, add any account number, then send. It's one of four things we do: prefilled forms, drafted emails, one ordered checklist, your real companies in right order.

Marriage, getting married soon, divorce or separation, deed poll, and fixing a spelling or name order - in every Australian state and territory.

It depends on your life. Our app tracks 66 kinds of organisation, plus named providers within them. We start with the common ones - you can add anything specific to you.

For government ID and banks, law requires you to do it yourself - often in person or by secure login. For everything else, we prepare the message or prefilled form; you just review and send.

You update it with your state or territory road authority, usually in person with your proof of name change. Examples: Service NSW, VicRoads, and Transport and Main Roads in Queensland.

Do this first: once it shows your new name, it's easy photo ID everywhere else. Surname Switch gives you the exact office and documents for your state.

Call Medicare on 132 011 for an on-the-call update, or take your certificate to a Services Australia centre.

myGov can't do a legal name change - it only updates contact details and your preferred name. It's free either way, and your Medicare number stays the same.

It's a new application through the Australian Passport Office, with your proof of name change. A name change through marriage, divorce or reverting gets a free replacement, same expiry date.

This applies if your passport has two or more years left; otherwise standard fees apply. Do this early - your passport name should match your travel bookings.

Most banks let you update your name in the app, online, or in a branch, with proof of name change.

Once your photo ID shows the new name, banks accept it with little fuss. Surname Switch drafts the message or points you to the right form for each bank and card.

You update the electoral roll through the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC). Update your tax records through the ATO, usually via myGov or their forms.

On Powered, we prefill your AEC enrolment form and draft the ATO update, so these steps are quick.

Update ID first - driver licence and Medicare - then passport. Then money (banks, super, insurance), then everyday accounts (utilities, telco, loyalty, employer).

Updated photo ID unlocks everything else, saving you time. Your plan arranges this automatically.

Some organisations accept a photo or scan; others need a certified copy of your certificate. Order a couple up front so you're not held up. We flag where certified proof is typically needed.

No. You don't need a lawyer to change your name in Australia. After marriage, your certificate is your proof.

A formal change of name is a straightforward registration you lodge yourself with Births, Deaths and Marriages. Surname Switch handles the notifications after.

We ask for the minimum, never keep copies of your ID, and clear your details once your kit is done. We never sell or trade your data. Full details on the Your data page.

No. We never ask you to upload identity documents. You attach your own proof directly to each organisation when you send.

No. We never ask for them. You add account numbers yourself, on your own device, right before you send each message.

This can happen if the page closed before payment finished, or you paid in another app's browser.

Fix it: open the app and go to payment. Tap "Already paid on another device?", then paste your unlock reference (starts with cs_).

Find your reference under "Your unlock reference" on your plan, on any device where it unlocked. It's not your Stripe receipt number.

No reference? Email contact@surnameswitch.com from the address you paid with, and we'll unlock it for you.

Yes. Your plan is saved in your browser, on your device - never on our servers.

To resume elsewhere: open your plan, copy or email the link, then open it on the other device.

Clear your browser data or use a private window, and the saved plan is gone. We never held a copy, so we can't restore it.

If you paid, your saved link carries your unlock, and so does the unlock reference on your plan. Without either, email contact@surnameswitch.com from the address you paid with and we'll unlock it for you.

Yes. Upgrading from Lite to Powered costs $40 - the same $65 total as buying Powered outright, so nothing's wasted. There's no time limit.

Tap "Upgrade to Powered" on your plan; your progress stays exactly where you left it. See pricing for what's included.

No - they're paid directly to the government. A formal change of name has its own state or territory fee, generally $130 to $220 depending on your state.

Married in Australia and took your spouse's surname? No government fee at all - your marriage certificate is proof. More on what a name change costs.

You can add any organisation we don't cover. In the app, type its name and choose "add your own" - it joins your plan like the rest.

On Powered, that includes drafting its message. If your company appears as you type, pick it for its exact steps.