Name change costs
A clear breakdown of every cost. What's free, what government fees apply, and how Surname Switch fits in. Updated for 2026.
If you married in Australia and are taking your partner's surname, the name change is free. Your official marriage certificate from Births, Deaths and Marriages is your proof. No registration fee, no government application. You just notify organisations.
Taking or adding your partner's surname
Your marriage certificate is your legal proof. No registration required.
You still need to notify each organisation individually, which takes time. Surname Switch builds your whole plan from $25, and Powered ($65) writes every notification for you.
Deed poll, overseas marriage, gender-affirming
Government fee paid to your state or territory Births, Deaths and Marriages to register the change.
The fee varies by state. See the table below for indicative amounts.
These fees are indicative. They change regularly. Always check your state or territory Births, Deaths and Marriages website for the current fee before applying.
| State | Authority | Fee (AUD) | Apply at the source |
|---|---|---|---|
| NSW | NSW Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages | ~$190 | nsw.gov.au → |
| VIC | Births, Deaths and Marriages Victoria | ~$155 | bdm.vic.gov.au → |
| QLD | Queensland Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages | ~$220 | qld.gov.au → |
| SA | Births, Deaths and Marriages, Consumer and Business Services | ~$195 | sa.gov.au → |
| WA | WA Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages | ~$172 | wa.gov.au → |
| TAS | Births, Deaths and Marriages Tasmania | ~$180 | justice.tas.gov.au → |
| ACT | Access Canberra | ~$130 | accesscanberra.act.gov.au → |
| NT | NT Births, Deaths and Marriages | ~$130 | nt.gov.au → |
Every state issues a change of name certificate as legal proof. Fees are approximate and change. Certified copies may cost extra. Surname Switch is not affiliated with any state registry.
The fee depends on where you register the change, and on whether you need to register one at all. Here is the plain answer for every state and territory.
A formal change of name in NSW costs about $190, paid to the NSW Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages.
If you married in Australia and take your spouse's surname, it costs nothing: your marriage certificate is proof enough.
A formal change of name in Victoria costs about $155, paid to Births, Deaths and Marriages Victoria.
Taking your spouse's surname after an Australian marriage is free, because the marriage certificate does the job on its own.
Queensland's formal name change fee is the dearest, at roughly $220 through the Queensland Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages.
A marriage name change costs nothing: you simply use your marriage certificate as proof.
Western Australia charges about $172 to register a change of name through the WA Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages. No fee applies if you are taking a spouse's surname after marrying in Australia.
South Australia charges around $195 for a registered change of name through Births, Deaths and Marriages, Consumer and Business Services. A marriage name change remains free.
Tasmania charges approximately $180 to register a change of name with the Births, Deaths and Marriages Tasmania. Marriage name changes are free.
The ACT is among the cheapest at about $130 through Access Canberra. As everywhere in Australia, taking a spouse's surname after marriage costs nothing.
The Northern Territory charges roughly $130 to register a change of name with NT Births, Deaths and Marriages. Marriage name changes are free.
Many organisations want a certified copy, not the original certificate.
Get several copies certified in one visit to the JP. It's free and saves four extra trips. No waiting when an organisation keeps your copy.
Updating your passport name counts as a new application.
Current fee: approximately $326 for a 10-year adult passport (2026; check the Australian Passport Office for current pricing).
It's free, same expiry date, for a marriage, divorce or reverting change, if 2+ years remain on your passport.
Some states charge a small fee to reissue your driver licence (typically $0-$28). Others do it free. Check your state transport authority website.
Two plans, each a one-off payment
Your plan price covers only the Surname Switch service. Government fees (where applicable) are paid directly to your state BDM and are separate.
Common questions
Yes, if you married in Australia.
Your marriage certificate from Births, Deaths and Marriages is your legal proof. No government registration fee applies.
You still notify each organisation yourself.
Some may charge a small admin fee, but the change itself is free.
Registering a formal change of name (commonly called a deed poll) with your state or territory Births, Deaths and Marriages costs approximately $130 to $220 depending on where you live. This is paid directly to the state government. You may also need to pay for certified copies of your change of name certificate to show organisations.
For marriage in Australia: from $25 for Surname Switch (Lite, or $65 for Powered), plus passport renewal if needed (~$326), plus any certified copies of your marriage certificate (~$20-40 each). For deed poll or formal change: $130 to $220 government fee, plus from $25 for Surname Switch, plus certified copies. Most people spend between $25 and $400 total depending on their situation.
Call 132 011 or visit a service centre. The one thing you cannot do is submit a legal name change through the myGov online account, which only changes your contact details and preferred name.
Most Australian banks do not charge a fee to update your name on your account. You will need to visit a branch or call them with your proof of name change and current ID.
Your state registry handles that.
The slog is telling the 50-odd organisations that still hold your old name.
That's what we do: one ordered checklist of your real companies.
Powered adds prefilled forms and a drafted message for every one. From $25, once.