Name change costs
A clear breakdown of every cost involved: what is free, what government fees apply, and how Surname Switch fits into the picture. 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, which becomes your legal proof everywhere else. Fees are approximate and subject to change. Additional fees may apply for certified copies of the certificate. 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.
Registering a formal change of name in New South Wales costs about $190, paid to the NSW Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, and you receive a change of name certificate. If you married in Australia and are taking, adding or hyphenating your spouse's surname, you pay nothing at all: your marriage certificate is the legal proof and no registration is needed.
A formal change of name in Victoria costs about $155 through Births, Deaths and Marriages Victoria, which issues your change of name certificate. Taking your spouse's surname after an Australian marriage is free, because the marriage certificate does the job on its own.
Queensland is the dearest state for a formal change of name at roughly $220, paid to 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 require a certified copy of your marriage certificate or change of name certificate, not the original. Getting a copy certified is free. A Justice of the Peace, pharmacist, police officer, accountant or Australia Post agent will certify a photocopy of your certificate at no charge, and most councils, courts and libraries have a JP. What does cost money is ordering an extra ORIGINAL certificate from your registry, usually $60 to $90, and most people never need one.
Get several copies certified in one visit to the JP. It is free, it takes one trip instead of five, and you will not be stuck waiting when an organisation insists on keeping the copy you send.
Updating your passport name is treated as a new passport application. Current Australian passport fees are approximately $326 for a 10-year adult passport (as of 2026, check the Australian Passport Office for current pricing). It is free, keeping the same expiry date, if your surname is changing through marriage, divorce or reverting and your passport still has two or more years to run.
Some states charge a small fee to reissue your driver licence with your new name (typically $0-$28 depending on your state). Others do it free of charge. 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 official marriage certificate from Births, Deaths and Marriages is your legal proof of name change. There is no government registration fee. You do still need to notify each organisation individually, and some may charge small administrative fees, but the name change itself costs nothing.
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.
No, Medicare is free. 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.
Registering the change is the easy part, and your state registry handles that. The slog is telling the 50-odd organisations that still hold your old name. That is the bit we do: one ordered checklist of your actual companies, and on Powered your official forms prefilled and every message written for you. From $25, once.