Which rule applies to you
Most people who marry in Australia don't. Your marriage certificate is the proof. A brand new name, a new first name, or an overseas wedding can be different. Four taps tell you which one you are.
Every scenario here applies to both of you, whatever your gender. Once married, you are each entitled to the other's surname.
The decider
Answer honestly and the card tells you whether your certificate is enough, or a formal change of name comes first. It follows the Births, Deaths and Marriages (BDM) rules in every state.
Did you get married?
Engaged counts as not yet.
Every scenario
Sarah Chen is marrying Tom Taylor. Here is what each choice means, for either of them.
Sarah Chen becomes Sarah Taylor
Order the official marriage certificate from the registry in the state where you married. Show it to each organisation. There is nothing to register.
Sarah Chen-Taylor, or Sarah Taylor-Chen
No formal changeEither order. Both of you can do it. The marriage certificate links your old name to the new one, hyphen included.
Sarah Chen Taylor
Usually no formal changeMost organisations accept it with your marriage certificate. The catch is computers: some read Chen as a middle name. Write it the same way everywhere, and check the surname field holds both names.
Sarah and Tom become the Chaylors
Formal changeA surname neither of you held before is a new name. Register a change of name with your state BDM first, then use that certificate everywhere.
Sarah Jane Chen becomes Sadie Taylor
Formal changeA marriage certificate only covers your surname. A new first or middle name needs a BDM change of name. One application can change your whole name at once.
Sarah and Tom married in Bali
It dependsStart with your overseas certificate, translated if it is not in English. Some organisations accept it. The Australian Passport Office does not, so a BDM change of name is often the clean path.
Sarah Taylor goes back to Sarah Chen
Your birth certificate and marriage certificate together show the chain of your name. You do not need to wait for the divorce to be final.
Sarah and Tom are de facto
Formal changeThere is no marriage certificate to link the names. Register a change of name with your state BDM. If you registered your relationship, the passport office accepts that certificate too.
Sarah stays Sarah Chen
Nothing to doMarriage gives you the right to a new surname, never an obligation. Many people keep one name at work and use the other at home. Either way, nothing to lodge.
With a hyphen is settled: every registry treats Chen-Taylor as taking your spouse's surname, so the marriage certificate is enough.
Without a hyphen is the grey area. No registry forbids Chen Taylor. The passport office accepts a surname "added to your own". The problem is computer systems that read Chen as a middle name.
A blended name like Chaylor is a new surname. That always goes through BDM first.
Births, Deaths and Marriages
Change of Name Certificate
You apply to the registry of the state where you were born. Born overseas? Apply where you have lived for the last 12 months, or 3 years in NSW. The fee is about $148 to $240 depending on the state.
You get a change of name certificate. It covers any part of your name, first, middle or last. Every organisation accepts it. People often call this a deed poll.
Then you tell everyone. Surname Switch builds that list for you.
Side by side
What you need, what it costs, and where we spell it out.
| Your situation | Formal change with BDM? | Your proof | Government cost | Read more |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Taking your spouse's surname, married in Australia | No | Official marriage certificate | The certificate only, from your state registry | After marriage |
| Hyphenating both surnames | No | Official marriage certificate | The certificate only | After marriage |
| Both surnames, no hyphen | Usually no | Marriage certificate; a change of name certificate if an organisation refuses | Nothing extra unless you register a change | The grey area |
| A brand new blended surname | Yes | Change of name certificate | About $148 to $240, by state | By deed poll |
| A new first or middle name | Yes | Change of name certificate | About $148 to $240, by state | By deed poll |
| Married overseas | Sometimes | Overseas certificate first; change of name certificate where refused | Nothing if accepted; the BDM fee if you register | Married overseas |
| Going back to a former name | No | Birth certificate plus marriage certificate, or a divorce order | Nothing | After divorce |
| Not married, taking a partner's surname | Yes | Change of name certificate | About $148 to $240, by state | By deed poll |
| Keeping your name | No | None needed | Nothing | After marriage |
Formal change, by state
Three steps, then the details for your state.
| State | Registry | Who applies there | Fee | Our guide |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NSW | NSW Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages | Born in NSW, or born overseas and lived in NSW for the last 3 years | About $190 | NSW guide |
| VIC | Births, Deaths and Marriages Victoria | Born in Victoria, or born overseas and lived in Victoria for the last 12 months | About $155 | VIC guide |
| QLD | Queensland Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages | Born in Queensland, or born overseas and lived in Queensland for the last 12 months | About $220 | QLD guide |
| WA | WA Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages | Born in WA, or born overseas and lived in WA for the last 12 months | About $172 | WA guide |
| SA | South Australian Births, Deaths and Marriages | Born in SA, or born overseas and lived in SA for the last 12 months | About $195 | SA guide |
| TAS | Tasmania Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages | Born in Tasmania, or born overseas and lived in Tasmania for the last 12 months | About $240 | TAS guide |
| ACT | ACT Births, Deaths and Marriages | Born in the ACT, or born overseas and lived in the ACT for the last 12 months | About $152 | ACT guide |
| NT | NT Births, Deaths and Marriages | Born in the NT, or born overseas and lived in the NT for the last 12 months | About $148 | NT guide |
Fees and rules checked against each registry on 8 October 2026. Each state guide carries the registry's own link.
Celebrants: send your couples to surnameswitch.com/name-change-scenarios. It answers the question before they ask it.
Know your answer?
Your bank, super, Medicare, licence and the rest, in one ordered checklist. Forms prefilled, emails drafted. Your details stay on your device.
Build my planFree to start · No account · From $25
Common questions
Short answers, based on the registry rules.
No, if you married in Australia and are taking your spouse's surname or joining both surnames. Your official marriage certificate from Births, Deaths and Marriages is your proof. You only need a formal change of name for a brand new surname, a new first or middle name, or if you married overseas and an organisation will not accept your certificate.
Usually, yes. Most organisations accept both surnames with your marriage certificate, hyphen or not. The catch is computer systems: some read the first surname as a middle name. Write your name the same way everywhere, check the surname field holds both names, and if one organisation refuses, a BDM change of name settles it.
It is an application to the Births, Deaths and Marriages registry of the state you were born in, or have lived in for 12 months (3 years in NSW). It costs about $148 to $240 and you receive a change of name certificate, which every organisation accepts. People often call it a deed poll.
Yes. Once married, you are each entitled to the other's surname, whatever your gender. The marriage certificate works for whichever of you is changing, or both. No separate application is needed.
Start with your overseas marriage certificate, with a certified translation if it is not in English. Some organisations accept it. The Australian Passport Office does not, so if you live in Australia the clean path is to register a change of name with your state registry, then use that certificate everywhere. Overseas marriages cannot be registered in Australia.
No. Reverting is your choice, so you can do it during a separation. Your birth certificate and marriage certificate together show the chain of your name, and a divorce order also works. No formal change is needed.
Keep exploring