To update your family name on documents such as your driver licence, passport and bank accounts, contact those organisations. For example, this might include VicRoads, the Australian Passport Office or your bank.
You'll need to give them either:
- A marriage certificate, or
- A change of name certificate.
This will depend on whether you married in Australia or married overseas.
Married in Australia
Change your family name to your spouse's
If you married in Australia:
- You can take your spouse's family name
- Both partners can hyphenate their family names.
You don’t need to apply for a change of name. Just give the relevant organisations a copy of your Australian marriage certificate. Get a marriage certificate
The commemorative certificate you got on your wedding day isn't the 'official' (legal) marriage certificate. Most organisations will only accept the BDM-issued legal certificate as evidence. If you don't have one, see Get a marriage certificate.
Born overseas and married in Australia
If you were born overseas and married in Australia, most organisations will accept a copy of:
- Your primary identity document (foreign passport or Australian citizenship certificate), plus
- Your Australian marriage certificate.
Some organisations may need you to change your name with BDM to use your spouse's family name.
Change back to your previous family name
If you married in Australia and took on your spouse's name, you can go back to your previous family name. (This might be due to separation, divorce or personal choice. You don't need to have separated or divorced.) You don't need to apply for a change of name with BDM.
To update your family name on your documents and accounts, contact the organisations to see what they need. In most cases you'll need:
- Your Australian marriage certificate
- Your birth certificate
- Your divorce certificate (if applicable).
Most organisations will need you to provide a standard birth certificate, not a birth extract. If you don't have one and were born in Victoria, see Get a birth certificate.
If you were born interstate, apply to the Registry in that state or territory.
Divorce records
BDM doesn't hold divorce records or issue divorce certificates. For divorce records, see the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia(opens in a new window).
Married overseas
Change your family name to your spouse's
If you married overseas, you can't take your spouse's family name automatically. You need to apply to change your name.
Registering overseas marriages
You can't register an overseas marriage in Australia.
Change back to your previous family name
If you married overseas, to go back to your previous name you need to change your name with BDM.
To update your family name on documents and accounts, contact the organisations to see what they need. In most cases you’ll need:
- Your birth certificate, or
- Your change of name certificate
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