This fact sheet answers some common questions trans and gender diverse young people, and their families, have about changing their name.
It includes:
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Can you change your gender status on formal documents?
Yes, but there are requirements you need to meet.
By reading this resource we hope you will get a better understanding of what’s involved with legally changing your name in the Australian Capital Territory.
What steps are involved with making a change?
The steps for applying to change your name on formal documents differs depending on whether the document you would like to change is issued by:
1. a state or territory government organisation
OR
2. a federal government organisation
See how you can change key documents below.
Birth certificates are issued and regulated at a state and territory level. This means that the approach to changing the recorded name on your birth certificate will depend on the process used by that state or territory’s Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages (which issues and regulates birth certificates).
In the ACT, that is Access Canberra.
Does age matter?
Yes.
Young people over the age of 18 can make an application directly whereas if you are under 18 years of age, your parents or guardians will need to make the application on your behalf.
If you are under 18, you will need to ask your parents to make the application
As a young person under 18 years old, you can change your name on your birth certificate through an application made by your parents or guardians (it’s not possible for you to make an application to change your name by yourself until you are over 18).
The application must be submitted in the state/territory that you were born in, or the one where you have lived for the most part.
If your parents are separated, one parent cannot change a child’s name unless they have received consent from the other parent, or sole parental responsibility has been granted to that parent by a court.
Most trans and gender diverse young people will not have to go to the Family Court to apply for access to Stage 2 (hormone) or Stage 3 (surgical) treatment, where their parents and doctors agree the treatment is appropriate.
If you find yourself in a situation where you need to go to court to apply for access to Stage 2 or Stage 3 treatment, then it is possible to change your name on these applications and seek an order at the same time requiring Access Canberra to give effect to that name change order.
To be eligible in the ACT, you need to:
OR
How can you, or your parent or guardian, apply?
You can apply by filling out the change of name application form, including by providing the listed forms of identity, and paying the required fee. You might be able to apply to have the fee waived or reduced. For a link to the form and details of costs, see Where to Get Help and Information’.
If you are under 18, both parents and/or guardians must fill out the form unless:
If you are aged 14 or over, you also need to sign the form to consent to the name change.
You will need to provide an updated birth certificate that has your new name, or change-of-name certificate, to the agency that looks after the document or record that you want to change.
This means you will need to have first successfully applied to Access Canberra (or a legalised foreign equivalent) to change your name.