Change of Name Registration
Surname after marriage
Surname if divorced
Surname if widowed
How to register a legal
change of name
Who can apply for
a legal change of name
Surname after
marriage
After marriage the bride or groom can choose to use
one of the following surnames:
- the married person’s birth name, i.e. the legal
surname as recorded in the birth registration records
of the jurisdiction where that person was born
- the surname of the married person’s spouse
- the married person’s pre-marriage surname,
i.e. the legal surname that a married person was using
immediately prior to his or her current marriage
- a double surname made up of the bride's and groom’s
surnames. The double surname can contain no more than
two components and it may be joined by a hyphen.
You do not need to apply for a legal change of name
or file a notice with Vital Statistics nor does it result
in a change of name to birth records.
You can decide to return to your own surname at any
time. To change your identification, please contact
each agency directly to determine their requirements
for making a change in their records.
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Surname if divorced
After divorce or legal annulment you can choose to
use one of the following surnames:
- your legal surname that you were using at the time
of the divorce or legal annulment
- your birth name, i.e. the legal surname as recorded
in the birth registration records of the jurisdiction
where you were born
- your pre-marriage surname, i.e. the legal surname
that a married person was using immediately prior
to his or her current marriage.
You do not need to apply for a legal change of name
or file a notice with Vital Statistics nor does it result
in a change of name to birth records.
To change your identification, please contact each
agency directly to determine their requirements for
making a change in their records.
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Surname if widowed
After being widowed you can choose to use one of the
following surnames:
- the legal surname that you were using when your
spouse died
- your birth name, i.e. the legal surname as recorded
in the birth registration records of the jurisdiction
where you were born
- your pre-marriage surname, i.e. the legal surname
that you were using immediately prior to your current
marriage.
You do not need to apply for a legal change of name
or file a notice with Vital Statistics nor does it result
in a change of name to birth records.
To change your identification, please contact each
agency directly to determine their requirements for
making a change in their records.
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How to register a
legal change of name
If you reside in Saskatchewan and want to legally change
your name, you must make an application for a change
of name pursuant to The Change of Name Act, 1995.
- You may apply to change:
- your own name
- your spouse’s name
- a child’s name.
- Most reasons given by the applicant for wanting
to change a name are acceptable; however, a change
of name cannot be made if it is for the purpose of
fraud or misrepresentation.
- When legally changing a name in Saskatchewan, the
name must be written entirely in characters of the
Roman alphabet. A change in a surname can contain
no more than two names hyphenated or combined. The
resulting changed name must consist of at least one
given name and a surname.
- A Change of Name Application form can be obtained
by contacting:
Vital Statistics
Saskatchewan Health
100-1942 Hamilton St
Regina, Saskatchewan S4P 4W2
Telephone: (306) 787-3251
Toll Free: 1-800-667-7551(In Sask. Only)
Fax: (306) 787-2288
Office Hours: Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
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Who can apply
for a change of name
You must:
- be at least 18 years old or married, widowed or
divorced
- be a resident in Saskatchewan
- have actually resided in Saskatchewan for at least
three consecutive months in the 12-month period preceding
the date of his or her application
- be legally entitled to remain in Canada.
Where you are required to obtain consent, the application
must include:
- the consent of your spouse if his or her name will
be affected by the application
- the consent of any unmarried children 14 years
of age or over whose name will be affected by the
application.
- If the required consents cannot be obtained, your
application must be accompanied by an order from a
judge of a court dispensing with consent.
You will also need:
- proof of residency for yourself and everyone whose
name appears on the application, usually consisting
of copies of your Saskatchewan health services card
(s)
- an official birth certificate for each person whose
name is to be changed if born in Canada or the United
States; if born elsewhere, official certificates of
Canadian Citizenship or official Immigration documents
must be submitted
- an official marriage certificate, if you are married
- an official death certificate for your spouse, if
you are widowed
- an official or certified photocopy of the Decree
Absolute or Certificate of Divorce, if you are divorced
- an official or certified photocopy of any Agreement,
Judgment, Decree Nisi or other Court Order granted
with respect to the lawful custody of any child(ren)
named in the application.
As part of the change of name application, you will
need to complete an affidavit of qualifications and
bona fides and sign it before a Notary Public, Justice
of the Peace or Commissioner for Oaths in and for Saskatchewan
declaring that the statements made in the application
for change of name are true.
Where a change of name application is accepted by the
Director of Vital Statistics, the change of name must
be advertised in the Saskatchewan Gazette. There is
a fee for advertising
the change of name.
Applications must be accompanied by the required fees.
The fee
includes one change of name certificate showing all
registered name changes.
The fee can
be paid by cheque, money order or credit card (VISA
or MasterCard). Cheques or money orders should be made
payable to Saskatchewan Health.
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Change
of Name Certificates
Saskatchewan Vital Statistics is not liable for the misinterpretation of any
information contained on this web site. |
