When you’re embarking on the journey of social gender transition, there’s a lot to think about. 

It can feel exciting, to have all that uncharted territory in front of you, and the freedom to carve your own path. 

But it can also feel overwhelming or scary. It’s natural to feel many things at once. 

For trans+ people, the journey to living authentically isn’t just an emotional one, but often also a legal or bureaucratic one. 

To help, we’ve created this guide to the key things to know about how to change your name and gender in the UK. 

Remember, this is just an overview of some of the admin you might want to undertake – not a checklist. You don’t have to do everything, or even anything, on this page in order to be valid as a trans+ person. 

No matter what the law says, the only real authority on you is you.

How to legally change your name in the UK

You might be surprised by how easy it is to change your name in the UK. 

There is no such thing as a “legal name” technically in UK law – just the name that is commonly used for you. So you can begin using a new name at any time, just by asking others to use it. 

If you’d like to officially change your name on legal documents like your passport, driving license, and bank accounts, you might have to provide evidence. 

Find out more below about the process of legally changing your name in England and Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. 

How to change your name by deed poll 

If you live in England, Wales, or Northern Ireland, and you want to change your name officially on legal documents, you may need to show a deed poll. 

A deed poll is just a piece of paper that says you’ve changed your name. 

If you’re over 16, you can make one yourself for no charge. This is called an unenrolled deed poll. Find out more about how to make an unenrolled deed poll.

Some organisations might need you to provide an enrolled deed poll as proof of your name change. 

This is a deed poll that is officially registered with the Royal Courts of Justice. When you get an enrolled deed poll, your name and address will be published in the UK’s public record, The Gazette. 

You have to apply for an enrolled deed poll. There is an application fee and a waiting period of several weeks. 

Find out more about applying for an enrolled deed poll. 

How to change your name in Scotland

In Scotland, there are two routes to change your name. 

The first is a statutory declaration – a signed document to prove that you’ve changed your name. Anyone over the age of 16 can get one. 

All you need to do is sign in the presence of an official, such as a solicitor or a notary public. 

This may cost between £5 and £10, or it should be free if you ask a Justice of the Peace at your local court to witness your signature. 

A statutory declaration doesn’t change your birth certificate. 

Find out more information from the Scottish Trans Alliance.

The second option is to record a change of name with the National Records of Scotland (NRS). This option is open to anyone born or adopted in Scotland. 

It’s important to note that over-16s only get one forename change with the NRS. (You can change your surname more times.)

Changing your name with the NRS amends the birth register itself, which means you get a new birth certificate. 

However, another important thing to know is that your certificate from the NRS will show your deadname alongside your new name. This could potentially out you when you use the certificate in future. 

Find out more about changing your name with the NRS. 

How to change your name in Northern Ireland

To legally change your name in Northern Ireland, you can make or apply for a deed poll. 

If you’re over 18, you can also apply to the General Register Office for Northern Ireland. 

You fill out this application form and have a magistrate, solicitor, or Justice of the Peace witness your signature. 

Then, you send it in the post along with a copy of your birth certificate and a fee. 

Find out more about changing your name in Northern Ireland. 

How much does it cost to change your name?

An unenrolled deed poll is free. 

To enrol your deed poll, the fee is £53.05.

In Scotland, a statutory declaration is free, but you may have to pay up to £10 for a signature witness. Changing your name with the NRS costs £40, plus the cost of a replacement certificate. 

In Northern Ireland, the fee for recording a change of name for an adult is £35, and a copy of the certificate proving the change will be £15. 

How long does it take to change your name?

How long it takes to change your name depends on how you choose to do it. 

You can simply begin using a new name at any time by asking others to use it. 

If you want to officially record your name change via enrolled deed poll, the process will take several weeks. If you don’t hear anything 16 weeks after applying, you can ask the Deed Poll Office for an update.

In Scotland, finding a witness for your statutory declaration may take a few weeks. 

If you go the NRS route, it takes roughly 20 days after applying to receive a payment request, then roughly 15 working days after payment to confirm the change. 

In Northern Ireland, it takes about 15 working days to register your name change after you submit your application.

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How to change your name on your passport

Once you have proof of your name change, you can apply for a new passport. 

This usually takes about 3 weeks, but it can take longer. 

Along with your application, you’ll need to send:

• Proof of your name change: This could be your deed poll or statutory declaration.
• Proof that you’re using your new name: This might be bank statements, your driving license, payslips, or another form of evidence.

You’ll have to pay a fee for your new passport – how much you pay will depend on different factors like your age, and whether you apply online or by post. 

Find out more about new passport fees. 

How to change your name on your driving license

To change your name on your driving license, you need to fill out an application form and send it to the DVLA along with:

• A copy of your old license, and 
• Proof of your name change (usually your deed poll or statutory declaration), and 
• Another document proving that you’re using your new name (for example, a bank statement or payslip). 

You can also change your photo at the same time for a fee. 

Find out more about changing your name on your driving license. 

If you’re in Northern Ireland, you need to apply to the DVA rather than the DVLA. 

Find out more about updating your driving license in Northern Ireland. 

How to change your name with the NHS

To change your name in your NHS records, it’s best to speak to your GP surgery. 

Your surgery will have their own practice for updating records. Usually, they’ll ask you to fill out a form. 

They will probably also ask you to show them your deed poll or statutory declaration, and other proof that you’re living under your new name. 

If you want to also change your gender marker on your NHS records, there’s more information about that further down this page. 

Changing your name with organisations

When you’ve changed your name, there may be many different people and organisations you need to update. 

These might include:

• Banks.
• HMRC.
• Student finance.
• Universities/education providers and exam boards.
• Utility providers.
• Vehicle registration and insurance.
• Electoral roll. 
• Landlords/estate agents.
• Subscriptions and streaming services.
• Opticians, dentists, and other healthcare providers.

You have a right to update your name with these organisations even if you don’t have an enrolled deed poll. 

Each organisation may have different rules and requirements around name changes. 

Find out more about your rights and the process of requesting name changes from TransActual. 

How to get a Gender Recognition Certificate

To legally change your gender on some legal documents – such as your birth certificate or marriage certificate – you’ll need a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC).

A GRC is not necessary to socially transition. You can change your gender on many documents, such as your passport and driving license, without one.

Keep reading to find out more about how to apply for a GRC.

What is a Gender Recognition Certificate?

A Gender Recognition Certificate, or GRC, is a document that allows you to change your gender marker on legal documents like birth certificates, marriage certificates, and adoption papers in the UK. 

GRCs only reflect binary gender identities: you can change your marker from “M” to “F” or “F” to “M”. There is currently no legal recognition for non-binary gender identities (or no “X” marker) in the UK. 

It’s your choice whether or not you get a GRC. You don’t have to have a GRC for your gender identity to be valid. Many trans+ people don’t have one. 

You also don’t necessarily need a GRC to change your name and/or gender marker on some documents. 

A GRC gives legal recognition of your gender in certain situations, for example when getting legally married. 

You may also need it if you want to change your gender marker with certain organisations, such as HMRC and the DWP. 

What has changed about Gender Recognition Certificates after the 2025 Supreme Court ruling?

In April 2025, in the case of For Women Scotland vs Scottish Ministers, the Supreme Court ruled that “sex” in the Equality Act 2010 refers to “biological sex”, and this is not changed by Gender Recognition Certificates. 

This means that legally, trans+ people who have a GRC can be excluded from single-sex spaces on the basis of their assigned sex at birth. 

But this doesn’t change the fact that a GRC corrects your gender on your birth, marriage, and other records listed on this page. 

It also doesn’t change the fact that you are still protected against discrimination by law. 

The Equality Act 2010 treats “gender reassignment” as a protected characteristic. This means it’s illegal to discriminate against a trans+ person for being trans+, whether you have a GRC or not. 

Gender Recognition Certificate process and requirements

To apply for a Gender Recognition Certificate, you need to meet these requirements:

• You should be at least 18 years old. 
• You must have a diagnosis of gender dysphoria. 
• You’ve been socially transitioned for at least 2 years.
• You intend to live in this gender identity for the rest of your life. 

These are the only requirements – you don’t need to have surgery, or pursue any kind of medical transition, to get a GRC. 

The process of applying for a Gender Recognition Certificate can be lengthy. 

You’ll need to provide supporting evidence for your application, including:

• Two medical reports, at least one from a doctor or psychologist specialising in gender dysphoria. 
• Proof that you’ve been living as your gender identity socially for at least two years. 
• Consent from your spouse if you’re married. 

This evidence needs to be sent in along with original copies of your birth certificate and other legal documents, and a statutory declaration you’ve signed in the presence of a witness. 

Once you’ve gathered these documents, you can apply online. The application costs £6. You may be able to get help with paying if you’re on a low income. 

A panel should start to review your application within 22 weeks of applying. 

Find out more about the process of applying for a GRC from the UK government.  

Trans-led organisations like TransActual have led criticism of the Gender Recognition Certificate process for being too complicated and bureaucratic. 

Trans+ people should not have to jump through hoops and “prove” their identities to others in order to live authentically as themselves. 

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Can you legally change your gender to non-binary in the UK?

No – there is currently no legal recognition for non-binary gender identities in the UK. 

Legally, you can only be assigned the sex “male” or “female”. 

For non-binary people, this means having to live with official documents such as passports and even marriage certificates that misgender them. 

This could be upsetting, frustrating, or invalidating. That’s completely understandable. 

LGBTQ+ activists have challenged this legal discrimination in the past. Most recently, cyber security expert Ryan Castellucci went to the courts to protest the fact that their legal non-binary status in California is not recognised here in the UK. They sadly lost their appeal. 

Remember, a piece of paper can never determine who you are – the only person who truly gets to decide is you. 

What you can do if you’re non-binary

Although there is no legal recognition for non-binary identities yet, here are still some changes you can make to your documents and records if you are non-binary:

• You can still change your name and title (including Mx) using the processes above. 
• You can update your NHS records to mark your gender as “not specified” or indeterminate.

Remember: although there is no legal recognition for non-binary identity, non-binary people are protected from discrimination by law. 

In the Equality Act 2010, non-binary people are included in the protected characteristic of “gender reassignment”. Anyone who falls under this category is protected from discrimination by law. 

So it’s illegal for workplaces, organisations, services, and anyone else to discriminate against you on the basis of you being non-binary. 

How to change your gender on your passport and driving license

You can change your gender marker on your passport from “M” to “F” or “F” to “M”. In the UK, you cannot change it to “X”.

To request a change, you need to send one of the following documents:

• Your GRC. 
• A birth or adoption certificate showing your correct gender. 
• A letter from a medical professional supporting the change. 

You don’t need to have a GRC to request the change.

Find out more about how to change your gender marker on your UK passport. 

To change your gender on your driving license, you’ll need to follow the same process as changing your name. 

You also don’t need to have a GRC to request this change. 

Find out more about changing your driving license in the UK (and in Northern Ireland). 

Note: It is illegal for anyone who sees your GRC in an official capacity to disclose your gender history to anyone else. 

How to change your gender in NHS records

To change your gender marker with the NHS, just like changing your name, the first step is to contact your GP surgery and follow their process. 

In some parts of the UK, you can only request this change if you’re over 18. 

You can change your gender marker to “M”, “F”, or a “not specified” option.

You don’t need a GRC, or to have undergone medical transition, to request this change.

If you change your marker to “M” or “F”, you’ll usually be issued with a new NHS number (or CHI number if you’re in Scotland). 

There are some important things to consider:

• You will not be able to regain your old NHS number once it has changed.
• There may be a risk of losing part of your medical record and your place on waiting lists when the transfer is made. 
• There is also a risk that you will no longer be automatically invited to screening tests you might need – for example, a trans man may not be invited for regular cervical screening if his gender marker is “M” on his records. 

It is worth speaking to your GP surgery about these risks before you make this change. 

How to change your title – Mr, Miss/Mrs, or Mx – in the UK

In the UK, you can change your title (for example, from “Miss” to “Mx”) in most situations simply by choosing to do so. 

This means reaching out to organisations or companies that you want to use the correct title for you, and asking them to update their records. 

If you’re also changing your name, you may want to do this at the same time. 

Each organisation will have its own process for changing your title, so do your own research to see what’s needed. Usually, you won’t need to supply any evidence or proof to make this change. 

You might want to tell your:

• GP surgery, dentist, and optician. 
• Banks, student finance, and HMRC. 
• Utility providers. 
• Streaming services and subscriptions. 
• Universities/education providers and exam boards.
• Vehicle registration and insurance. 

You don’t need a deed poll to change your title, but if you’re getting one to change your name, you may want to include your title change on it at the same time. 

Get trans+ affirmative support for your wellbeing from Voda

Going through the process of gender transition can bring up all kinds of feelings: joy, sadness, excitement, overwhelm, and everything in between. 

You deserve support and compassion as you navigate this journey. 

Voda is the LGBTQ+ mental wellbeing app that’s created by us, for us. 

With Voda, explore free gender-affirming resources to support you with coping with dysphoria, transphobia, and building self-compassion. 

Download Voda via Google Play and on the App Store.

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