If you are aged between 14 and 17 and permanently reside in Ireland you can enrol a change of name by Deed Poll.
You need to complete the Deed Poll form and your parents need to sign their consent.
Consent of both parents is needed. In some cases, a court order may be needed where the consent of either parent is not available.
Complete the Deed Poll form
The first step is to fill out the Deed Poll form. This has to be completed in front of a witness who must be at least 18 years old.
Please fill out the 'Old Name' exactly as it appears on the birth certificate and include all middle names.
If you have previously changed your name this must be reflected in your 'Old Name' and the supporting document must be submitted (for example: a previous Deed Poll).
Have copies of documents certified
You need to get photocopies of the minor's birth certificate and one of the parent's photo ID. You then need to get them certified by any of the below:
- An Garda Síochána
- A Practising Solicitor
- A Commissioner for Oaths.
We do not accept copies of documents that have not been certified. Any supporting documentation, such as a parents death certificate, must also be certified.
Complete the affidavits
Your witness must swear the Affidavit of Attesting Witness before a practising solicitor and/or a Commissioner for Oaths. This has to be completed in front of a witness who must be at least 18 years old.
Form: Affidavit of Attesting Witness
The parent providing their photographic identification for the application must swear a Supplemental Affidavit. This must be sworn before a practising solicitor and/or a Commissioner for Oaths.
Pay the fees
The fees associated with Deed Poll are called stamp duty and the costs are as follows:
- Change of Name by Deed Poll Document: €60
- Supplemental Affidavit: €20
You can find a list of all the offices that offer stamping services here.
Enrol the Deed Poll
Enrolling a Deed Poll means it will be publicly available to view on the Deed Poll Register. There is no automatic requirement to enrol a Deed Poll as it generally has the same effect as a Deed Poll which has not been enrolled. Some institutions will only accept a Deed Poll that has been enrolled in the Central Office.
To enrol your documents, you can then lodge them along with a stamped and self-addressed envelope one of the following ways:
- In-person appointment: Book an appointment to lodge the documents in the Central Office of the High Court.
- Virtual appointment: Book a virtual appointment before lodging the documents. Email [email protected] for more information.
- Post: The postal address is as follows: Central Office of the High Court, Four Courts, Inns Quay, Dublin 7.
- By DX: The DX number is as follows: 276001 Gandon Building (for solicitors only).
Please note that minor applications cannot be sent by post unless there is a solicitor's cover letter enclosed. Applications without a solicitor's letter will not be processed and will be returned to sender.
Important: If your postal address changes after you have lodged the documents you should email [email protected] to let us know.