Alberta · Identity and documents
Legal name change in Alberta: forms and cost
Compiled by Mahmoud Halat, checked
Short answer
Alberta residents 18 or older fill in the online Legal Change of Name Application, get a certified criminal record check from the RCMP, police or an accredited fingerprint company, and take everything to a registry agent within 30 days. You surrender your Canadian birth certificates. The government fee is $120, plus the agent's fee and the cost of the check.
Who handles it
Alberta registry agents (Vital Statistics, Government of Alberta)
They handle it in Alberta.
Apply in person at a registry agent with electronic fingerprints and a criminal record check.
Official link
Canada Service Map is independent and not a government website. The official page always has the final word.
Who can apply
You must live in Alberta and stay a resident for the whole process. Applicants must be 18, or younger if married, a parent or in certain other situations.
Source: alberta.cachecked #
Steps
Read the Information Guide, then fill in the online Legal Change of Name Application. Vital Statistics can send a paper form if you have no internet access.
Source: alberta.cachecked #
What you need
Adults need a Certified Criminal Record Check from the RCMP, local police or an RCMP-accredited fingerprint company. Checks from other third-party providers are rejected.
Source: alberta.cachecked #
Each person whose name is changing must surrender all their Canadian birth certificates. Surrendered Alberta certificates are replaced free with the new name.
Source: alberta.cachecked #
Cost
The total is set by each registry agent and includes the $120 government fee for everyone on one form. The criminal record check costs extra.
Source: alberta.cachecked #
How long it takes
Hand in the criminal record check within 30 days of the date shown on it, or buy a new one.
Source: alberta.cachecked #
Where to go
Take the completed application and all documents to a registry agent, who checks them and sends them to Vital Statistics.
Source: alberta.cachecked #
Good to know
You do not need a legal name change to take a married last name.
Source: alberta.cachecked #
Residential school and Sixties Scoop survivors and their descendants can reclaim an Indigenous name free by contacting Vital Statistics directly, not a registry agent.
Source: alberta.cachecked #
Questions people ask
How much does a legal name change cost in Alberta?
It depends on the registry agent. Their price includes the $120 government fee for all names on one form. The criminal record check or fingerprint report is paid separately.
Source: alberta.cachecked #
Do I need fingerprints to change my name in Alberta?
Yes for anyone 12 or older. People 12 to 17 submit an electronic fingerprint document, and adults submit a certified criminal record check that includes fingerprints.
Source: alberta.cachecked #
Do I have to change my name legally after getting married in Alberta?
No. You may simply start using a married last name.
Source: alberta.cachecked #
What happens after my Alberta name change is approved?
A Legal Change of Name Certificate is mailed to each person by regular mail. Surrendered Alberta birth certificates are replaced free with the new name.
Source: alberta.cachecked #
In every province and territory
The same service across Canada: who handles it and the official link. Alberta is marked.
| Province or territory | Who handles it | Official link | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| British Columbia | Vital Statistics Agency (Government of British Columbia) | Apply to change your namechecked | Applicants 12 and older need a criminal record check done within 30 days before applying. |
| AlbertaThis page | Alberta registry agents (Vital Statistics, Government of Alberta) | How to applychecked | Apply in person at a registry agent with electronic fingerprints and a criminal record check. |
| Saskatchewan | eHealth Saskatchewan (Vital Statistics) | Apply for a legal name changechecked | Taking a spouse's surname after marriage does not need a legal name change. |
| Manitoba | Vital Statistics Branch (Government of Manitoba) | Legal change of namechecked | Apply by mail or in person by appointment; adults also need a certified criminal record check. |
| Ontario | ServiceOntario (Office of the Registrar General) | Apply to change your namechecked | |
| Quebec | Directeur de l'état civil | How to change your namechecked | You must have lived in Québec for at least one year and show a serious reason. |
| New Brunswick | Vital Statistics (Service New Brunswick) | How to change your namechecked | Apply by mail using the application booklet on this page; there is no online application. |
| Nova Scotia | Vital Statistics (Service Nova Scotia) | Change your legal namechecked | |
| Prince Edward Island | Vital Statistics (Government of PEI) | None on record | |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | Vital Statistics Division (Government Services, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador) | How to change your namechecked | Paper application with a criminal record check; no online option. |
| Yukon | Vital Statistics (Government of Yukon) | None on record | You must be a Yukon resident to change your name in the Yukon. |
| Northwest Territories | Registrar General of Vital Statistics (Department of Health and Social Services) | How to change your namechecked | |
| Nunavut | Nunavut Vital Statistics (Department of Health) | None on record | Contact Nunavut Vital Statistics at 1-800-661-0833 or nuvitalstatistics@gov.nu.ca for the application. |
Cite this page
Canada Service Map, "Legal name change in Alberta: forms and cost", checked 13 October 2026, https://canadaservicemap.ca/services/name-change/alberta