Ontario · Identity and documents
Legal name change in Ontario: forms and cost
Compiled by Mahmoud Halat, checked
Short answer
In Ontario, ServiceOntario (Office of the Registrar General) handles it.
Canada Service Map is independent and not a government website. The official page always has the final word.
Who can apply
You can change your own name if you are 16 or older, have lived in Ontario for at least 12 months, and are not on the Ontario sex offender registry with a reporting obligation.
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If you are 16 or 17, everyone with legal custody of you must consent. If you are married or in a declared conjugal relationship, you must give your spouse or partner a notice form.
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Steps
Fill in the online application, which gives you pre-filled forms and a checklist, or use the paper form. Either way you print the application and send it in with your documents.
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What you need
Sign the Statutory Declaration in front of a commissioner of oaths, such as a lawyer, paralegal, notary public, municipal clerk or MPP. Some applicants must also include a police record check.
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Cost
An adult or child name change costs $137. A child's application costs $22 when sent with a parent's application. Survivors of residential schools and their families can reclaim an Indigenous name at no charge.
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Where to go
Mail your application to the Office of the Registrar General in Thunder Bay, or bring it in person to ServiceOntario at 47 Sheppard Avenue East in Toronto.
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Good to know
After approval you get a change of name certificate. If you were born in Ontario you also get a new birth certificate automatically. Use these to update your health card and driver's licence.
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Questions people ask
How much does it cost to change your name in Ontario?
The application fee is $137. A child's name change costs $22 if it is sent with a parent's application. Fees are waived for people reclaiming a traditional Indigenous name.
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Can I change my name online in Ontario?
You can fill in the application online, but you still have to print it, get it signed in front of a commissioner of oaths, and mail it or bring it to ServiceOntario.
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Do I need a legal name change to take my spouse's last name in Ontario?
No. You can assume your spouse's last name after marriage without a legal change. Ontario has a separate process for marriage-related name changes.
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In every province and territory
The same service across Canada: who handles it and the official link. Ontario 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. |
| Alberta | 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. |
| OntarioThis page | 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 Ontario: forms and cost", checked 13 October 2026, https://canadaservicemap.ca/services/name-change/ontario