Certificate of Change of Name
Publication date: July 11, 2019The Certificate of Change of Name is the document you will show whenever you are asked for proof of your legal change of name. For instance, you will need to produce this when changing your name on your driver’s licence.
During the mail service interruption:
- The Vital Statistics Agency continues to provide services; however, the delivery and receipt of mail has been impacted by the mail service interruption.
- To mitigate the effects of the interruption, the Vital Statistics Agency has activated its mail services contingency plan and continues to assess additional delivery options to reduce any impact on clients.
- Individuals who submit a rush application for certificates or documents will be contacted directly by the Vital Statistics Agency to arrange pick-up at an available Service BC location.
- Additional information regarding ordering certificates can be found at Birth, adoption, death, marriage and divorce - Province of British Columbia
Vital Statistics mails you a Certificate of Change of Name free of charge after processing your legal change of name application. If you lose this certificate or need an additional one, you can order one from Vital Statistics.
Who can Order a Certificate of Change of Name
NOTE: Certificates are available for legal name changes only and not for name changes due to using a spouse’s surname after marriage. If taking your spouse’s surname, in most cases, changing your name on bank accounts, social insurance number, driver's license, and other agencies is as simple as showing your current identification and your marriage certificate.
You can order a change of name certificate if you are:
- the person who changed his or her name
- a parent of a child under 19 years of age
- someone with written authorization of the person who changed his or her name
- a guardian with a copy of guardianship papers; or
- an executor of the person's estate upon proof of death and executorship
How to Order a Certificate of Change of Name
After you have confirmed that you are eligible to receive a certified copy of a Certificate of Change of Name, you can apply in any one of the following three ways:
By Mail
Send a completed Application for Change of Name Certificate (VSA 430N) form (PDF, 532KB) with payment to:
Vital Statistics Agency
PO Box 9657 Stn Prov Govt
Victoria, B.C.
V8W 9P3
In Person
Please visit select Service BC locations, as not all Service BC locations offer this service. You will need to provide the customer service representative with the completed Application for Change of Name Certificate (VSA 430N) form (PDF, 532KB). Note: Service BC representatives can provide you with an Application for Change of Name Certificate or you may download a copy by clicking the link above. You will also need to provide payment. (See "Cost & Processing Times" below.)
Cost & Processing Times
Mail Delivery
$27 per certificate of change of name. Prints within 5 business days, plus mailing time from Victoria to you.
Courier Delivery
$60 per certificate of change of name. Prints the next business day, plus courier delivery time from Victoria to you.
What a Certificate of Change of Name Looks Like
Click to enlarge.
The Certificate of Change of Name lists the old and new name of the person involved in the legal change of name, the city of residence at the time of the change of name, registration number, and date of registration. The size of a large certificate is 21.6 cm x 17.8 cm.