Congratulations on getting married! While our role as your Celebrant is now complete, as part of our signature Celebrant experience, we have put together the following helpful guidance on changing your last name by marriage, to assist you in navigating the options available to you.
Changing your last name to your partners surname is completely optional.
If you have already received your ‘registry issued marriage certificate’ in the mail, skip through to: Marriage Change Name Checklist
Who can change their last name through marriage? The following process applies to all individuals, regardless of gender and regardless of who is taking who’s last name.
The process outlined here applies to Australian Citizens. If you are not an Australian citizen, please contact your country of birth or citizenship directly for information on updating your name on your passport and birth country ID.
Can I use the presentation certificate to change my last name?
The presentation certificate that you receive on your wedding day generally isn’t considered sufficient evidence for most organisations to update your last name, which is why you need your ‘registry issued’ marriage certificate.
After your marriage has taken place and been registered by BDM QLD and either we’ve submitted your marriage certificate application form for you, or you’ve applied for this directly, BDM QLD will post your ‘registry issued marriage certificate to the address you provided on this form.
Once this ‘registry issued’ certificate has been received, it can then be presented as proof of marriage to the various organisations and to update your ID (see our handy little check list below). Then at your request, these organisations can then update your last name on their records and issue new documents where relevant (Drivers Licence, Passports etc).
Brisbane City Celebrants Handy Tip: Once you have received your ‘registry issued marriage certificate’, create a file with several JP witnessed copies of this document, so you can have these at hand, ready to update your last name with the following places as you go.
Brisbane City Celebrants Handy Tip: BDM QLD often send an email or SMS to verify or request your payment details before they send your certificate to you, you must respond to this confirming these details in order for your marriage certificate to be sent.
Applying for your ‘Registry Issued’ marriage certificate.
This process applies if your marriage took place in QLD. Noting for our couple’s convenience, on your behalf, we ALWAYS submit the application for your registry issued marriage certificate to be posted directly to you. The only exceptions being if the requested information wasn’t supplied to us, prior to your marriage taking place.
If you are changing your last name through marriage and have already applied for and received your ‘registry issued’ marriage certificate, you can skip straight to Marriage Change Name Checklist for a handy check list of places you may like to update your name with.
In order to change your last name to that of your partners last name, one of you needs to firstly apply to the QLD Office of BDM (Births, Deaths and Marriages) for your official ‘registry issued’ marriage certificate.
Application Form
You can download the PDF form here and complete and print it, or you can Google ‘QLD GOV Marriage Certificate Application form’ complete it online then print it.
You will need to prepare the following accompanying documents to add to your application:
One item from each of the following lists:
For example:
– From List 1 you may choose your passport or driver’s license.
– From List 2 you may choose your Medicare card or bank card with your full name.
– From List 3 (Proof of address) you may choose one of the following, e.g. recent utility account, rent statement or rates notice.
Proof of ID Lists for QLD Marriage Certificate Application. Source: BDM QLD.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1.What do I do with my completed application and accompanying documents?
There are 3 different options available for submitting your application:
Option 1. Post your application form and JP witnessed copies of the above listed 3 forms of ID by post (registered post recommended) to:
QLD Marriage Registry
Births Deaths and Marriages
PO Box 15188
City East
BRISBANE
QLD 4002
Option 2. Present in person at BDM QLD with your application form and original documents for a Client Services Officer to sight (no JP witnessing of documents is required) to submit your application.
Address of BDM QLD is 32/180 Ann Street, Brisbane City
Opening hours: Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 4.30pm.
Note: Please allow approximately 4 weeks for BDM QLD to process your marriage documents and register your marriage before arriving in person.
Option 3. Present in person at a QLD Courthouse (except the Brisbane City George Street court) and follow the process outlined in option 2.
A Client Services Officer at the courthouse can sight your original 3 forms of ID (no JP witnessing of documents is required) and you can submit your completed application form.
Brisbane courthouse locations include:
Holland Park, Richlands, Wynnum, Sandgate, Strathpine, Petrie, Cleveland and Redcliffe plus many more throughout QLD.
For a list of Brisbane courthouse locations click here.
Q2. Can anyone other than a JP witness the photo copies of my ID?
The following persons are considered to be qualified witnesses and are able to certify photocopies of documents as being “a correct copy of the document”:
- Justice of the Peace
- Commissioner for Declarations
- Barrister/Solicitor
- Notary Public
Q3. Where do I direct questions about my application to?
All questions should be directed to BDM QLD who oversee the whole process. They can be contacted:
Online
Email bdm-mail@justice.qld.gov.au
By phone
Call Within Australia: 13 QGOV (13 74 68)
International callers: +61 7 3022 6100 (+10 hours UTC)
(Monday–Friday, 8.30am–4.30pm).
Q4. Where were my vows put after the ceremony took place?
These were placed safely in the envelope along with the marriage certificate you received on the day, as your keepsake for you to re-read and enjoy each other’s special words later on.
Brisbane City Celebrants handy tip: Why not revisit your vows on your 1-year wedding anniversary, which fittingly, is symbolised as your ‘paper anniversary’.
Q5. I notice Cara’s name is spelled Ciara on my marriage certificate, is this correct?
Well spotted! Yes, Cara is my ‘known as’ name and Ciara is the legal spelling, so this is correct, and no amendments need to be made to your marriage certificate.
Q5. I have another question about my official marriage certificate.
We hear you, and we’ve gotcha covered. You will most likely find the answer to your query here:
FAQ’s – Marriage has taken place
Any further questions relating to your marriage certificate, must be directed to BDM QLD, the department that issues these. Please understand that due to client privacy we are not permitted to contact BDM on your behalf with questions about your registry issued marriage certificate.
Useful Links & INFO
For more information including links to forms and fees please to the QLD Government website and search ‘Applying for a marriage certificate’.
Once you have received your official ‘registry issued’ marriage certificate from BDM, you can proceed to update your name with all relevant departments.
We have created a Marriage Change of Name Checklist to assist you with ensuring you’ve covered all bases.
We hope this information was useful and we would like to take this opportunity to wish you all the best for your future together and we would like to thank you for choosing Brisbane City Celebrants!
How to update your last name to your partners last name
We have created the following marriage change of name check list to assist you with the process of updating your last name.
Once you have received your registry issued marriage certificate, using this as your proof of marriage, you can contact the following departments and companies, to advise them of your change of name, so they can update their records accordingly.
Please note, organisations may have different requirements on what proof they need, generally they require:
- to sight your ‘registry issued’ marriage certificate.
- They may also require evidence of updated photo ID (so updating ID like Drives licence and passport initially may assist.
Marriage Name Change Check List
- Drivers Licence – Department of Transport
- Passport – Passport office
- Medicare and any private health insurance funds
- Superannuation fund
- Your employer
- Any educational institution you may be enrolled with
- Electoral rolls
- The Transport Authority in your State, eg. Transport Dept
- Bank/ Home loan provider/ Credit card issuer
- Insurance and utility companies, eg. Phone, electricity, internet provider, car insurance, etc.
- Australian Tax Office
- Australian Electoral Commission
- Vehicle Registration
- GoVia account
- Flybuys, Qantas or other reward programs, store cards, airline loyalty programs, gym and other memberships
- Doctors, Dentists, Health Care Professionals etc.
- Your Will (if you don’t have one, now that you are married it may be a good time to consider getting one)
- You may also wish to change your email address for your work and home emails.
- Social Media Accounts (who are we kidding, that was the first thing you updated!)
You spotted a typo / error on your marriage certificate that you would like to get corrected
How to get this corrected and a replacement marriage certificate sent
This happens from time to time, so please don’t worry, you are still legally married. If you would like to get an error on your marriage certificate corrected, you will need to request this directly with BDM QLD who have the following process in place for marriage certificate corrections.
You must apply directly to BDM QLD via the following process for your marriage certificate to be corrected.
You can request a review of the certificate to change incorrect or missing information from when the event was registered by completing the online corrections form located here.
Use this application form for:
- to correct spelling errors on a certificate.
- to change incorrect information supplied at the time of the event.
As a general guideline, at the time of writing, BDM QLD’s correction policy advises if the error is an administrative error made by them, a correction fee and replacement certificate fee will not be charged.
BDM QLD advise that for most corrections you will need to provide supporting documents and your proof of ID. After they have reviewed your request, they will let you know what they need and whether a correction fee of $21.15 is payable.
Please be advised due to client privacy, BDM QLD do not permit Celebrants to liaise directly with them on your behalf once your marriage paperwork has been lodged with them.
What is the process to combine or hyphenate both of your last names?
If one or both of you is intending to combine or hyphenate (double-barrel) your last name, you will require your registry issued marriage certificate for this process.
Double-barrelled names are now recognised as ‘assumed names’ which follow the same standard process of (for example) a bride taking her grooms last name, as outlined on this page. Meaning you may not need to apply for a formal change of name.
You can seek further guidance of the process from QLD Gov or BDM QLD, although information about this is currently minimal on their websites.
Brisbane City Celebrants Handy Tip: Check with the organisation that your primary ID is with, e.g. Passport office or State Transport office (e.g. QLD Transport) that they will accept your ‘registry issued marriage certificate’ as proof of ID to change your last name to an ‘assumed’ combined or hyphenated last name via marriage.
The Australian Passport Office advise you can contact them and apply for a replacement passport, providing your current passport and official registry issued marriage certificate as evidence (refer to the process below to apply for this if you don’t already have this). The replacement passport can display your partners family name, or you can add your partners family name to your own.
If you have 2 years or more validity on your current Australian passport, the Australian Passport Office advises you may be eligible for a free replacement passport with your new last name.
Once you have received your replacement passport in your new marital name/s, this can be used as proof of ID (along with your registry issued marriage certificate where required) as proof of change of name, to update subsequent types of ID.
Alternatively, for changes to your last name that are different to either of your names, you can apply to formerly change your name through your State Office of Births, Deaths and Marriages (e.g. QLD BDM). This process is also required should you wish to change the spelling of names e.g. from Smyth to Smith.
Anything else?
We trust you enjoyed a stress-free ceremony planning experience with us, and while the process of changing your last name is out of our hands, we hope this information assists you in achieving your desired change of name as stress-free as possible.
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Once again, thank you so much for choosing Brisbane City Celebrants. Wishing you all the very best!
Jamie + Cara – Brisbane City Celebrants