How to Change Your Name After Marriage or Divorce in Northwest Territories (2026)
This page is the free Northwest Territories guide. No sign-in. Read on, or take the checklist as a PDF.
Facts checked July 2026 · See what changed · How we check
In Northwest Territories, most people do not need a formal legal name change after marriage. You can assume your spouse's surname simply by updating your ID with your marriage certificate. This guide covers the order of operations, the rules specific to Northwest Territories, and a free downloadable checklist.
Four questions about your name change
Answer these and the checklist below drops the steps that do not apply to you. Every answer stays in your browser.
Why is your name changing?
Have you already ordered your marriage certificate?
Do you hold a driver's licence in this province?
Do you have a health card in this province?
How your answers are used
1
Assumed surname vs. legal name change
Open this section ↓↑ Close this sectionSource: www.hss.gov.nt.ca/en/services/changing-your-name/use-spouses-last-nameAssumed surname (what most people do): You do not need to apply for a legal name change. You can use your spouse's last name and change all your documents using your marriage certificate as proof.
Legal name change (a separate, formal process): A legal name change through Registrar General of Vital Statistics (Inuvik) is required only if you want to change the name on your birth certificate itself, or to adopt a name not covered by the assumed-surname rule.
2
Order of operations
Officiant registers the marriage with provincial Vital Statistics. This takes a few weeks.Open this section ↓Marry
Officiant registers the marriage with provincial Vital Statistics. This takes a few weeks.
2Order your marriage certificate
From the province or territory WHERE you married (not the licence, the registered certificate issued by Vital Statistics).
3Update your SIN (Service Canada)
Free. Can run at the same time as step 4. Your SIN number does not change.
4Update provincial driver's licence + health card
Critical: do this BEFORE the passport application. Use your marriage certificate.
5Apply for a new passport (IRCC)
Only after provincial ID already shows the new name. Full fee: no amendment option. Fee as of 2026-03-31: $163.50 (10-yr) / $122.50 (5-yr); indexes annually.
6Update CRA, banks, employer
None of these update automatically. CRA: phone (single name) or mail/fax (both names). Banks: online or branch.
Critical: Step 4 (provincial ID) MUST come before step 5 (passport). IRCC requires the submitted provincial ID to already show your new name.3
Northwest Territories specifics
Open this section ↓Marriage certificate
Step 2Where to order: NWT Registrar General (Inuvik): NWT eServices online, email, fax, or mail
Cost: $26.00 (restricted photocopy $39)
Standard 10-15 business days; rush 5-8 business days.
Order online →Legal name change (if you need one)
AgencyRegistrar General of Vital Statistics (Inuvik)
FormApplication for Change of Name
Fee$159.00 (includes 1 large certificate; +$64 per additional individual; duplicate $32). Fee can be waived for Indigenous NWT residents who are residential school survivors and their family members, to reclaim a name or correct a historical error.
Processing timeNot stated: check with the agency
ResidencyNWT resident for at least 3 consecutive months in the prior year
Min. age19+ (or younger if married)
Official page →Criminal record check: Check current requirementsGazette publication: RequiredDriver's licence: NWT Motor Vehicles (Dept. of Infrastructure)
Step 4 (before passport)A dedicated name-change document list is not published online. Contact Motor Vehicles directly for current requirements.
NWT Motor Vehicles (Dept. of Infrastructure) →Health card: NWT Health Care Plan
Step 4 (before passport)Provide supporting documents (marriage certificate, divorce certificate, or change-of-name certificate). Call 1-800-661-0830.
NWT Health Care Plan →Reverting to a prior name after divorce
After divorce, use your divorce certificate to revert. If a common-law relationship ended without divorce, a "Breakdown of Spousal Relationship Statutory Declaration" ($22) may be required.
4
Federal steps (same everywhere)
Open this section ↓SIN: Service Canada
FreeUpdating your legal name on your SIN record is required by law. Your SIN number does not change. Bring your marriage certificate (or legal change-of-name certificate/court order) showing both old and new name, plus primary and secondary ID.
Online (~5 business days), by mail (~20 business days), or in person at a Service Canada centre.
A name change with Service Canada is NOT automatically shared with CRA or your bank. Update each separately.
canada.ca: SIN updatePassport: IRCC
After provincial IDA name change requires a NEW passport at the full fee: there is no amendment or reduced rate. Submit your marriage certificate or divorce order / resumption-of-surname certificate / court order.
Your submitted provincial ID must already show the new last name before IRCC will accept the application. Update your driver's licence and health card FIRST.
Fee as of 2026-03-31: $163.50 (10-yr adult) / $122.50 (5-yr adult). Passport fees index annually under the Service Fees Act. Verify the current fee on the IRCC website before applying.
IRCC live fee pageA name change on a passport is a full new adult application with extra documents; there is no simplified path. The passport guide: name changes →
CRA (Canada Revenue Agency)
CRA cannot update a name fully online. Changing a single name (first OR last) can be done by phone. Changing both names requires mail or fax with a vital-statistics name-change certificate or court order.
Call the CRA to change your name, which takes effect immediately, or send or fax a letter to your tax centre, which takes 4 to 6 weeks after they receive it. There is no online option, and the CRA does not pass a name change to other departments.
CRA does not share your name change with other departments. Update banks, employer, and other accounts separately.
CRA: update personal information5
Northwest Territories name-change checklist
Open this section ↓Free download
Who to notify in order, with Northwest Territories agency names, what to bring, and the passport dependency.
Free. General information only, not legal or regulatory advice.
Keep it with the rest. This one files behind tab 1 of the Home File.
Free. General information only, not legal advice. No account needed.
6
Common questions
Do I need a legal name change after marriage in Northwest Territories?Open this section ↓Do I need a legal name change after marriage in Northwest Territories?▼
No, for most situations. In Northwest Territories, you can assume your spouse's surname by simply updating your ID with your marriage certificate. A legal name change through Registrar General of Vital Statistics (Inuvik) is only needed if you want to change the name on your birth certificate itself.Why do I have to update my licence before my passport?▼
IRCC (the passport authority) requires the provincial ID you submit with the passport application to already show your new name. If your driver's licence still shows your old name, the application will be rejected. Update your NWT Motor Vehicles (Dept. of Infrastructure) licence first, then apply for the passport.How do I revert to my maiden name after divorce in Northwest Territories?▼
After divorce, use your divorce certificate to revert. If a common-law relationship ended without divorce, a "Breakdown of Spousal Relationship Statutory Declaration" ($22) may be required.Does my SIN number change when I change my name?▼
No. Your SIN number stays the same. You update the name on the SIN record (with Service Canada, free), but the 9-digit number does not change.7
Official sources
Open this section ↓- https://www.hss.gov.nt.ca/en/services/changing-your-name/use-spouses-last-name
- https://www.hss.gov.nt.ca/en/services/changing-name-adult
- https://www.hss.gov.nt.ca/en/services/order-marriage-certificate
- https://www.inf.gov.nt.ca/en/services/nwt-drivers-licence
- https://www.hss.gov.nt.ca/en/services/changing-name-adult
- https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/sin/update.html
- https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/canadian-passports/change-name.html
- https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/update-information-cra/personal.html
Fees and processing times may change: verify with official sources before acting.
Facts checked July 2026
↑ Close this section8
Related guides
Open this section ↓Change of Address
Who to notify when you move: free per-province checklist.
Replace Lost Documents
Lost birth certificate, SIN, licence, health card, or passport.
Separation Agreement
Property, support, and parenting when a relationship ends.
Moving to a New Province
Driver's licence exchange, health card enrollment, re-registration.
Marriage Licence
The paperwork before the wedding: fee, validity, and who must appear.
Informational guide only. Guidepost is not a law firm. This guide explains the typical process and is not legal advice. Requirements can change. Verify current rules with the relevant government authority or a qualified professional before you act.
Name-change guides for other provinces
Guidepost is not a law firm. This guide is for general information only. Full disclaimer