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FREE GUIDE: ON

How to Change Your Name After Marriage or Divorce in Ontario (2026)

This page is the free Ontario guide. No sign-in. Read on, or take the checklist as a PDF.

Facts checked July 2026 · See what changed · How we check

In Ontario, 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 Ontario, and a free downloadable checklist.

BUILD YOUR FREE 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?

The rules are set by the province, so we will show you what the official process requires rather than guess at your situation.

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?

Guidepost is not a law firm and this is not legal advice. Your answers are used to produce your document and nothing else.
How your answers are used
  1. 1

    Assumed surname vs. legal name change

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    Assumed surname (what most people do): You may assume your spouse's last name (or their single name) at no cost. This does NOT change your birth registration. You must assume the FULL surname as it appears on the marriage certificate: a partial hyphenation requires a legal name change.

    Legal name change (a separate, formal process): A legal name change through ServiceOntario (Registrar General) 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.

    Source: www.ontario.ca/page/change-your-last-name
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  2. 2

    Order of operations

    Officiant registers the marriage with provincial Vital Statistics. This takes a few weeks.Open this section ↓
    1

    Marry

    Officiant registers the marriage with provincial Vital Statistics. This takes a few weeks.

    2

    Order your marriage certificate

    From the province or territory WHERE you married (not the licence, the registered certificate issued by Vital Statistics).

    3

    Update your SIN (Service Canada)

    Free. Can run at the same time as step 4. Your SIN number does not change.

    4

    Update provincial driver's licence + health card

    Critical: do this BEFORE the passport application. Use your marriage certificate.

    5

    Apply 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.

    6

    Update 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.
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  3. 3

    Ontario specifics

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    Marriage certificate

    Step 2

    Where to order: ServiceOntario online portal

    Cost: $15 (certificate) / $22 (certified copy); premium $45 / $52

    Regular delivery: 15 business days. Premium/rush: 5 business days by courier. Emergency in-person service is +$30 per document with proof of urgency.

    Order online →

    Legal name change (if you need one)

    Agency

    ServiceOntario (Registrar General)

    Form

    Application to Change an Adult's Name (form 11155E)

    Fee

    $137 ($22 for a child added to a parent's application). Waived for eligible First Nations, Inuit and Metis applicants reclaiming a name.

    Processing time

    6 to 8 weeks standard; currently up to 24 weeks

    Residency

    Lived in Ontario at least 12 months

    Min. age

    16+

    Criminal record check: May be required
    Gazette publication: Required

    How to apply: Start the application online or on paper. Both routes require you to print the application and mail it with all completed forms and documents. Start online →

    Police record check: A police record check may be required if you have certain criminal offences (form 002-5349).

    Non-publication: A Request for Non-Publication in The Ontario Gazette form can be submitted with the application. Ontario lists requests from transgender, First Nations, Inuit or Metis individuals, or where the Attorney General certifies that the change prevents significant harm.

    Official page →

    Driver's licence: ServiceOntario

    Step 4 (before passport)

    In person at ServiceOntario. Bring your birth/citizenship certificate or marriage certificate (for assumed name). No charge for a name-change licence.

    Fee: $0

    ServiceOntario →

    Health card: ServiceOntario (OHIP)

    Step 4 (before passport)

    In person at ServiceOntario. Bring a Change of Information form and your marriage certificate. Updated card takes several weeks: update provincial ID before applying for a new passport.

    ServiceOntario (OHIP) →

    Reverting to a prior name after divorce

    If you assumed a name (no legal change): revert anytime using your birth certificate. If you legally changed your name on marriage: file "Election to Resume Former Surname: Form 2" at ServiceOntario.

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  4. 4

    Federal steps (same everywhere)

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    SIN: Service Canada

    Free

    Updating 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 update

    Passport: IRCC

    After provincial ID

    A 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 page

    A 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 information
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  5. 5

    Ontario name-change checklist

    Open this section ↓

    Free download

    Who to notify in order, with Ontario 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.

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  6. 6

    Common questions

    Do I need a legal name change after marriage in Ontario?Open this section ↓
    Do I need a legal name change after marriage in Ontario?▼
    No, for most situations. In Ontario, you can assume your spouse's surname by simply updating your ID with your marriage certificate. A legal name change through ServiceOntario (Registrar General) 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 ServiceOntario licence first, then apply for the passport.
    How do I revert to my maiden name after divorce in Ontario?▼
    If you assumed a name (no legal change): revert anytime using your birth certificate. If you legally changed your name on marriage: file "Election to Resume Former Surname: Form 2" at ServiceOntario.
    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.
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  7. 7

    Official sources

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    Fees and processing times may change: verify with official sources before acting.

    Facts checked July 2026

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  8. 8

    Related guides

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    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.

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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

BC: British ColumbiaAB: AlbertaSK: SaskatchewanMB: ManitobaQC: QuebecNS: Nova ScotiaNB: New BrunswickPE: Prince Edward IslandNL: Newfoundland and LabradorYT: YukonNT: Northwest TerritoriesNU: Nunavut

Guidepost is not a law firm. This guide is for general information only. Full disclaimer