Verifying a change in name - marriage certificate
How to verify a name change with a change of name certificate so you can verify your ID in myID.
Published 28 October 2024
How it works
When setting up myID your name needs to match across your Australian ID documents.
If you’ve had a change in name or your name doesn’t match across your Australian ID documents, you may be able to verify this using a marriage certificate. Your marriage certificate needs to:
- be issued in Australia
- be in print (not handwritten)
- display your full previous name and the name you have taken (your partner’s name).
If your name has changed more than once through marriage and the name on your documents is different as a result, you’ll need to verify this using multiple marriage certificates. The app will prompt you to complete this.
Once verified, you’ll be recognised by your married name in your myID.
If you don’t wish to be recognised by your married name or cannot use your certificate to verify your change of name online, see Your name is different for alternative options.
Information you need to provide
The information you need to enter varies depending on the state or territory in which you were married. Check Marriage certificates by state and territory.
Generally, you’ll need to enter the following details in your myID app:
- First person listed
- Given name/s
- Family name
- Second person listed
- Given name/s
- Family name
- On the marriage certificate I am
- enter ‘First person listed’ or ‘Second person listed’
- Date of marriage
- Registration number (do not include any letters)
- Registration date (QLD only).
Marriage certificates by state and territory
Name
If your name includes a non-standard characterOpens in a new window, you’ll need to enter this in English alphabet characters.
If you only have a family name for either person on your certificate, enter it in the Family name field and leave the Given name field blank for that person.
If you only have a given name for either person on your certificate, it cannot be used to verify your change in name online.
Location of required information
Registration number
If your certificate includes a district number or was issued in Norfolk Island, it cannot be used to verify your change in name online.
Name
If you only have a family name for either person on your certificate, enter it in the Family name field and leave the Given name/s field blank for that person.
If you only have a given name for either person on your certificate, it cannot be used to verify your change in name online.
If your certificate includes extra information on your family, such as a previous family name, you must enter all of these details.
Location of required information
Registration number
Registration numbers on NT marriage certificates can be made up of numbers and letters.
Enter only the numbers after the last letter or punctuation character in the Registration number field. For example, for the registration number:
- NT 123/45, enter 45
- 136 book 40, enter 40.
Name
If you only have a family name for either person on your certificate, enter it in the Family name field and leave the Given name field blank for that person.
If you only have a given name for either person on your certificate, it cannot be used to verify your change in name online.
Location of required information
Date of issue
If your certificate was issued before 1 January 1963, it cannot be used to verify your change of name online.
Name
If you have only one name (either the given or family name) for either person on your certificate, it cannot be used to verify your change in name online.
Location of required information
Date of issue
If your certificate was issued before 1 January 1999, it cannot be used to verify your change of name online.
Issuing registry
If your marriage certificate isn’t verifying online, it may have been issued by one of the South Australian districts that can’t be verified online. You can apply for a new marriage certificate through the SA Registry of Births, deaths and marriages.Opens in a new window
Name
If you only have a family name for either person on your certificate, enter it in the Family name field and leave the Given name/s field blank for that person.
If you only have a given name for either person on your certificate, it cannot be used to verify your change of name online.
Location of required information
Date of issue
If your certificate was issued before 1 January 1970, it cannot be used to verify your change of name online.
Name
If you have only one name (either the given or family name) for either person on your certificate, it cannot be used to verify your change of name online.
Location of required information
Date of issue
If your certificate was issued before 1 January 1992, it cannot be used to verify your change of name online.
Name
If your marriage certificate shows only:
- one name (either the given or family name) for either person on the certificate and the other field has ‘no registered surname’ or ‘no registered given name’, enter the details as they appear
- a family name for either person on the certificate, enter it in the Family name field and leave the Given name/s field blank for that person
- a given name for either person on the certificate, and does not have ‘no registered surname’ in the surname field, it cannot be used to verify your change of name online.
Location of required information
Place of issue
If your marriage certificate was issued before 1 July 1993 in the Cocos Islands or Christmas Island, it cannot be used to verify your change of name online.
Name
If you have only one name (either the given or family name) for either person on your certificate, enter it in the Family name field and leave the Given name/s field blank for that person.
Registration number
You’ll need to enter both the district and registration number in the Registration number field.
For marriage certificates issued before 26 November 2001
The registration number should be 7 digits long. To achieve this:
- For district numbers 2-9, add a zero in front of the district number.
- Add additional zeros in front of the registration number to make it 7 digits long.
For example, for registration number 2/234/56/X:
- 2 is the district number
- 234 is the registration number.
You would enter 0200234 in the Registration number field.
For the list of district numbers, see the Western Australian Registration District Codes.
For marriage certificates issued from 26 November 2001
The registration number should be 7 digits. If the registration number on your certificate is shorter, add leading zeros to the front of the number until it’s 7 digits long. For example, registration number 1234/2024 should be entered as 0001234 in the Registration number field.
Location of required information