Who Should You Notify When You Adopt a Married Name
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In Australia it is not compulsory for a bride to assume her husband's surname and it is no longer assumed that every woman will take her husband’s name after marriage. Many women still change their name as they like the sense of unity and family that comes from taking their spouses name. Once you change your name you will need to have personal documentation, such as your driver's licence and passport changed to your married surname.
If you decide to keep your own surname, there is no need to change identification or legal documentation. However, you may still be required to present a certified copy of a marriage certificate issued by an Australian births, deaths and marriages registry to adjust your ‘conjugal status’ (which covers changes from never validly married to married, divorced to married, or widowed to married). Some women compromise by using their own name professionally and their husband’s name socially.
There are other options such as adopting a combination or hyphenated surname upon marrying, and in some cases the groom will adopt the surname of the bride. There are even couples who both adopt an entirely new name that is meaningful to them for some reason. In these cases a legal change of name will have to be made by deed poll.
If you are going to change your name after marriage you will need to notify the following organisations of your name change. Most of them will require proof which is normally in the form of a certified copy of your marriage certificate from the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages:
• Your State/Territory roads and traffic authority – driver’s license and motor vehicle registration
• Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade – passport
• Financial institutions such as banks and investment companies – bank accounts, credit cards, loans, mortgage
• Australian Electoral Commission – voting
• Medicare and private health funds – health
• Utilities companies – electricity, gas, water and sewerage accounts
• Communications companies – telephone and internet
• Australian Taxation Office
• Centrelink
• Your workplace
• Superannuation
• Insurance policies – life, home, contents and car insurance
• Memberships – clubs and societies
• Store Accounts
You may also need to change your name on legal documents such as wills, property titles, leases and loan contracts.