Change Your Name After Marriage in South Australia

There is no legal requirement to change your name after marriage in Australia.

Some people do. Some people do not.

The common position

If you marry in Australia and take your partner’s surname, South Australia says you do not need to separately register a change of name. You usually use your official marriage certificate as evidence when updating your records.

Official source:

• Register a change of name

The certificate you usually need

For most official updates, you will need the official marriage certificate issued after the marriage is registered.

Your ceremonial certificate from the day is usually not enough.

When a formal change of name may be needed

If you want something outside the standard post-marriage surname options, such as:

• a completely new surname
• a more complex change not clearly supported by the marriage certificate
• a different legal identity altogether

then a separate formal change of name process may be needed.

Common places people update

• passport
• driver’s licence
• Medicare
• banks
• super
• work records

Each organisation sets its own document rules, so check with them directly.

Read next

• South Australian marriage certificate