Application to change a surname or first name (Germany)
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This document is in German
The PDF you download is in German — that is the language it has to be filed in, so it is not translated. Everything on this page is here to tell you what it says.
A written application to the German name-change authority to change a surname, a first name or both under the Name Change Act (NamÄndG): the applicant's details, the name wanted, the important reason § 3 NamÄndG requires, the children the change extends to under § 4, and the enclosures. Not for returning to a birth name after divorce, double names (possible since 1 May 2025) or a change under the Self-Determination Act (SBGG) — those are declarations at the register office (Standesamt). In German, ready to print, sign and send.
What you fill in
The details the document asks for.
- Applicant
- Applicant's address
- Authority
- Address of the name-change authority (street, then postcode and town)
- City
- Date
- Case number
- What is to change: surname, first name or both
- Birth surname
- Date of birth
- Applicant's nationality
- Civil registry office holding the birth certificate
- Civil registry office holding the marriage certificate
- First name(s) and surname after the change
- Reason
- Children the surname change extends to (name and date of birth)
- Attachments
Preview
This document is produced for you. Your answers are typed into it and the finished PDF is yours to keep.
Common questions
- What counts as a good enough reason to change a name under Germany's Name Change Act?
- Only an important reason that justifies the change (§ 3(1) NamÄndG); simply wanting another name is not enough. Reasons accepted in practice include a name that is offensive or ridiculous, constant trouble with its spelling or pronunciation, or serious psychological strain caused by the name, confirmed by a doctor or psychologist. The authority investigates the facts itself (§ 3(2) NamÄndG), so enclose evidence with your reasons.
- Who decides on a name change in Germany, and what does it cost?
- The lower administrative authority named by each federal state (Land), usually the one where you live (§ 5 NamÄndG) — in Bavaria, for example, the district office (Landratsamt) or the city, in Berlin the borough office (Bezirksamt). Ask there for its exact name and address before sending the application. The authority sets the fee case by case: up to €1,022 for a surname and up to €255 for a first name.
- When is a declaration at a German register office the right route instead of this application?
- When the name follows from marriage, divorce or parentage. Returning to your birth name after a divorce is a certified declaration costing about €38.50 to €40 at the register office (§ 1355(5) BGB). Since 1 May 2025, double names are possible for spouses and children, and children of divorced parents have their own route to the name of the parent they live with. None of these needs an important reason — check them first.
- Can this application change a first name and gender entry under Germany's Self-Determination Act?
- No. Since 1 November 2024, the Self-Determination Act (SBGG) changes the gender entry and first names by a declaration at the register office, with no important reason needed. The declaration must be announced to the register office in writing at least three months in advance and is then made in person; if it is not made within six months of the announcement, the announcement lapses. This NamÄndG application is for name changes on other important grounds.
- How is a German name-change application submitted, and is an e-mail enough?
- The application is made in writing or declared on record at the authority (§ 5 NamÄndG). Sign it by hand and post it with copies of the enclosures, or hand it in and ask for a receipt. A plain e-mail does not replace the signature; electronically it works only through the authority's own online service with the online ID card, or with a qualified electronic signature (§ 3a of the Administrative Procedure Act, VwVfG, and the matching state laws).
- Does a surname change in Germany extend to the applicant's children?
- Yes, unless the decision says otherwise: the change extends to children who have so far borne the applicant's surname and for whom the applicant has parental custody (§ 4 NamÄndG). So name these children with their dates of birth in the application and enclose their birth certificates, so the authority can decide on them as well.
How you can sign this document
- Print it and sign by hand. The signature lines in the document are left blank on purpose — sign on them in ink.
- Sign it yourself with a qualified electronic signature. If you already hold a QES — Evrotrust, B-Trust, StampIT, ZealiD or any qualified provider on the EU Trusted List, on a card, a USB token, in a mobile app or in the cloud — our signing guide explains step by step how to sign this exact file without invalidating it. Step-by-step help, and a way to check it worked
DocMuse sells documents, not legal advice. Acceptance always depends on the recipient's rules and your local law.
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