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Change of name deed for a child (Northern Ireland)
Northern Ireland · in English · for parents
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10 questions · about 4 min
Made for use in Northern Ireland
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For a parent or guardian in Northern Ireland changing the name of a child under 18 — after a separation, in a new family or at the child’s wish. Everyone with parental responsibility must agree, or the court must permit it; the deed says which, and a 16- or 17-year-old signs their own consent. It renounces the old name and adopts the new one, printed and signed in ink before two adult witnesses. Enrolment in the Central Office of the High Court in Northern Ireland is optional.
- Made for use in Northern Ireland
- Last updated October 29, 2026
- Document in English
Where a UK document reproduces the words of legislation or of a government publication — UK, Scottish or Northern Irish — it contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
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When to use this document
- You want your child in Northern Ireland to take your surname after a separation.
- Your new family wants the children to share one surname at school.
- Your teenager has asked to be known by a different first name.
- Both parents agree on a new name for the child and want it in writing.
What you fill in
The details the document asks for.
- Date
- Former name
- Child's date of birth
- Parent
- Parent's address
- Town or city
- Parent's postcode
- Second person with parental responsibility who signs (blank if none)
- First name(s) and surname after the change
- Who agrees to the change
Common questions
- Can one parent in Northern Ireland change a child’s surname if the other parent objects?
- Not alone, if the other parent has parental responsibility: everyone who has it must agree, or the court must decide, putting the child’s welfare first. While a residence order is in force, the child may not be known by a new surname without the written consent of everyone with parental responsibility or the court’s leave (Article 13 of the Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995). Otherwise a parent can ask the court for a specific issue order under Article 8.
- Should a teenager in Northern Ireland sign their own change of name deed?
- A young person of 16 or 17 should agree to the change, and the deed has a line for them to sign their consent in both names. A younger child’s wishes count too: a court weighs them if the change is disputed. Organisations such as HM Passport Office look for the consent of everyone with parental responsibility, so collect every signature before you rely on the deed. Like every Northern Irish deed, it is signed in ink on paper before the witnesses (article 3 of the Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Northern Ireland) Order 2005).
- Which papers go with the deed when a child’s passport or school records are updated in Northern Ireland?
- The signed deed or a certified copy, the child’s birth certificate, and evidence that everyone with parental responsibility agrees — their signatures on the deed or separate signed consents — or a copy of the court’s order. HM Passport Office lists what it needs for a child’s change of name; the school and the GP practice usually ask for the deed and the consents. Keep the original safe.
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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