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Statutory declaration of change of name for an adult (Scotland)
Scotland · in English
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7 questions · about 3 min
Made for use in Scotland
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For anyone in Scotland aged 16 or over who is changing their first name, surname or both — after marriage, divorce or by choice — and needs proof for their bank, employer, HM Passport Office or DVLA. In Scotland no deed poll is needed: a statutory declaration, declared before a notary public or a justice of the peace, records the change, and HM Passport Office accepts one. If you were born or adopted in Scotland, National Records of Scotland can also record the change against your birth record, by post, for a fee; its form is the official route for the register.
- Made for use in Scotland
- 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 are changing your name in Scotland and your bank wants proof of the change.
- After a divorce you want to go back to your old surname on everything.
- You want a new first name and need to update your passport and driving licence.
- You searched for a deed poll in Scotland and need a document to sign before a notary.
What you fill in
The details the document asks for.
- First name(s) and surname after the change
- Your address (house and street)
- Town or city
- Your postcode
- Former name
- Date of birth
- Date
Common questions
- Can I record my change of name with National Records of Scotland instead?
- If you were born or adopted in Scotland, yes: National Records of Scotland records a change of forename or surname on its own forms, by post, for a fee, and the change then shows on your birth record and on new extracts. There are limits on how many changes can be recorded. Many people use both: the recording for the register and this declaration as proof for banks and others. People born elsewhere use a declaration or a deed.
- Who can take a statutory declaration of change of name in Scotland?
- A notary public or a justice of the peace, in person: they check your identity, watch you sign in both names and sign the declaration themselves. Many Scottish solicitors are also notaries; a solicitor who is not a notary cannot take it. No fee is set by law in Scotland, so ask the charge first. Do not sign beforehand, and take photo identification with you.
- Do I need a statutory declaration in Scotland to take my spouse’s surname?
- Usually not. Banks, HM Passport Office and most organisations accept the marriage or civil partnership certificate as proof of a new surname, and the divorce papers with your birth or marriage certificate to go back to a former name. A declaration is for other changes: a new first name, a double-barrelled or entirely new surname, or a change your certificates do not show.
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.
Related documents
- Statutory declaration of change of name for a child (Scotland)
For a parent in Scotland changing the name of a child under 16 — after a divorce, in a new family or at the child’s wish. A statutory declaration by a parent with parental responsibilities and rights, declared before a notary public or a justice of the peace: it records the old and new names, whether every other person with parental responsibilities and rights agrees or the court has allowed the change, and that the child’s views were considered. If the child was born in Scotland, National Records of Scotland can also record the change on its own form, by post. From 16 a young person makes their own declaration.
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