Simplified procedure for the change of surname

Verified 20 July 2023 - Legal and Administrative Information Directorate (Prime Minister)

You want to change your surname to take a name from your parentage ? The your father's name, or your mother's name, or their 2 names are placed side by side in the order chosen and within the limit of one name for each of the parents? You can use the simplified and free renaming procedure. We'll show you the steps to follow to do this.

If you want to change your last name for a legitimate reason (for example, a name that is difficult to bear), you can use the order-in-council name change procedure.

Step-by-step approach

Infographie - I want to change my last name: what procedure?
Illustration X - I want to change my last name: what procedure? - plus de détails dans le texte suivant l’infographie
Illustration X
Crédits: Direction de l’information légale et administrative

Ouvrir l’image dans une nouvelle fenêtre

First situation: I want to bear the name of the parent (father, mother) who did not pass on his name to me.

For example, by adding this parent’s name to my current name in any order I want.

I must request a name change through the simplified name change procedure

Main features of the procedure:

- Duration: about one month

- Who to contact: City Hall

- Cost: free

Second situation: I wish to bear a name that is not that of one of my parents (father, mother) for a reason (legitimate reason).

For example, my name is difficult to bear.

Main features of the procedure:

- Duration: months, sometimes years

- To whom to turn: Ministry of Justice

- Cost: paid (variable)

Namely: you can use the simplified renaming procedure only once in your life.

I want to change my last name: what procedure?

Download
I want to change my last name: what procedure? - plus de détails dans le texte suivant l’infographie
Crédits: Service Public (DILA)Infographie - I want to change my last name: what procedure?

First situation: I want to bear the name of the parent (father, mother) who did not pass on his name to me.

For example, by adding this parent’s name to my current name in any order I want.

I must request a name change through the simplified name change procedure

Main features of the procedure:

- Duration: about one month

- Who to contact: City Hall

- Cost: free

Second situation: I wish to bear a name that is not that of one of my parents (father, mother) for a reason (legitimate reason).

For example, my name is difficult to bear.

Main features of the procedure:

- Duration: months, sometimes years

- To whom to turn: Ministry of Justice

- Cost: paid (variable)

Namely: you can use the simplified renaming procedure only once in your life.

The simplified renaming procedure allows you to the name of the parent who did not pass on his own :

  • Either in adding the name of this parent in your current last name, in the order you want.
  • Either in substitute your current last name by the name of that parent.

You can use this procedure only once in your life.

The procedure is different if you want to change your name for a legitimate reason, for example because your name is difficult to bear (order-in-council name change procedure).

However, using the simplified procedure does not prevent you from requesting a name change later by order in council.

Similarly, having obtained a name change (by decree, court decision, simple adoption, collective effect of name change...) does not prevent you from using the simplified name change procedure afterwards.

You can use the simplified renaming procedure if you are major or emancipated minor.

An adult who is the subject of a judicial protection measure (guardianship, curatorship) makes the name change request itself.

You can get a lawyer to represent you.

FYI  

You cannot use this procedure to request a name change for your minor child.

You can only choose from the names on your birth certificate :

  • your father's name,
  • or your mother's name,
  • or their 2 names placed side by side in the order you want and within the limit of one name for each of your parents.

Example :

You have a simple name : BELIER

Your father's name: BELIER

Your mother's name: DUMONT

You can choose the following names: BELIER DUMONT, DUMONT BELIER, DUMONT

Example :

You have a simple name : DURAND

Dual Name from your father: BELIER FORCE

Your mother's name: DURAND

You can choose the following names: DURAND BELIER, BELIER DURAND, DURAND GORCE, GORCE DURAND, BELIER GORCE, BELIER, GORCE

Example :

You have a double name : BELIER FORCE

Dual Name from your father: BELIER FORCE

Dual Name from your mother: DURAND DUPONT

You can choose the following names: BELIER DURAND, DURAND BELIER, BELIER DUPONT, DUPONT BELIER, GORCE DURAND, DURAND GORCE, GORCE DUPONT, DUPONT GORCE, DURAND DUPONT, DURAND, DUPONT, BELIER, GORCE

Example :

You have a double name composed of the name of each of your parents : BELIER DURAND

Dual Name from your father: BELIER FORCE

Dual Name from your mother: DURAND DUPONT

You can choose the following names: DURAND BELIER, BELIER GORCE, DURAND DUPONT, BELIER DUPONT, DUPONT BELIER, GORCE DURAND, DURAND GORCE, DUPONT GORCE, GORCE DUPONT, DURAND, DUPONT, BELIER, GORCE

Example :

You have a simple name : DURAND

Dual Name from your father: BELIER FORCE

Dual Name from your mother: DURAND DUPONT

You can choose the following names: BELIER DURAND, DURAND BELIER, BELIER DUPONT, DUPONT BELIER, GORCE DURAND, DURAND GORCE, DUPONT GORCE, GORCE DUPONT, DURAND DUPONT, BELIER GORCE, DUPONT, BELIER, GORCE

Example :

You have a simple name obtained by decree : SHEPHERD

Name simple from your father: BELIER

Dual Name from your mother: DURAND DUPONT

You can choose the following names: BELIER DURAND, DURAND BELIER, BELIER DUPONT, DUPONT BELIER, DURAND DUPONT, DUPONT, BELIER, DURAND

The change of your name impacts your children's names, minors or adults, who bear your name, in whole or in part.

If your child has under 13 years, inform the other parent of the effect of your name change on the name of your common child.

When your child has 13 years or older, he must consent to the change of his name. This agreement must be reached at the latest the day you confirm your name change request.

If your child aged 13 years or over is disagreement, it keeps its name.

FYI  

the agreement of your children aged 13 years or older for their change of name is provided for in the form of request.

Example :

Dual Name of the child before the procedure for changing his mother's name: MARTIN DURAND

Father's name: MARTIN

Mother's name: DURAND

His mother's new name: BERNARD

The new name of the child, subject to his or her agreement if he or she is 13 years of age or older: MARTIN BERNARD

Example :

Dual Name of the child before the procedure for changing his mother's name: MARTIN BERNARD

Father's name: MARTIN

Mother's name: BERNARD

New double name from his mother: BERNARD AUBERT

The new name of the child, according to the choice of the mother and subject to her agreement if he is 13 years old or more: MARTIN BERNARD (no change) or MARTIN AUBERT

Example :

Name simple of the child before the procedure for changing the name of his mother: MARTIN

Mother's name: DURAND

Dual Name from his father: MARTIN DUBOIS

His father's new name: DUBOIS

The new name of the child, subject to his or her agreement if he or she is 13 years of age or older: DUBOIS

Example :

Name compound of the child before the procedure for changing the name of his adoptive father: DUBOIS-BERGER

Name of his adoptive father: BERGER

New name of his adoptive father: PETIT

The new name of the child, subject to his or her agreement if he or she is 13 years of age or older: DUBOIS-PETIT

Please note

A child, whether an adult or a minor, whose name has been changed may, from the age of 18 if he or she was a minor, apply for the change of his or her surname using the simplified procedure. 

You must fill in the application form for a change of surname Cerfa n°16229:

Request for a change of surname

Read the notice attached to the form before filling it out.

The form contains a consent model for your children aged 13 years or older.

Depending on your situation, you must attach the following documents to the form:

Répondez aux questions successives et les réponses s’afficheront automatiquement

Your birth certificate is held by a city council or by the Central Civil Registry Service (Scec)

  • Proof of your identity and your nationality(s)
    For example: copy of the identity card, certificate of French nationality.
  • Entitlement of domicile
    For example: rent receipt, tax notice, water bill, telephone bill...
    If you are staying with another person, you must provide proof of that person's residence, a copy of their identity card and an affidavit from that person certifying that you are living with them. You can use a model of attestation on honor.
  • Supporting documents for your marital status and the civil status of the persons concerned by your name change
    - Full copy of your birth certificate less than 3 months old
    - If you are married, a full copy of your spouse's birth certificate less than 3 months old
    - If you are married, a full copy of your marriage certificate less than 3 months old
    - If you are passed, full copy of your partner's birth certificate less than 3 months old
    - If you have children, a full copy of the birth certificate of each of your children under 3 months old
    - If your children are married, a full copy of the marriage certificate of each of your children under 3 months old

You were born abroad and your birth certificate has never been drawn up or transcribed in France

  • Proof of your identity and your nationality(s)
    For example: copy of the identity card, certificate of French nationality.
  • Entitlement of domicile
    For example: rent receipt, tax notice, water bill, telephone bill...
    If you are staying with another person, you must provide proof of that person's residence, a copy of their identity card and an affidavit from that person certifying that you are living with them. You can use a model of attestation on honor.
  • Supporting documents for your marital status and the civil status of the persons concerned by your name change
    - Full copy of your foreigners birth certificate (or birth certificate), translated by a sworn translator if necessary, less than 6 months old. Check with the embassy of the country concerned if the birth certificate should be legalized or apostilled.
    If you are unable to obtain this document, you must provide a certificate from your embassy or consulate, or another authority in your country, stating that no more recent copy is possible.
    - A certificate of custom that specifies the content of the law of your nationality with regard to name change
    - If you are married, a full copy of your spouse's birth certificate less than 3 months old
    - If you are married, a full copy of your marriage certificate less than 3 months old
    - If you are passed, full copy of your partner's birth certificate less than 3 months old
    - If you have children, a full copy of the birth certificate of each of your children under 3 months old
    - If your children are married, a full copy of the marriage certificate of each of your children under 3 months old

You are a refugee, stateless person or subsidiary protection beneficiary (Ofpra)

  • Proof of your identity and your nationality(s)
    For example: copy of the identity card, certificate of French nationality.
  • Entitlement of domicile
    For example: rent receipt, tax notice, water bill, telephone bill...
    If you are staying with another person, you must provide proof of that person's residence, a copy of their identity card and an affidavit from that person certifying that you are living with them. You can use a model of attestation on honor.
  • Supporting documents for your marital status and the civil status of the persons concerned by your name change
    - Full copy of the certificate in lieu of birth certificate issued by theOfpra: titleContent and less than 3 months old
    - If you are married, a full copy of your spouse's birth certificate less than 3 months old
    - If you are married, a full copy of your marriage certificate less than 3 months old
    - If you are passed, full copy of your partner's birth certificate less than 3 months old
    - If you have children, a full copy of the birth certificate of each of your children under 3 months old
    - If your children are married, a full copy of the marriage certificate of each of your children under 3 months old

If you live in France

You can submit your application (form completed, dated and signed with the supporting documents):

  • to the town hall of your residence,
  • or, if you are born in France, at the city hall that holds your birth certificate.
Who shall I contact
If you live abroad

You were born in France

You can submit your application (form completed, dated and signed with the supporting documents) to the city hall that holds your birth certificate or to the embassy or at French Consulate ;

Who shall I contact

You were born abroad

You can submit your application (form completed, dated and signed with the supporting documents) at the French Embassy or Consulate.

If you have a certificate in lieu of a birth certificate issued by theOfpra: titleContent, you can also send your request to theOfpra: titleContent :

Who shall I contact

FYI  

if the registrar is preventing the proper conduct of the proceedings, you may forward your request for a change of name to public prosecutor from the place of your birth.

Who shall I contact

You are contacted by the registrar to come confirm in person your willingness to change your name.

This confirmation will take place not earlier than one month after receipt of your request.

You are contacted by phone, SMS, email....

If your marital status has changed since the date of your application, you must provide a new full copy of your updated civil status document.

In case of difficulty, in particular if there is doubt about the link between parentage between you and the parent whose name you wish to bear, the registrar seizes the public prosecutor.

If the prosecutor objects to your request for a name change, he or she will inform you of the decision and give you the reasons for the refusal.

The refusal decision shall indicate how to challenge the refusal decision.

The lawyer is obligatory. He's the one who does the walk.

The registrar you notify your name change.

He/she will send you a copy and will inform you of the civil registrars requested to update the civil registration documents affected by your name change.

Afterwards, you can request the issuance of updated civil registration documents from these civil registration officers.

For example, your marriage certificate.

Once the civil status records affected by your name change are updated, you must request renewal of your identity card and/or your passport.

This approach is obligatory even if your ID is still valid.

This approach is free if you provide the national identity card and/or passport for which you are requesting renewal.

After renewing your identity card and/or passport, you must also apply for a renewal of your driving license and your vital card.

Be sure to communicate your name change to the jurisdictions and agencies affected by your name change.

Please note

The use of an identity document that does not correspond to your civil status is punishable by 3 years imprisonment and €45,000 of fine.

Request for a change of surname

Who can help me?

Find who can answer your questions in your region