Simplified procedure for the change of surname
Verified 16 July 2024 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (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
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.
Warning
another procedure is provided for bear the name of your spouse (common name) or if you want francize your first and last names by obtaining french nationality (francization).
Infographie - I want to change my last name: what procedure?
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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.
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:
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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.
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 ;
You were born abroad
You can submit your application (form completed, dated and signed with the supporting documents) at the French Embassy or Consulate.
Who shall I contact
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
French Office for the Protection of Refugees and Stateless Persons (Ofpra)
On the spot
French Office for the Protection of Refugees and Stateless Persons (Ofpra)
201 Carnot Street
94136 Fontenay sous Bois Cedex
Reception of the public by summons
By telephone
01 58 68 10 10
On the Internet
https://ofpra.gouv.fr/contact-et-informations-pratiques
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.
Warning
Once you have confirmed your application and if it is accepted, your name change is final. If you wish to change your last name again in the future, you will need to use the order-in-council name change procedure.
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.
You have to do the walk in a three-month period from the time you update your birth certificate.
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
Using an identity document that does not correspond to your civil status is punishable by up to 5 years in prison and a fine of up to €50,000.
Simplified name change procedure (Rule 61-3-1)
Last Name Rules
Document template
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Ministry of Justice