Rules for changing your child's name

Part of the Name changes topic

Understand the rules you must follow when you want to legally change your child's name in Queensland.

These rules apply to legal name changes registered with the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages.

Some rules apply to everyone. Other rules depend on:

Use these rules when you change your child's name.

You must

Apply to the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages.

Have the consent of the child if they are aged between 12 or 17 years.

Have the consent of both parents, except in certain situations.

If your child was born or adopted overseas, one of the following must also apply:

Your child lives in Queensland and has lived here for at least the past 12 months.

One of the applicants lives in Queensland and has lived here for at least the past 12 months.

Change a child's first names if they have already been changed between ages 1 and 17 years.

Change a child's name if you have already changed your child's family name in the past 12 months.

Change a child's name if you choose a prohibited name.

Change a child's name for fraudulent or improper purposes.

If your child was born or adopted in Queensland, you also cannot:

In some circumstances, you can apply for an exception to the rules.

These apply for change your child's name applications:

when they were born in another state or territory
when your child was born overseas, and they have not yet lived in Queensland for 12 continuous months
to change your child’s name within 12 months of a previous name change.

The reasons for applying for an exception can include:

a need to change their name
- after your recent marriage or divorce and
- you were born overseas
a need to change their name for safety and protection reasons
a request to change their name to affirm their identified sex
you have a court order from another Australian state or territory directing us to do so
other exceptional reasons.

Find more information in the change of name (child) policy.