Changing Your Name After Divorce in Ontario

In Ontario, many people select to vary their identify after a divorce, typically reverting to their maiden identify or a earlier surname. As of 2024, the method has turn into extra streamlined, but it surely nonetheless requires understanding the authorized steps, concerns for altering a baby’s identify, and the varied locations it’s good to replace your new identify. This text supplies a complete information to navigating the identify change course of in Ontario following a divorce.

Assume A Final Title Attributable to Marriage

Assuming your partner’s final identify is a simple course of that impacts key government-issued paperwork, together with your well being card, driver’s license, and Ontario Photograph Card. There’s no monetary price related to this alteration, and you’ll count on to obtain your up to date paperwork by mail inside 6 to eight weeks.

Aliza Muller, Affiliate Lawyer

It’s important to notice that assuming your partner’s final identify after marriage doesn’t alter the data in your Ontario beginning registration and beginning certificates, and as such these paperwork retain your authentic particulars.

To provoke the method, head to a ServiceOntario heart with the next:

1. Marriage Certificates
   • This isn’t the “Report of Solemnization of Marriage” offered by your marriage officiant.
   • You could apply for a wedding certificates because it’s not mechanically issued to you.
2. Present picture well being card (if you happen to shouldn’t have a photograph well being card, you have to convey 3 authentic paperwork to show you’re a Canadian citizen and Ontario resident)
3. Driver’s license or Ontario Photograph Card

When assuming your partner’s final identify, it’s essential to file the total final identify precisely as listed on the wedding certificates, together with any hyphenated parts. For those who need solely a portion of the hyphenated identify, you’ll have to pursue a authorized identify change.

Whereas your government-issued paperwork are a precedence, it’s equally important to replace your final identify with different organizations the place you maintain accounts. Attain out to every entity and inquire about their particular necessities for this alteration. Most organizations will request a replica of your marriage certificates.

Legally Change Your Final Title

For those who select to not assume a final identify resulting from marriage and also you need to legally change your final identify, you have to to use for a authorized identify change.

Eligibility Standards

Earlier than initiating the method, it’s essential to make sure you meet the eligibility standards:

• Age: You should be 16 years of age or older.
• Residency: It is best to have lived in Ontario for the previous 12 months.

Particular Issues

Age 16 or 17: Consent from each particular person with authorized authority of decision-making accountability is required. Full Half 3 of the appliance.

Married or Joint Declaration of Conjugal Relationship: If married or in a marital relationship, you have to notify your companion/partner of the identify change. Full Half 2 of the appliance.

Police Information Examine

If a police information verify is required as a part of your authorized identify change utility, obtain the Necessities for a Police Report Examine for a Change of Title type to make sure compliance with all essential laws.

Find out how to Apply

1. Obtain Kinds:
   • Obtain the Utility to Change an Grownup’s Title and the Necessities for a Police Report Examine for a Change of Title.
   • Alternatively, name ServiceOntario for type supply.
2. Submit:
   • Full the shape, connect cost, and collect required paperwork.
   • Select between two submission strategies:
     • Submit by Mail: Mail to ServiceOntario, Workplace of the Registrar Basic, P.O. Field 3000, 189 Purple River Highway, Thunder Bay, ON, P7B 5W0.
     • Submit in Individual: Deliver the finished type, cost, and paperwork to ServiceOntario, 47 Sheppard Avenue East, Unit 417, 4th Flooring, Toronto, ON, M2N 5N1.

Value

The fee for an grownup identify change is $137.

Paperwork You Will Obtain

Upon approval of your identify change, you’ll obtain a Change of Title Certificates. This doc displays each your earlier and new names and can be utilized to replace different private paperwork, together with your well being card.

Each particular person born in Ontario who modifications their identify may even get a brand new beginning certificates of their new identify. The beginning certificates that’s mechanically issued doesn’t comprise parental data. For those who want to apply for a beginning certificates with parental data or an authorized copy of the beginning registration, you are able to do so by submitting a Request for Delivery Certificates utility and the related cost. For those who have been born elsewhere in Canada, discover of your identify change is distributed to the important statistics workplace within the province or territory (besides Quebec) the place you have been born. You’ll need to use to that important statistics workplace to acquire a brand new beginning certificates.

Elect to Go Again to Your Earlier Final Title

For those who elected to legally change your final identify resulting from marriage or marital relationship, you’ll be able to change your identify again to your earlier final identify.

The Course of

1. Eligibility: This service is obtainable provided that you initially modified your final identify by the discontinued Election to Change Surname service.
2. Kind Submission: Receive the required type, the Election to Resume Former Surname – Kind 2, by contacting ServiceOntario
   • Attain out to our workplace through the next strategies:
   • Toll-free: 1-800-461-2156 (North America), 416-325-8305 (Larger Toronto Space or internationally)
   • Ship a written request to: ServiceOntario, Workplace of the Registrar Basic, P.O. Field 3000, 189 River Highway, Thunder Bay, ON, P7B 5WO
3. Submission Choices:
   • Mail: Mail your accomplished kinds, cost, and required paperwork to ServiceOntario, Workplace of the Registrar Basic, P.O. Field 3000, 189 Purple River Highway, Thunder Bay, ON, P7B 5W0
   • In Individual: Deliver your accomplished type, cost, and required paperwork to: ServiceOntario, 47 Sheppard Avenue East, Unit 417, 4th Flooring, Toronto, ON, M2N 5N1

Value and Supply

Value: The charge for this service is $25.

Supply Time: In case your utility is full and correct, count on to obtain your Change of Title Certificates and new beginning certificates (if born in Ontario) by mail inside 6 to eight weeks from the date ServiceOntario receives the appliance.

Using the Reversed Title Change

As soon as your identify change again to your former surname is full, the paperwork you obtain, together with the Change of Title Certificates and new beginning certificates (if you happen to have been born in Ontario), can be utilized to replace varied authorities paperwork equivalent to your driver’s license.

Navigating the Strategy of Little one Title Change in Ontario

Eligibility Standards

For a kid’s identify change to be legally acknowledged in Ontario, sure eligibility standards should be met:

1. Residency: The kid should have lived in Ontario for the previous 12 months or since beginning if they’re beneath 1 yr outdated.
2. Age: The kid must be 17 years outdated or beneath.
3. Marital Standing: The kid should not be married.
4. Consent: If the kid is 12 years of age or older, their consent to the identify change is required.

Furthermore, there must be no court docket orders or separation agreements in place that prohibit the change of identify.

Consent and Notification

Altering a baby’s identify requires consent from every grownup with authorized custody of the kid. Moreover, each particular person lawfully entitled to entry the kid should be given written discover of the identify change. If there are current court docket orders or written authorized agreements associated to custody, entry, or naming of the kid, photocopies should be submitted.

Utility Course of

To provoke the identify change course of, observe these steps:

1. Print and full the Utility to Change a Little one’s Title and the Necessities for a Police Report Examine for a Change of Title. These kinds might be obtained by calling ServiceOntario or visiting their web site.
2. Rigorously observe the directions offered on the kinds.
3. Submit the finished type, cost, and required paperwork to ServiceOntario. This may be executed both by mail or in particular person on the 47 Sheppard Ave. East ServiceOntario centre.

Value

The fee for a kid’s identify change is $137. Nonetheless, if submitted together with a father or mother’s identify change utility, the charge is decreased to $22.

Paperwork Issued

Upon approval of the identify change, you’ll obtain a Change of Title Certificates. This certificates contains each the kid’s earlier identify and the brand new identify. It may be used to replace the kid’s identify on varied private paperwork, equivalent to a well being card.

Moreover, each particular person born in Ontario who modifications their identify will obtain a brand new beginning certificates of their new identify. This mechanically issued beginning certificates doesn’t comprise parental data. If parental data is desired, a separate utility for a beginning certificates might be submitted.

For these born outdoors Ontario, discover of the identify change is distributed to the important statistics workplace within the respective province or territory, excluding Quebec. To acquire a brand new beginning certificates, one should apply to that important statistics workplace.

Conclusion

Altering your identify after a divorce is a private determination that many people in Ontario make to begin a brand new chapter of their lives. Whereas the method entails a number of steps and updating quite a few information, understanding the process and making ready accordingly could make it extra manageable. By following the authorized necessities, contemplating the implications for any youngsters concerned, and systematically updating your identify throughout varied establishments, you’ll be able to guarantee a easy transition to your new identification post-divorce. Keep in mind, this alteration is extra than simply paperwork; it’s a major step in shifting ahead after a serious life occasion.