Enrolled vs Unenrolled Deed Poll: Which One Do You Need?

There are two kinds of deed poll, and both are valid proof that you have changed your name. The one most people use is unenrolled. The other is enrolled, which means it has been lodged with the High Court and published on the public record.

Below is what each one involves, a table that sets them side by side, and when enrolling is worth it. If you already know which you want, the adult deed poll application takes about five minutes.

What is an unenrolled deed poll?

An unenrolled deed poll is a deed poll you sign in front of two witnesses and use straight away. It is the kind UK Deed Poll issues, and it is how most people in the UK change their name.

"Unenrolled" means it has not been registered with a court. Nothing more. Gov.uk describes it as a document you can use straight away as proof of your new name, and HM Passport Office, the DVLA, HMRC and the banks accept it.

With us it works like this:

• You apply online. Applications received before 3pm Monday to Friday are prepared the same day.
• Your deed poll, with any certified copies you ordered, is posted within two working days by First Class Post.
• You sign it in front of two independent witnesses aged 18 or over who live in the UK.
• From that moment it is valid, and you send it to each organisation that holds your old name.

Anyone aged 16 or over can apply for themselves. For a child of 15 or under, a parent or carer applies; see our child deed poll guide. The adult deed poll costs £22.50, and if any organisation refuses it you get your money back, subject to our terms.

What is an enrolled deed poll?

An enrolled deed poll is the same declaration of a name change, lodged with the High Court and entered on the public record. The court fee is £53.05 and you must be 18 or over.

Enrolment is optional. Gov.uk notes that some organisations, such as some banks, mobile phone companies or energy providers, may only accept an enrolled deed poll. If you think that applies to you, ask the organisation before you decide.

It is a court application with several parts:

• You apply online or by post to the deed poll section of the King's Bench Division at the Royal Courts of Justice in London.
• You complete three forms: the deed itself (LOC020), a statutory declaration (LOC021) and an exhibit cover sheet (LOC027).
• You sign the deed in front of two witnesses.
• Someone who has known you for at least 10 years completes the statutory declaration and swears it in front of a solicitor, a commissioner for oaths or a court officer. That person cannot be your husband, wife, civil partner or any relative. Swearing it costs £14 at court; a solicitor may charge more.
• You send a copy of your birth certificate, passport or certificate of naturalisation, plus your spouse's written consent if you are married or in a civil partnership.
• You confirm your citizenship: British, Commonwealth or British dependent territories.
• A judge reviews the application. If it is approved, your old name, new name and address are published in The Gazette, and the sealed deed is posted back to you.

Forms with a mistake or a crossing out are sent back. Gov.uk says enrolment can take several months, and asks you not to request an update until six months after you apply.

Enrolled vs unenrolled deed poll: the comparison

Both are valid legal proof of your name change. Enrolment adds a court seal and a public record, not extra weight at the passport office or the bank. Everything else differs, and the table shows where.

If the right hand column describes what you need, the adult deed poll application is the next step.

When is enrolling worth it?

Enrolment is worth considering in three situations. Outside them, an unenrolled deed poll does the job for less money in a fraction of the time.

• An organisation has told you it will only accept an enrolled deed poll. Gov.uk mentions some banks, mobile phone companies and energy providers. It is unusual, and a certified copy is usually what they need, but if you have been told in writing, enrolment settles it.
• You want a public, court held record. Some people want the change searchable in The Gazette and held by the court for the long term, for example with future inheritance or legal matters in mind.
• You have the time and the paperwork. You can wait several months, you have someone who has known you for 10 years and is willing to swear a declaration, and you are comfortable with court forms.

Enrolment is a legitimate route. It is simply a bigger undertaking than most name changes need.

Privacy: the difference that decides it for many people

Enrolment publishes your old name, your new name and your address in The Gazette, a public, searchable record. An unenrolled deed poll publishes nothing. For many people that one line settles the question.

You can ask the judge to publish only your first name or surname if you have a strong reason, but that is a request, not a right. If you are changing your name to move on from a difficult relationship, as part of a gender transition, or because you do not want your old name searchable next to your address, an unenrolled deed poll keeps the change between you and the organisations you tell.

Certified copies: one document or as many as you need

An enrolled deed poll comes back from the court as one sealed document. If two organisations want it at the same time, you post it to one and wait, or ask the court office for a copy.

With an unenrolled deed poll from UK Deed Poll, you choose how many certified copies you want in the application, and you can order more later. HM Passport Office, the DVLA and your bank can each hold one at the same time while the original stays at home.

Help while you do it

Enrolment is a court process. The court's deed poll section answers queries by phone and email, and gov.uk aims to reply within 10 working days, but nobody walks you through the forms.

With us, a person answers your email at support@ukdeedpoll.org every working day, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm UK time. Not sure how many copies to order or whether your witnesses qualify? Ask before you apply.

How to sign, who can witness and who to tell afterwards are all covered in our deed poll guide. If you are still deciding whether a deed poll is the right route at all, start with how to change your name.

Common questions

Is an unenrolled deed poll legally valid?

Yes. Gov.uk describes an unenrolled deed poll as a document you can use straight away as proof of your new name, and HM Passport Office, the DVLA, banks and employers accept it. Enrolment is an optional step that adds a public record, not legal validity.

Can I enrol my deed poll later if I need to?

Yes. Enrolment is a separate application to the High Court that you can make at any time from the age of 18. Many people change their name with an unenrolled deed poll and never need to enrol. If an organisation later insists on an enrolled version, you can apply then rather than paying for a court process you may never need.

Will my name change be public if I use an unenrolled deed poll?

No. Nothing is published anywhere. The only people who know are you, your witnesses and the organisations you choose to tell. An enrolled deed poll, by contrast, is published in The Gazette with your address.

What if my bank says it needs an enrolled deed poll?

Ask exactly what they will accept. The answer is often a certified copy rather than a photocopy, or your signature on their own form. Gov.uk does say some banks, mobile phone companies and energy providers may only accept an enrolled deed poll, so if yours confirms that in writing you can enrol. If an organisation refuses a deed poll we issued, you get your money back, subject to our terms.

Can I enrol a deed poll if I was born in Scotland?

No. The High Court process applies to England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Gov.uk directs people born in Scotland to National Records of Scotland, which records the change against the Scottish birth entry instead. An unenrolled deed poll can be used across the UK, and it does not change a birth certificate. UK Deed Poll is not a government agency; we prepare the document, and your signature in front of two witnesses is what makes it valid.

Ready to change your name? The adult deed poll application takes about five minutes and your document is posted within two working days. We have issued over 900,000 deed polls in 13 years.