Change Your Name After Marriage in Queensland
A practical guide to using your official marriage certificate to update your name after marriage in Queensland and across Australia.
After getting married in Australia, you are not legally required to change your name.
You can:
- keep your current surname
- take your spouse’s surname
- use a hyphenated surname
- continue using different names in different parts of life where lawful and practical
What document is usually needed?
For most ordinary post-marriage surname updates, the document that matters is the official marriage certificate, not the ceremonial certificate you receive on the day.
Start here:
When a formal change of name may be needed
If you want to:
- create a new combined surname
- use a name that is not just taking your spouse’s surname
- deal with a more complex naming situation
you may need a formal change of name process rather than simply relying on the marriage certificate.
Organisations couples usually update
Common updates include:
- passport
- driver licence
- Medicare
- banks
- superannuation
- insurance
- employment records