Unenrolled and enrolled, in short
- Unenrolled: signed in front of witnesses and usable the same day, at 16 or over. Nothing is published. This is the standard deed poll, and ours is one.
- Enrolled: recorded by the High Court at 18 or over, for £53.05, over several months, on the court's own forms, with a statutory declaration and someone who has known you for ten years. Your new name and address are published in The Gazette.
Both are equally binding: a deed poll works because of how it was signed. Unenrolled and enrolled deed polls compares them in full, and how to enrol a deed poll takes each form in turn.
Questions people ask
Do I need to enrol my deed poll?
Almost certainly not. GOV.UK describes enrolment as optional, HM Passport Office must accept an unenrolled deed poll, and fewer than 1% of changes of name by deed poll were ever enrolled, according to The National Archives.
Is an unenrolled deed poll legal?
Yes. A deed poll is binding because of how it was signed, not because a court has a copy of it. Is an unenrolled deed poll legally binding?
How much does it cost to enrol a deed poll?
The court fee is £53.05, and GOV.UK says it can take several months. Your new name and your address are published in The Gazette.
Which organisations want an enrolled deed poll?
Very few. Railcards ask for an enrolled deed poll or a marriage certificate, and Chase UK's list names only an enrolled deed poll among deed polls, though it takes a passport or driving licence instead. Lloyds, Halifax, Santander and TSB accept an unenrolled one with a passport or licence in the new name.
Something else? Ask us, and a person replies by email, normally the same working day.
