> Source: https://instantdeedpoll.co.uk/change-name-driving-licence/ — last reviewed 22 August 2026. This Markdown mirror is generated at build time from the same content the page serves.

# How to Change the Name on Your Driving Licence (Free via DVLA)

Quick answer

To change the name on your driving licence, complete a D1 form, enclose your current licence and your original signed deed poll, and post it to the DVLA — it is free. Do it early: your updated licence doubles as the name-in-use evidence HM Passport Office asks for, and you can be fined up to £1,000 for not updating it.

Who should skip this

Skip a deed poll for the DVLA if you are only taking a spouse’s surname printed on your marriage certificate — send that certificate with the D1 instead. Do not post your only signed original; print and sign spare copies first.

Checked by [Sarah Ellison](/author/sarah-ellison/), paralegal — last reviewed 22 August 2026

[Get your deed poll PDF for £14.99](/start/)One-time payment. Yours forever. No subscription, ever.

## What do I send to the DVLA?

Three things: a completed D1 form from a Post Office or by post from the DVLA, your current driving licence, and your original wet-ink signed deed poll. There is no fee. A home-printed deed you signed in ink counts as an original. Print and sign three to four copies so you can send one and keep spares.

Get the [change of name deed](/change-of-name-deed/) first if you still need one: [deed poll PDF for £14.99](/adult-deed-poll/) or the [free government wording](/free-deed-poll-template/). After marriage, a straight surname swap uses the marriage certificate instead of a deed poll — see [change name after marriage](/change-name-after-marriage/). Full sequence: [name change UK](/how-to-change-your-name-uk/).

|
 | DVLA name change | Passport name change

| Fee (checked 13 August 2026) | Free | £102 online / £115.50 paper (adult)

| Form | D1, posted | Standard renewal

| Deed poll | Original wet-ink, or marriage certificate for a straight swap | Original plus name-in-use evidence within 12 months

| Fine for not updating | Up to £1,000 | Old passport stays valid until you choose to renew

## Why should the DVLA be my first update?

Because it is free and relatively fast, and the updated licence is accepted as name-in-use evidence for your passport application and often your bank. Updating your name with the DVLA is also a legal obligation — you can be fined up to £1,000 for not telling them when your name or address changes.

Photocopy the new licence once it arrives and keep the paper with your spare signed deed polls. Then do the passport if you need to travel in the new name: [change the name on your passport](/change-name-passport/).

## What comes after the driving licence?

Your passport if you need to travel in the new name, then your bank, HMRC via your Personal Tax Account, employer, NHS, insurers and utilities. The complete order is in the who-to-notify checklist. None of those bodies enrol your deed; they just need a signed original or a copy, depending on their rules.

Checklist: [who to notify](/who-to-notify/). If you want the letters drafted, the [£9.95 Notification Letter Pack](/notification-letter-pack/) writes them. Skip the letter pack if you are happy to email each organisation yourself.

## Related guides

- [Name change UK](/how-to-change-your-name-uk/)
- [Change of name deed to send with the D1](/change-of-name-deed/)
- [Then change name on passport](/change-name-passport/)
- [Full who-to-notify order](/who-to-notify/)

## Sources and further reading

- [GOV.UK — change the name on your driving licence](https://www.gov.uk/change-name-driving-licence)
- [GOV.UK — passport fees](https://www.gov.uk/passport-fees)

Good to know

## Frequently asked questions

### Is it really free to change my name with the DVLA?+

Yes — there is no fee. Complete a D1 form, enclose your current licence and your original signed deed poll, and post it to the DVLA.

### Will I be fined if I don’t update my driving licence?+

You can be fined up to £1,000 for not telling the DVLA when your name or address changes. It is free and quick, so do it within the first week of your name change.

### Can I keep driving while my licence is being updated?+

Generally yes — you can usually continue driving while the DVLA processes your application, provided your licence was valid and you meet the standard conditions. Check the D1 form guidance for your circumstances.

### Does the DVLA accept a home-printed deed poll?+

Yes — send the original wet-ink signed document. A printout you then signed in ink counts as an original; a photocopy of a signed one does not. Print and sign 3–4 copies so you always hold a spare original.