Free deed poll template: PDF and Word
Quick answer
Updated · Editorial policy
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Choose your free download
For a straightforward adult unenrolled deed poll, age 16 or over. Page 1 explains how to use it; page 2 is the blank deed. Check what your intended recipients accept before completing either version.
Printable PDF
Print the deed page and complete the labelled spaces legibly in ink. Use the Word version if you need more room for long names or addresses.
A4 · 2 pages · blank template
Editable Word document
Replace the bracketed details in Word or a compatible editor, check the layout, and print. Add actual signatures in ink with your witnesses present.
DOCX · 2 pages before editing
These are blank self-completion files. For an automatically personalised PDF, our optional £14.99 adult service remains available.
Copy the deed-poll wording
Replace all bracketed placeholders with the correct details. The model text is from GOV.UK; the signature labels make the four signature spaces clear.
NAME CHANGE DEED I [OLD FULL NAME] of [FULL ADDRESS] have given up my name [OLD FULL NAME] and have adopted for all purposes the name [NEW FULL NAME]. Where applicable, I have informed the police that I have given up my name [OLD FULL NAME] and have adopted the name [NEW FULL NAME] and understand that a failure to do so is a criminal offence. I also understand that when I apply for official documents in my new name, such as a British Passport, the relevant authorities may check the history and validity of my old name [OLD FULL NAME] and new name [NEW FULL NAME]. They may also check the information in any other supporting documents they have requested. Signed as a deed on [DATE] as [OLD FULL NAME] and [NEW FULL NAME] in the presence of [WITNESS 1 NAME] of [WITNESS 1 ADDRESS], and [WITNESS 2 NAME] of [WITNESS 2 ADDRESS]. Your signature in your new name: ____________________ Your signature in your old name: ____________________ Witness 1 signature: ____________________ Witness 2 signature: ____________________
Who can use this free deed-poll template?
The template is for a straightforward adult unenrolled name change using the GOV.UK model, for people aged 16 or over. It is not a child deed, a court-enrolment application or a statutory declaration. Ask each organisation whether this kind of evidence meets its requirements.
You may not need a deed at all if a marriage or civil partnership certificate supports your intended name change. Use the document chooser first. A child’s name change needs the correct parental consent or court authority; do not adapt this adult template to bypass those requirements.
Scotland has a separate route for recording eligible changes in Scottish birth and adoption registers. For Northern Ireland, overseas use, foreign nationality or a court order, check the relevant procedure and receiving authority. The template is not a confirmation of eligibility in every jurisdiction.
How do I fill in and sign the template?
- Check your document choice. Confirm that an unenrolled deed is suitable and ask recipients about their evidence requirements.
- Enter the same details consistently. Complete every old-name, new-name, address and witness field. Keep the full wording, including the sentence about checks on supporting documents.
- Check before printing. In Word, replace every bracketed field and make sure no text or signature block is clipped after editing. For the PDF, use the available blank spaces legibly; choose Word if the details will not fit.
- Meet your witnesses. For this model, choose two adults aged 18 or over who are independent, not close relatives or partners, and do not live with you.
- Use the actual signing date and ink. Sign in both your old and new names while the witnesses physically watch. Each witness then signs and provides their full name and address. Do not backdate a new deed.
- Keep your originals. If you need more than one original, execute each copy properly. Update organisations individually using the evidence they request.
Use our illustrated signing guide and free signing check before you begin. A typed name or pasted signature is not a substitute for the wet signatures required for this process.
Will organisations accept a free deed poll?
A deed is not invalid simply because you prepared it for free. HM Passport Office accepts properly completed unenrolled deeds under its evidence guidance. However, GOV.UK warns that some organisations may require an enrolled deed. Correct signing and the recipient’s supporting-evidence requirements still matter.
For a passport application, you normally need separate evidence that you use the new name. DVLA also specifies name-in-use evidence for deed-poll applications. Read the passport and driving-licence guides.
If an organisation will not accept the document, ask for the reason and its policy in writing. Our free rejection helper and printable evidence-request letter can help you work out the next step. Buying a paid unenrolled deed will not satisfy a requirement for court enrolment.
What is the difference between the free files and the £14.99 PDF?
The free files give you the wording, a document layout and instructions. The paid service adds automatic personalisation and delivery of your completed PDF. You choose whether that convenience is useful; both routes still require you to check the details, arrange witnesses, sign and update your records.
| What you receive | Free blank files | £14.99 adult service |
|---|---|---|
| Deed-poll wording | GOV.UK model to complete yourself | Personalised wording using your submitted details |
| Document format | Printable blank PDF and editable DOCX | Completed A4 PDF ready to check and print |
| Signing help | Instructions and free signing checklist | Instruction card with the personalised document |
| Payment | None | £14.99 once for an adult deed poll |
| Signatures and notification | You arrange and complete them | You arrange and complete them |
See the personalised adult deed poll if you prefer automatic formatting. The optional notification letters are a separate product; the free downloads do not commit you to a purchase.
Where does the free wording come from?
The core wording is reproduced from GOV.UK’s guide to making an unenrolled deed poll. It includes the police-notification provision where applicable, checks on the old and new name, and checks on supporting documents. We have supplied clear blank fields, signature labels and separate instructions.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Crown copyright. Source checked 12 September 2026. InstantDeedPoll is an independent service and is not a government department.
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