To change your name, you will need to fill out the Ontario Application to Change an Adult's Name (11155e). This part of the presentation is based on the application updated as of October 2022. Please make sure you are filling out the most recent version of this form.
The application is nineteen pages long, and divided into seven parts, but you may not need to fill out all of them. You must also submit a fee of $137 with your application.
This application requires you to fill out a lot of your personal information, including:
You will also require a guarantor who can prove that any of your permanent addresses have been located in Ontario for the 12 months prior to your application. In my experience, most applicants will use a medical professional for this category. However, there are several other options such as municipal clerks, school principals, and First Nations chiefs (for the full list, please check page 13 of the application). If you cannot find anyone that meets the requirements, you can use someone other than a relative who has known you for at least five years and can speak to your residency in Ontario for the past year. Make sure you remove the Guarantor's statement section and have the chosen individual complete and return it to you before you submit the application.
All name changes registered under Ontario's Change of Name Act are generally published in The Ontario Gazette, however you can request non-publication if you are transgender, First Nations, Inuit, or Métis by submitting a completed Request for Non-Publication form (11320e) with your change of name application. The Ontario Gazette currently publishes information both in paper and online, so if publication of your previous name is not desirable, we would strongly recommend adding this into your process.
You must sign the statutory declaration on page 16 in front of a commissioner for taking affidavits, who will seal or stamp the document at that time to verify your identity and the accuracy of the information as written. The commissioner does not have to know the person signing the application. Several notary/commissioner's offices in Ontario will commission these documents for trans individuals for no charge; however, the typical charge if applicable is $30-45.
If possible, we recommend sending the entire application in a tracked envelope using Canada Post, to ease the stress of your application getting lost in the mail, and to allow for an update when it is likely beginning to be processed.
Send your completed form, payment, and required documents to:
Office of the Registrar General
P.O. Box 3000
189 Red River Road
Thunder Bay, ON
P7B 5W0
If it is more accessible for you to submit the application in person and you are located in Toronto, you can bring your completed form, payment, and required documents to:
ServiceOntario
47 Sheppard Avenue East, Unit 417, 4th Floor
Toronto, ON
M2N 5N1
If your application is complete and accurate, you should receive a certificate of name change in 6-8 weeks, however it may take longer if you have requested a change to a single name or reclaimed name. If you were born in Ontario, you will also receive your updated birth certificate at that time. If you were born elsewhere in Canada, notice of your name change is generally sent to the vital statistics office in the province or territory where you were born. You will most likely need to apply to that vital statistics office to obtain a new birth certificate.
When filling out these forms, make sure to give yourself time. It will likely take several weeks to gather all the information you need, and to complete, double-check, and submit the forms.
Additionally, ensure you print clearly using a pen with blue or black ink, do not use correction fluid on any forms, and if you make a mistake or want to change information, you must do the following process:
Your change of name certificate will show your previous name and your new name. You can use this certificate to change your name on other personal documents, such as driver's licenses, photo cards, or health cards.
