Q&A | For the Bride[BACK TO ALL QUESTIONS & ANSWERS]

I would like to change my surname to my married name, where do I begin and who do I need to notify?

First off, you will need to register your marriage with Home Affairs, once you have received your marriage certificate you are then able to start with the mammoth task of changing to your married name.

Step 1

• ID Document
  Remember to bring along a certified copy of your marriage certificate as well as your original ID book, and all the necessaries to complete the application.

Step 2

• Passports and Drivers License
  You can wait until these documents expire before changing the particulars, this will mean that you will need to carry a certified copy of your marriage certificate with you at all times, especially if your ID Document has already been changed.
• SARS
• Bank accounts and cards
• Employer, especially of the change in bank account details.

Step 3

• Retirement Annuities
• Mortgage
• Voter registration
• Doctor, dentist, Medical Aids
• Life, auto, and home insurance policies
• Investment Accounts
• Service Providers – ADSL/Telkom, Cell phone contracts, Retail accounts
• Municipality and Utilities
• Legal Contracts
• Will

It is quite a process to change your surname and will take some time, so always carry a certified copy of your marriage certificate with you should you be required to explain the name discrepancies.