UK Child Deed Poll

UK Child Deed Poll
UK Child Deed Poll

Service Notes

Your child's new Deed Poll will be presented on high quality parchment paper, which will be sealed and bound with legal corners to protect the document.

Having the Deed prepared in this way is a requirement of most official organisations. The document is drafted and checked by one of our specialists to ensure it will be fit for purpose, before being posted out to you.

It's recommended you order more than a single copy, as you will likely need to update your child's details with several companies and by sending out requests notifications at once, you could save you lots of valuable time, as well as protecting against your only copy being lost.

What happens when I order this service?

You will need to complete the information in the form on the right of the page. You'll get chance to review these details before you checkout. If you require more than one Deed Poll, please complete one form per Deed and add it to the basket before starting another application.

Once you've placed your order, you will receive a confirmation email with your order reference and digital support documents.

Our specialist team will personally check all of the information in your request. If there is any additional information required, or something needs clarification, we will get in touch as soon as possible.

Once the request information is ready, we will create your Deed Poll for you as well as professionally bind and seal it to keep it safe. If you've ordered additional copies, we will present these in the same way.

As soon as the Deed Poll is ready for dispatch, we will notify you that it's on its way.

Paying for your order

Online

You can place your order online securely using all major credit and debits cards, as well as PayPal.

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Via bank transfer

If you'd prefer to place your order and make a bank transfer, this option is available during checkout. Please make sure you include your order number as a payment reference.

Shipping

All timescales shown on the website refer to how long it will take us to process your request and create your Deed Poll. Upon completion, we will send your documents by the method chosen when your order has been placed.

We use a range of methods to ensure secured delivery of your documents. These are determined by the country you live in as follows:

UK Deliveries

All deliveries to UK addresses, including The Channel Islands and the Isle of Mann, are sent using Royal Mail. Services available include Standard First Class, Royal Mailed Signed For and Royal Mail Special Delivery (1PM).

Overseas Deliveries

Services for deliveries overseas vary dependent on your location. For most countries including the EU, North America and Australia, we offer Standard Royal Mail International post. This is not a tracked or insured postal method. We do offer Royal Mail International Track And Sign for an additional cost, available globally except the Middle East. If you require your certificate quickly, or are based in the Middle East we do offer a global courier service via UPS and DHL.

UPS & DHL Logo

Failed Deliveries

If you have opted for a signed service and no-one is available to sign for the delivery, the package will be taken back to the local sorting office or depot and you will be left a card asking you to collect the item or arrange for a reattempted delivery at a convenient time.

How are Apostilles applied?

An Apostille is applied to completed documents by the UK Government. In order to have an Apostille applied to a Deed Poll, you will first need to sign and have them witnessed, before returning the documents to us for processing. Our solicitor will certify the document as genuine, before we submit your document to the necessary Government departments.

You will only need to return the signed copies you wish to have Apostilled, not any additional copies. We include a pre-paid Special Delivery envelope with your order so you can simply pop it into the post box and get it back to us as soon as possible.

As soon as the Apostilled Deed Poll is ready for dispatch, we will notify you that it's on its way. Please note that the additional processing time for Apostilles starts from when we receive your Deed back at our offices.

If you want to change the name of a child under the age of 16, who is a British National resident in the UK, you may require a Deed Poll. It's important to note that anyone with parental responsibility (PR) for the child must give permission for the name change in order for the Deed to be valid. It is the responsibility of the adult making the application for the Deed to ensure that everyone with PR has given consent.

A Deed Poll, once signed and witnessed, is a formal legal document stating the child is giving up their previous name and you intend to use their newly chosen new name for all purposes.

A Deed created by Vital Certificates is guaranteed to be accepted by all UK governmental departments, such as HM Passport Office, as well as banks and education institutions. We will prepare your professional Deed Poll and despatch it to you within 3 working days. If you need it urgently, we can despatch it within 1 working day for an additional fee.

As well as a professionally drafted and bound Deed Poll document, you will receive a digital help guide on making the Deed legally binding and a comprehensive guide on creating a consent letter to support the Deed.

To confirm who can act as a witness, see the Guidance Notes at the bottom of the page
Urgent Deed Poll (1 working day despatch)

Service Fee:  $32.08

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apostille information

An Apostille is a government verification which allows you to use a document outside of the UK for official purposes. If you are presenting your Deed in another country, for example the USA, Australia, or anywhere else, you will likely require this stage. If you're unsure, get in touch for advice.

You will need to sign your Deed Poll and return it to allow us to Apostille it for you.

Service Notes

Your child's new Deed Poll will be presented on high quality parchment paper, which will be sealed and bound with legal corners to protect the document.

Having the Deed prepared in this way is a requirement of most official organisations. The document is drafted and checked by one of our specialists to ensure it will be fit for purpose, before being posted out to you.

It's recommended you order more than a single copy, as you will likely need to update your child's details with several companies and by sending out requests notifications at once, you could save you lots of valuable time, as well as protecting against your only copy being lost.

What happens when I order this service?

Firstly, you need to add the Deed Polls you require to your basket. You will get chance to enter the details into a form during checkout. Once you've placed your order, you will receive a confirmation email with your order reference and digital support documents.

Our specialist team will personally check all of the information in your request. If there is any additional information required, or something needs clarification, we will get in touch as soon as possible.

Once the request information is ready, we will create your Deed Poll for you as well as professionally bind and seal it to keep it safe. If you've ordered additional copies, we will present these in the same way.

As soon as the Deed Poll is ready for dispatch, we will notify you that it's on its way.

Paying for your order

Online

You can place your order online securely using all major creadit and debits cards, as well as PayPal.

opayo logo

Via bank transfer

If you'd prefer to place your order and make a bank transfer, this option is available during checkout. Please make sure you include your order number as a payment reference.

Shipping

All timescales shown on the website refer to how long it will take us to process your request and create your Deed Poll. Upon completion, we will send your documents by the method chosen when your order has been placed.

We use a range of methods to ensure secured delivery of your documents. These are determined by the country you live in as follows:

UK Deliveries

All deliveries to UK addresses, including The Channel Islands and the Isle of Mann, are sent using Royal Mail. Services available include Standard First Class, Royal Mailed Signed For and Royal Mail Special Delivery (1PM).

Overseas Deliveries

Services for deliveries overseas vary dependent on your location. For most countries including the EU, North America and Australia, we offer Standard Royal Mail International post. This is not a tracked or insured postal method. We do offer Royal Mail International Track And Sign for an additional cost, available globally except the Middle East. If you require your certificate quickly, or are based in the Middle East we do offer a global courier service via UPS and DHL.

UPS & DHL Logo

Failed Deliveries

If you have opted for a signed service and no-one is available to sign for the delivery, the package will be taken back to the local sorting office or depot and you will be left a card asking you to collect the item or arrange for a reattempted delivery at a convenient time.

How are Apostilles applied?

An Apostille is applied to completed documents by the UK Government. In order to have an Apostille applied to a Deed Poll, you will first need to sign and have them witnessed, before returning the documents to us for processing. Our solicitor will certify the document as genuine, before we submit your document to the necessary Government departments.

You will only need to return the signed copies you wish to have Apostilled, not any additional copies. We include a pre-paid Special Delivery envelope with your order so you can simply pop it into the post box and get it back to us as soon as possible.

As soon as the Apostilled Deed Poll is ready for dispatch, we will notify you that it's on its way. Please note that the additional processing time for Apostilles starts from when we receive your Deed back at our offices.

Who will accept my deed poll?

We guarantee 100% acceptance for any Deed Poll issued by Vital Certificates, provided it's been completed and witnessed correctly once you receive it. This includes the DVLA, insurers, HM Passport Office, employers, utility companies, banks, education institutions and anywhere else you need to update your details. We provide an easy-to-follow guide with every Deed Poll order to help you complete the document correctly and if you still need support, our team is always here to help.

What our customers say

Guidance Notes

This section is designed to answer questions you may have about UK Adult Deed Polls. If there is anything you are unsure of, please feel free to call a member of our sales team on +44 (0) 330 088 1142, or use our live chat function. We will be more than happy to help.

  • In some instances, a name change may not require you to obtain a Deed Poll. For example, if you have officially adopted your child and are only changing their surname, the adoption certificate will be sufficient evidence.

    Most other instances of name change will require a Deed to be created. This could include:

    • Changing the child's forename
    • Addition or removal of a middle name
    • Gender affirmation reasons
    • You later marry and wish to double-barrel their name
    • Family reasons

  • You will need 2 witnesses to be present and sign your Deed with you, who must both:

    • be over 18 years old
    • know who you are
    • not be a relative or someone you live with
    The ideal people to ask are neighbours, colleagues or close friends.

    To order a Retroactive Deed Poll for a child, get in touch.

  • Titles, officially known as "honorifics", are not a legal part of your name. If you are a Master, Mr or Mrs, but would prefer to be known as something else, no documentation is needed to make this change. You can simply choose a title by usage.

  • If you would like to change your child's name to more accurately reflect their gender, you can do so with a Deed Poll. Bear in mind however, that their official ID will still display their legally recognised gender until a Gender Recognition Certificate has been obtained, which you can find out more about here.

    In the UK, the government currently only recognises two genders. You are still able to change your name as you choose, and can adopt a gender-neutral title such as "Mx." if you wish. More companies are starting to recognise additional genders and making accommodations in their forms and paperwork processes.

  • If your child is under 16, you will need to prove parental consent was given for the name change to happen. This will need to mention and be signed by everyone who has legal parental responsibility for the child and if the letter is not provided with the Deed Poll, it will likely be rejected.

    To help you create your letter of consent, as well as identify who legally holds responsibility, you will receive our useful and easy to follow guide when your order has been placed. This will give you wording templates and explain what you need to include in the document.

  • Although there are no offical laws in the UK on the use of names, there are regulations enforced by individual government departments. For example, HM Passport Office have their own guidelines on the acceptance of names and if your application doesn't meet these, it will be rejected. Things to generally avoid when changing your name could include:

    • A registered trademark such as Coca Cola
    • Anything deemed offensive
    • A name which is unpronounceable
    • Contains numbers or special characters
    • Includes anything which could be deemed misleading such as Lord, Duke, Prince
    • Is extremely long
    • Only includes a single name
    • Gives the impression you have honours such as MBE, OBE
  • An Apostille is a government-issued verification applied to documents that are going to be used outside of the UK. If you have your UK-issued Deed Poll and are using it overseas for official purposes, such as applying for a Passport or Citizenship, you will likely need this service; if you're only going to be using your document within the UK, this won't be necessary.

    Bear in mind that an Apostille is only recognised as full legalisation in other Hague Member states, including the USA, Australia and most of Europe. If you're using it outside the Hague zone, additional steps will be required. To find out more about this, see our Apostille page here.

  • Yes, but you will likely need to complete several other stages before it will be recognised outside of the UK. If for example your child needs to enroll in a new school and needs to provide personal documents, the Deed Poll will need to be legally recognised by the authorities in the country.

    To make this possible, you will need to legalise, also known as "attest" their Deed for them. The process itself will differ, depedent on where you're moving to, and you may also require a translation. For more information, get in touch with our friendly team of specialists who can advise on legalising the Deed for use in over 150 countries.

  • Some companies may supply digital Deed Polls, but we don't feel these hold any real value. When you're presenting your Deed to a company or government department, they will expect to see an official looking document which has been professionally drafted and bound. Having a hard copy posted out to you for you to sign ensures that we can guarantee your Deed will be accepted, provided you follow the guidance notes we provide on having it witnessed.

  • Technically, no. If they're under 16 and you hold parental responsibility, as long as you give consent (along with any other parent who holds parental responsibility) the Deed Poll can be created. However, it's important you speak to your child and ensure they understand the change and why it is being made. You will also need to bear in mind any possible family tensions which may arise due to the name change, dependent on the situation, so discussing this with your child will give them more confidence with their new name.

Why choose Vital Certificates?

benefits

100% Acceptance Guarantee

We guarantee your Deed Poll will be accepted by all UK companies and organizations.

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Professionally Prepared

Bound and sealed on high quality stock by our specialists.

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Fast Certificate Preparation

We check and prepare your Deed quickly, before posting it out to you.

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Ongoing Support

We email you a easy to follow guide when you place your order on how to use your Deed Poll.

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Knowledgable Staff

Our team were established in 2006 and have years of experience in document preparation.

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Easy Ordering

Fast and simple ordering process; request your Deed Poll in as little as 10 minutes!

Still got questions?

You can either get in touch with our friendly team of specialists who will be able to assist you, or you can read our comprehensive Frequently Asked Questions. Whatever you need, we're here to help!

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If you're not sure whether you need a Deed Poll, or want to know more about the process, read our FAQs.

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If you still have questions and you'd rather speak to a real person, we get it. Our friendly team is here to help today.

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