See the fee for publishing a change of name in the Gazette of India for an adult or a minor, in India or abroad, and the steps to follow.
| Applicant | Living in India | Living outside India |
|---|---|---|
| Adult | Rs 1,100 | Rs 3,500 |
| Minor | Rs 1,700 | Rs 5,100 |
These fees are charged by the Department of Publication, Government of India, for publishing a change of name in the Gazette of India, and are paid through the Bharatkosh portal.
The figure the calculator shows is the publication charge that the Department of Publication, under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, collects before it sends your notice to the Government of India Press for printing in Part IV of the weekly Gazette of India. It is a government receipt, paid into the Consolidated Fund through the Bharatkosh portal, and it is the same whether you live in a village in Bihar or a flat in South Delhi. What changes the amount is the kind of notice you are asking for and where the applicant lives, not the length of your name or the city you write from.
That one number is often mistaken for the whole cost of a name change. It is not. Before the Department will accept your file you need a newspaper notice, a signed undertaking, a typed proforma witnessed by two people, a soft copy, photographs and a copy of your identity proof. Each of these costs a little, and if you hire someone to prepare the file, their fee comes on top. The sections below separate the government charge from everything else, so that you can tell a fair quote from an inflated one.
India has no single statute that tells a citizen how to change a name. An adult is free to call himself or herself by any name, and courts have repeatedly said that choosing one's name is part of personal liberty and expression. The difficulty is not the change itself but proving it to institutions that already hold your old name: the passport office, UIDAI, the Income Tax Department, your bank, your university and your employer. Each wants some public, verifiable record that the person called A is now called B.
The gazette notice fills that gap. It is a public announcement, printed by the Government of India Press and kept permanently online, that you have given up one name and adopted another. It does not create the new name by itself, and some courts have pointed out that it is a declaration made by the applicant rather than a government order. But because it is official, dated, searchable and easy to verify, most authorities treat it as the strongest ordinary proof of a change of name short of a court decree.
For everything else, such as dropping a caste surname, adopting a new first name, changing a child's surname after a divorce, or aligning a name across certificates issued years apart, the gazette is the practical route.
The Department publishes personal notices in Part IV of the weekly gazette. Its rates were last revised by an office order of 19 September 2023, and the amounts below are the ones in use as of October 2026. The adult and abroad rates appear in the Department's own guidelines; the others are the rates commonly charged under the revised order and should be checked on the payment screen before you pay.
| Type of notice | Applicant in India | Applicant abroad |
|---|---|---|
| Change of name, adult (18 or over) | Rs 1,100 | Rs 3,500 |
| Change of name, minor (under 18) | Rs 1,700 | Rs 5,100 |
| Public notice, such as correction of name or change of sex | Rs 1,400 | Confirm with the Department |
| Change of religion | Rs 1,700 | Confirm with the Department |
| Adopting a name linked to another religion, without changing religion | Rs 1,350 (Rs 1,100 plus Rs 250) | Confirm with the Department |
| Adoption of a child | Rs 1,700 | Confirm with the Department |
The charge pays for scrutiny of your file by the Department, typesetting and publication of one notice in one issue of the weekly gazette, and permanent hosting of that issue on the e-gazette website. It does not pay for a printed copy; physical printing and sale of the gazette ended on 30 September 2015, and since then every issue is published electronically. You download your own copy free of cost.
It also does not cover anything outside the Department: the newspaper advertisement, the stamp paper and notary charge for an affidavit if you choose to make one, photocopies, photographs, a CD or pen drive, courier charges, and the fee of anyone you engage to prepare the papers.
The base rate assumes one old name, one new name and one address. Practitioners regularly report an extra Rs 250 being levied for wording that lengthens the notice, such as recording more than one earlier name, giving two addresses, adding a line that only the name and not the religion is changing, or describing a woman as both "daughter of" and "wife of". If your notice needs any of these, expect the Department to ask for the difference, and keep the original receipt so that a second small payment can be matched to it.
An Indian citizen or person of Indian origin living outside India submits a deed of change of name attested in original by the Indian embassy or high commission. The Department charges a higher rate for these files. The embassy also charges its own consular fee for attestation, which varies by country and is paid separately at the mission.
Here is a realistic breakdown for someone who prepares the file personally. Ranges reflect differences between cities and newspapers; your actual spend can be lower or higher.
| Item | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Gazette charge (adult, in India) | Rs 1,100 | Fixed government rate, paid on Bharatkosh |
| Newspaper notice in one local daily | Rs 400 to Rs 2,500 | Depends on the paper, edition and number of lines; regional editions are usually cheaper |
| Second newspaper, if you want one for the passport office | Rs 400 to Rs 2,500 | Not required by the Department; useful if you will rely on newspapers instead of the gazette elsewhere |
| Affidavit on stamp paper with notary | Rs 150 to Rs 600 | Optional for the gazette itself; many offices still ask for one when you update records |
| Typing, printing, photocopies, photographs | Rs 100 to Rs 300 | Proforma in duplicate, undertaking, certificate, request letter |
| CD or soft copy media | Rs 30 to Rs 100 | MS Word file of the notice |
| Speed Post or courier to Delhi | Rs 50 to Rs 150 | Keep the tracking number |
Put together, a self-prepared adult application in India usually costs between about Rs 1,800 and Rs 4,500. A minor's application starts about Rs 600 higher because of the gazette charge. Applicants abroad should add the higher gazette charge and the embassy's attestation fee.
Many people prefer to pay someone to draft and assemble the papers, and that is a perfectly sensible choice for a busy person. When you compare quotes, ask for the government charge, the newspaper cost and the service fee to be shown separately. The government charge cannot be discounted or increased; if someone quotes Rs 3,000 as the "gazette fee", most of that is a service charge. Remember also that the Department does not accept files through agents or advocates: the application must go in your own name, signed by you, either delivered by you or sent by post or courier. A helper can prepare the papers but cannot stand in for you at the counter.
The Department's guidelines for an adult change of name set out seven items. Files that miss even one are commonly returned or kept pending, so it helps to understand what each is for.
| No. | Document | What it must contain |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Signed undertaking | Old name, new name, full name of father or husband, and residential address, with a declaration that the facts are true and correct to the best of your knowledge and belief |
| 2 | Original newspaper | The full original newspaper in which your notice appeared, not a photocopy or a cut-out strip |
| 3 | Proforma in duplicate | The notice text in the prescribed specimen format, computer typed on plain paper, signed by you in the old name, with two witnesses giving full name, signature, address and mobile number |
| 4 | Soft copy on CD | The same notice text as an MS Word file, without the witness portion, with your old name typed where the signature would be |
| 5 | Photographs and ID | Two self-attested passport-size photographs and a self-attested copy of a photo identity document |
| 6 | Certificate of identical copies | A signed statement that the printed and soft copies match, accepting responsibility for any mismatch or loss in transit |
| 7 | Request letter with the fee | A covering letter to the Controller of Publications, with proof of payment of the charge |
The guidelines add that documents should not be more than a year old. A newspaper notice published eighteen months ago, or an identity proof that has since expired, invites a query.
A point that confuses many applicants: the Department's adult guidelines ask for the notice to appear in one of the daily local leading newspapers, stating your father's or husband's name and your address. Many guides and agents insist on two papers, one English and one regional. That habit comes from elsewhere. The passport rules, for people who do not have a gazette notification, accept clippings of two local newspapers, and some state gazettes, such as Karnataka's, ask for one regional and one English paper. For the central gazette, one local daily is enough. If you expect to approach the passport office before your gazette is out, or if you simply want extra proof, a second paper is a reasonable optional expense.
The newspaper notice should match the proforma exactly, letter for letter. A typical wording runs as follows, though you should adapt it to the Department's current specimen:
Check the spelling of both names and the address carefully before the paper goes to print. A typing slip in the newspaper means paying for the notice again, because the Department will not publish a gazette notice that differs from the newspaper.
Until the gazette is published your legal identity is still the old name, so the proforma and undertaking are signed in that name. Applicants who sign in the new name, or who use a signature that does not match their identity proof, commonly receive a query. Use the signature you have on your existing documents.
Two adults who know you, such as a relative, neighbour or colleague, can witness the proforma. Each writes their full name, address and mobile number and signs. Witnesses do not need to be gazetted officers and do not need to attach identity proof unless the current specimen asks for it. Avoid using the same person twice, and make sure both sign each copy of the duplicate.
The Department maintains a separate list of documents it accepts as proof of the old name and of address. In practice, Aadhaar, passport, voter identity card, driving licence and PAN serve as identity proof, and a school leaving certificate or board certificate is often the best proof of the old name because it is the earliest official record. Where your documents themselves differ from each other, attach the one that shows the old name exactly as it appears in your notice.
Many people are surprised that a CD is still listed when most laptops no longer have a drive. The requirement remains in the guidelines. Computer shops near court complexes and printing shops still write CDs for a small charge. If you send any other medium, confirm first that the Department will accept it, or you risk a query that costs you weeks.
Since 1 October 2018 the Department has taken publication charges through the Non Tax Receipt Portal, better known as Bharatkosh. Cash and demand drafts, which older guides still mention, are no longer the standard route. The portal is run by the Controller General of Accounts and accepts net banking, debit and credit cards and UPI.
The completed file goes to the Controller of Publications, Department of Publication, Civil Lines, Delhi 110054. You can deliver it in person during public dealing hours, which the guidelines give as 10 am to 1 pm and 2 pm to 4 pm on working days, or send it by post or courier.
Employees of the Central Government follow an additional route. A Ministry of Home Affairs office memorandum of 12 March 1987 lays down a deed of change of name for them, and the Department's guidelines include a specimen deed. The employee informs the office, which updates the service book on the basis of the deed and the gazette notice. Check with your establishment section before filing so that the wording suits both purposes.
The Department does not promise a fixed time, and its guidelines state that it is not responsible for delays at the Government of India Press. The ranges below reflect what applicants usually experience.
| Stage | Usual time |
|---|---|
| Drafting the notice, undertaking and proforma | 1 to 3 days |
| Newspaper publication | 1 to 3 days after booking |
| Signatures, witnesses, CD, payment | 1 to 3 days |
| Post or courier to Delhi | 2 to 5 days |
| Scrutiny and publication in the weekly gazette | Commonly 3 to 8 weeks, longer in busy periods or if a query is raised |
| Issue appearing online for download | Usually within a few days of the publication date |
A clean file avoids the commonest delay, which is a query letter followed by a fresh submission. If you need the gazette by a fixed date, for a visa interview or an admission, start at least two to three months ahead.
The Department does not post you a copy. You download it from the e-gazette website, and the guidelines say this downloaded copy needs no further certification from the Department.
Note the issue number, date and page; authorities sometimes ask for these. The Department adds that it is not responsible for tampering in downloaded copies, which is another reason institutions verify the notice online rather than relying only on a printout.
The Department keeps separate guidelines for several situations, listed on its change of name page: minors, change of religion, adoption of a child, adopting a different surname, adopting a maiden surname, change of name and gender, change of a minor's name after divorce, and general public notices. Each changes the paperwork and sometimes the charge.
A child cannot sign a legal declaration, so the application is made by a parent or legal guardian, who signs the undertaking and proforma on the child's behalf. The notice names the child, the parent and the address. Expect to attach the child's birth certificate or school record showing the old name, and identity proof of the parent who applies. The charge is Rs 1,700 in India and Rs 5,100 for a child living abroad. Where both parents are available, it is wise for both to consent in writing; an institution that later sees one parent's signature alone may ask why.
A mother with custody often wants the child to carry her surname after a divorce. The Department has specific guidelines for a public notice of change of a minor's name after divorce. Keep the divorce decree and any custody order ready, because the right to change the child's surname can be contested by the other parent, and schools and passport offices may ask for the order. If the father objects, settle the question through the family court before filing; see how divorce works in India.
Changing the surname on marriage is the most common name change in the country, and for most purposes it needs no gazette. The passport rules treat a married woman's change of surname as a re-issue matter needing no proof of marriage. Banks, employers and PAN accept a marriage certificate. A gazette helps when the first name is also changing, when a woman wants to drop her husband's surname after a divorce, or when old certificates in the maiden name must be reconciled with years of records in the married name. The Department also has guidelines for adopting a maiden surname, for women returning to the name they had before marriage. See name change after marriage.
Where a person has converted and wants the gazette to record it, the change of religion must be declared in the newspaper notice and the undertaking, and the higher rate for religion notices applies. Where a person only adopts a name associated with another religion, without converting, the undertaking must say plainly that the applicant is not changing religion; a smaller add-on applies. State laws on conversion in some states require separate prior notice to the district magistrate, which the gazette does not replace. See religion change in gazette.
Transgender persons can publish a change of name together with a change of gender. The Supreme Court in NALSA v. Union of India (2014) recognised the right to self-identify one's gender, and the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019 provides for a certificate of identity issued by the district magistrate, through the national portal for transgender persons, on which the person can rely to change their name and gender in official documents. The gazette notice for a change of name and gender is treated as a public notice, at the Rs 1,400 rate. Check the current guideline for the documents the Department wants; older guidance asked for a medical document, while the 2019 Act's certificate is now the main official proof.
A correction, such as Sunil Kumar becoming Sunil Kumaar, or a missing middle name, is published as a public notice rather than a change of name. The notice explains which spelling is correct and which documents carry the wrong one. Before paying for a gazette, ask whether an affidavit will satisfy the office that holds the wrong spelling; many will accept one for a small mismatch.
An adoption notice records that a child has been adopted and the name the child will now carry. Under the Juvenile Justice framework and the adoption regulations, the adoption order itself is issued by the district magistrate; the gazette notice is a publicity step that helps with later records. The rate is Rs 1,700.
The gazette is about names. A wrong date of birth is corrected through the authority that issued the record, such as the birth registrar or school board, sometimes supported by a public notice. See date of birth correction for that process.
Indians abroad sign a deed of change of name before the Indian embassy, high commission or consulate, which attests it. The original attested deed goes to the Department with the other papers, and the higher abroad rate applies. Practice on the newspaper notice differs between missions, so ask the mission which newspaper it expects before you book one. Many missions also process passport re-issue in the new name once the gazette is published.
Besides the Gazette of India, every state publishes its own official gazette, and most accept change of name notices from residents. Delhi has the Delhi Gazette, Maharashtra the Maharashtra Government Gazette Part II through the Directorate of Government Printing, Stationery and Publications, Karnataka the Karnataka Gazette through Seva Sindhu, West Bengal the Kolkata Gazette Part II, and Uttar Pradesh the Uttar Pradesh Gazette. Which one you choose depends on where you will use the notice.
| Point | Gazette of India (central) | State gazette |
|---|---|---|
| Who publishes | Department of Publication, Delhi | The state's printing and stationery department |
| Who can apply | Any Indian citizen, including those abroad | Usually residents of that state |
| How to apply | File by hand, post or courier; fee on Bharatkosh | Many states have moved fully online through the state services portal |
| Charge | Rs 1,100 for an adult in India | Set by each state; often lower than the central charge |
| Recognition | Accepted across India and by Indian missions | Accepted within the state; widely accepted elsewhere, but some institutions outside the state ask for the central notice |
| Best suited for | People who move between states, work for the Central Government, or deal with central bodies such as CBSE, the passport office or a central university | People whose records are mostly with state bodies, such as a state school board, state university or state government employer |
For years, applicants with a central gazette notice faced an odd problem. The passport rules issued by the Ministry of External Affairs in May 2020 listed, for a change of name other than on marriage or divorce, clippings of two local newspapers or a state government gazette notification, without expressly naming the Gazette of India. After a Delhi High Court order of 1 April 2026 in Raj Trehan v. Union of India, the Ministry issued an office memorandum in April 2026 correcting what it called an omission, so that the Gazette of India is now expressly accepted alongside the state gazette. If a passport office still objects to a central gazette notice, you can point to that memorandum, which is published on the Passport Seva website.
State procedures and charges change more often than the central ones. Check the state portal on the day you apply.
Yes. Nothing stops you from publishing in a state gazette and the Gazette of India. It costs more, and in most cases one central notice is enough. People who do both usually have one record held by a state board that insists on its own state's gazette and others held by central bodies.
The gazette is only useful once you carry it to the offices that hold your old name. A sensible order is to update Aadhaar and PAN first, because almost every other institution asks for one or both, then your bank, then the passport and other records.
| Record | Where to update | What to carry | Points to note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aadhaar | Aadhaar enrolment or update centre; some changes online | Gazette copy and a supporting identity document | UIDAI allows a name update only twice in a lifetime through the normal route; beyond that, a gazette or court order can support a request for special approval |
| PAN | Online application for changes or correction in PAN data | Gazette copy as proof of change, Aadhaar | A small fee applies; the PAN number itself does not change |
| Bank accounts | Your branch or the bank's KYC update channel | Gazette, updated Aadhaar and PAN | Ask for a new cheque book and debit card in the new name; update nominee records as well |
| Passport | Re-issue application on Passport Seva | Gazette (central or state) or two newspaper clippings, plus documents showing the new name in use | Marriage-related surname changes need no proof; other changes need documentary support |
| Voter ID | Correction form on the voters' portal | Gazette and identity proof | The electoral roll entry is corrected and a fresh card can be requested |
| Driving licence | Regional transport office, online on the Parivahan portal | Gazette and updated Aadhaar | State fees apply |
| School and university certificates | The board or university | Gazette, updated ID, application on the board's form | Boards often record the change as "new name alias old name" rather than replacing the old name |
| Property records | Sub-registrar or revenue office | Gazette, sale deed, updated ID | A mismatch between the deed and your ID can delay a future sale or loan; correct it early |
| Employer and PF | HR and the EPFO member portal | Gazette and updated Aadhaar | EPFO matches your details with Aadhaar, so update Aadhaar first |
| Insurance and investments | Insurer, mutual fund registrar, depository participant | Gazette, PAN | Matching names avoid claim disputes later |
Systems in India are increasingly linked. The EPFO checks your name against Aadhaar; banks check PAN against the Income Tax database; mutual funds rely on KYC records that pull from the same sources. If you change your bank record before Aadhaar and PAN, the bank's checks may flag a mismatch. Updating Aadhaar and PAN first lets the rest follow smoothly.
For a few years after the change you will meet documents in both names: an old degree, a property deed, a court record. Keep several printouts of the gazette notice and a few self-attested copies. Where an institution will not replace the old name, ask it to add "also known as" or "alias" to the record, which courts have often directed.
For a change of name that is not about marriage or divorce, the passport rules ask for either the gazette notification or clippings of two local newspapers, together with documents issued in the new name that show the change has been acted on. People who apply too soon, before anything else carries the new name, sometimes find the request held up. Update Aadhaar and PAN first, then apply for passport re-issue. Since April 2026 the Ministry's memorandum makes clear that a central gazette notice is acceptable.
A string of judgments has shaped how institutions must treat a gazette name change. They are worth knowing if a board or office refuses to act on your notice.
| Case | Court and year | What it decided |
|---|---|---|
| Kabir Jaiswal v. Union of India | Allahabad High Court, 2020 | A person's name is a facet of the right of expression under Article 19(1)(a), read with Article 21; CBSE's bye-laws, lacking statutory force, could not block the change. CBSE was told to record the name as new name alias old name. |
| Jigya Yadav v. CBSE | Supreme Court, 2021 | A CBSE bye-law allowing a change of name only on the strength of court orders or gazette notices obtained before results were declared was struck down as excessively restrictive. Candidates can seek a change later, within a reasonable limitation period that the Board sets. |
| Sadanand v. CBSE | Delhi High Court, 2023 | A father had changed his caste-indicating surname, published it in the Gazette of India and updated his public documents. CBSE's refusal to change his name on his sons' certificates was quashed; the right to identity is part of the right to life with dignity. |
| Mohd. Hassan v. State (UT of J&K) | Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court, 2025 | The right to change one's name is part of Article 19(1)(a). A three-year limit meant for correcting mistakes did not bar a change of name backed by a gazette notification; the board was told to reconsider. |
| State of U.P. v. Md. Sameer Rao | Allahabad High Court, Division Bench, 2025 | A different view: the gazette notice is the applicant's own declaration and not a government order, so a name in board certificates could be changed only under a civil court decree, not on gazette, Aadhaar and PAN alone. |
Most authorities will act on a gazette notice, and courts in several states have pushed boards to do so. But the Allahabad Division Bench ruling of 2025 shows that the gazette is not a court decree. If an institution is governed by rules that expressly demand a decree, or if the change is likely to be disputed, such as a child's surname contested by one parent, a declaratory suit in a civil court may be needed. For routine changes, the gazette remains the standard route, and the judgments above help when an office is being unreasonable.
Under its guidelines, the Controller of Publications can reject a request that is incomplete, vague, unlawful or misleading. Most delays, though, come from small slips that are easy to avoid.
| Mistake | What happens | How to avoid it |
|---|---|---|
| Newspaper wording differs from the proforma | Query or rejection; a fresh newspaper notice is needed | Prepare the proforma first, then give the same text to the newspaper |
| Photocopy or cut-out of the newspaper sent | The Department asks for the original | Buy two or three copies of the full newspaper on the day |
| Signed in the new name | Query, because your legal identity is still the old name | Sign everything in the old name with your usual signature |
| Soft copy does not match the printout | Delay while the Department checks | Print the proforma from the same file you write to the CD |
| Wrong fee category | Demand for the balance | Match the payment purpose and amount to your notice type |
| Documents more than a year old | Query | Use a recent newspaper notice and current identity proof |
| Missing father's or husband's name, or address | Rejection as incomplete | Include both in the notice, undertaking and proforma |
| Change of religion not declared, or declared inconsistently | Query or rejection | State clearly in the notice and undertaking whether religion is changing |
| File sent through an agent who visits the counter | The file may be refused | Deliver it yourself or post it in your own name |
| Name likely to mislead, such as a famous person's name for gain | Rejection as misleading | Choose a name for genuine personal use |
Read the query letter carefully and reply to every point, quoting your file details and payment reference. Send the missing papers in one go. Where the query asks for a fresh newspaper notice, the old payment usually remains valid if you respond within the time given, but confirm this before paying again.
The government charge for an adult in India is Rs 1,100. Higher figures quoted to you include newspaper costs and a service fee.
The central guidelines ask for one local daily. Two papers help with the passport office or some state gazettes, but are not required for the Gazette of India.
The central guidelines list a signed undertaking, not a notarised affidavit. Many people still make an affidavit because other offices ask for one later.
The Department does not deal with agents or advocates. A lawyer can draft and advise, but the file goes in your own name.
It does not. You must apply separately to each office that holds your old name.
There is no separate certificate. You download the published issue from the e-gazette site, and that downloaded copy is your proof.
Names and facts are invented to illustrate common situations.
Ravi, 26, from Lucknow, wanted to drop a surname that marked his caste. He placed a notice in one Hindi daily for Rs 650, prepared the proforma and undertaking, had two colleagues witness them, paid Rs 1,100 on Bharatkosh and sent the file by Speed Post. The notice appeared in the weekly gazette six weeks later. His total spend, including a notarised affidavit he made for his employer, was about Rs 2,300.
Neha, a single mother in Pune with sole custody under a family court order, wanted her eight-year-old son to carry her surname. She signed as guardian, attached the custody order and his birth certificate, and paid Rs 1,700. Because the father had not been asked, she first wrote to him and kept his written consent with the file. The school then updated its records on the basis of the gazette.
Arjun, living in Munich, wanted to add his father's name as a middle name for visa consistency. He signed a deed of change of name at the Indian consulate, which attested it, and sent the original deed with the other papers and a payment of Rs 3,500. Once the notice was out, he applied to the consulate for passport re-issue.
Mr Pillai's pension papers spelt his name "Pilai". His bank and pension office both said an affidavit would not do, because the difference touched his surname. He filed a public notice for correction at Rs 1,400, then gave the gazette to both offices.
Ananya obtained a certificate of identity from the district magistrate through the national portal for transgender persons, then published a change of name and gender notice in the Gazette of India at the public notice rate. With the certificate and gazette, she updated Aadhaar, PAN and her university degree.
The Gazette of India has been published since the colonial period as the official record of government notifications. Personal notices, such as changes of name, found a place in Part IV, which carries advertisements and notices by private individuals and bodies. Because no statute laid down a procedure for changing a name, the practice of a newspaper notice followed by a gazette notice grew up as a convenient public record, and over time offices began to ask for it as a matter of routine.
| Date | Development |
|---|---|
| 12 March 1987 | Ministry of Home Affairs office memorandum on the deed of change of name for Central Government employees |
| 1 October 2015 | The gazette moves to electronic publication; physical printing and sale end |
| 1 October 2018 | Publication charges move to the Bharatkosh non-tax receipt portal |
| 2019 | Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act provides a certificate of identity for change of gender |
| 29 May 2020 | Passport rules on change of name revised by office memorandum |
| 2021 | Supreme Court in Jigya Yadav loosens CBSE restrictions on changing names after results |
| 19 September 2023 | Department of Publication revises its publication rates |
| 2025 | Department updates several guidelines, including those for minors, religion, adoption and public notices |
| April 2026 | Passport memorandum expressly accepts the Gazette of India, after a Delhi High Court order |
Doing it yourself is entirely possible. If you would rather have the affidavit, newspaper notice and file prepared for you, the Mara Vakil name change in gazette service can help. The service charge is shown here: Free quote. You still sign the papers, and the file still goes to the Department in your own name, as the rules require. Related services: newspaper advertisement, name change affidavit, religion change in gazette and affidavits and notary.
Mara Vakil is a technology platform, not a law firm, and is not connected with the Department of Publication. The gazette charge is paid by you directly to the Government on Bharatkosh. Where a dispute is likely, say over a child's surname that one parent opposes, post a short note about it on Mara Vakil free of charge; advocates whose enrolment has been checked may reply, and you settle any fee with the advocate you choose. See court marriage for records after marriage, and all legal calculators for other fee tools.
Rs 1,100 for an adult living in India and Rs 1,700 for a minor, as charged by the Department of Publication. It is Rs 3,500 and Rs 5,100 for persons living outside India.
Through the Bharatkosh online payment portal of the Government of India, as directed by the Department of Publication.
Yes. The Department asks for the original copy of a daily local newspaper carrying your notice. One paper is enough for the Gazette of India; two are useful only if another office asks for them.
No. You also pay for the affidavit and the newspaper advertisements, and any service charges if someone files it for you.
No revision has been announced in 2026. The rates in use come from the Department of Publication's office order of 19 September 2023: Rs 1,100 for an adult in India and Rs 1,700 for a minor. Check the Bharatkosh payment screen on the day you pay.
Yes, for the Gazette of India. The central charge does not depend on where in India you live. State gazettes set their own charges.
The publication charge is a government non-tax receipt paid on Bharatkosh, and the portal shows the full amount payable. Any GST you see on a bill will be on a private service fee or newspaper advertisement, not on the government charge.
The Department moved to online payment through Bharatkosh from 1 October 2018. Pay online and attach the receipt to your file.
The Department will ask for the balance between Rs 1,100 and Rs 1,700. Pay the difference on Bharatkosh, quote your first transaction reference in the remarks, and send both receipts.
Refunds of publication charges are not automatic. If a duplicate payment was made, write to the Department with both transaction references. For a rejected file, it is usually better to cure the defect and resubmit than to seek a refund.
No. The Department's adult guidelines ask for the notice in one daily local leading newspaper. A second paper is useful only if another office, such as a passport office without a gazette or a state gazette, asks for two.
The guidelines speak of a daily local leading newspaper, so a regional language daily that is widely read in your area is acceptable. Many people choose an English or Hindi daily because those are easy for any office in India to read.
Apply promptly. The guidelines say documents should not be more than one year old, and a fresh notice is the safest course if yours is older than that.
The central adult guidelines ask for a signed undertaking rather than a notarised affidavit. Many people still make an affidavit because banks, schools or employers ask for one later.
Any two adults who know you, such as relatives, neighbours or colleagues. Each gives a full name, address and mobile number and signs.
The guidelines provide for delivery in person or by post or courier. Do not rely on email unless the Department's current notice says it accepts online submission.
The Department does not deal with agents, advocates or other intermediaries. A lawyer can draft the papers, but you must send the file yourself, by hand, post or courier.
No. Documents sent are not returned in any form. Send self-attested copies of identity proof, never originals.
Search the weekly gazette, Part IV, on the e-gazette website for the weeks after your file reached the Department, using your old or new name.
The Department's guidelines say the downloaded copy does not need certification. Institutions may verify it online.
Write to the Department at once with your file details, a copy of your proforma and newspaper notice, and the published page. If the error was in your own papers, you may have to file a fresh correction notice.
Yes, the law does not cap the number of changes. Practical limits apply elsewhere: UIDAI allows a name update in Aadhaar only twice in a lifetime through the normal route, and frequent changes invite questions.
Yes. Adding, dropping or changing a surname is a change of name and follows the same procedure and charge.
Yes. Adding a middle name is a change of name, published the same way.
Usually not. The passport rules treat it as a re-issue needing no proof of marriage, and most institutions accept a marriage certificate. A gazette helps when the first name is also changing or records are badly mismatched.
Yes. The Department has guidelines for adopting a maiden surname. Keep the divorce decree ready for the offices that ask for it.
The gazette can be filed by a parent or guardian, but a parent who objects can challenge the change, and schools or passport offices may ask for both parents' consent or a court order. Get written consent or a custody order before filing.
A parent or guardian signs on the child's behalf. Expect to attach the child's birth certificate or school record in the old name and the applicant parent's identity proof, along with the usual undertaking, proforma, CD, photographs and newspaper notice.
The applicant signs a deed of change of name attested in original by the Indian embassy, high commission or consulate. The charge is Rs 3,500 for an adult and Rs 5,100 for a minor.
Yes. Indian missions accept a gazette notification, and since the April 2026 memorandum the Gazette of India is expressly listed among accepted documents.
An OCI cardholder's name follows the foreign passport. If the foreign passport is changed, the OCI card is updated on that basis. An Indian gazette may still help with Indian records such as property or bank accounts.
Yes. An office memorandum of April 2026, issued after a Delhi High Court order in Raj Trehan v. Union of India, expressly includes the Gazette of India alongside state gazettes.
The gazette notice and a supporting identity document, at an enrolment or update centre. If you have already used up the two name updates, a gazette or court order can support a request for special approval from UIDAI.
No. You apply for changes in PAN data, and a new card is issued in the new name with the same number.
Under the Supreme Court's 2021 ruling in Jigya Yadav, CBSE cannot refuse simply because the change came after results, though it can set a reasonable time limit and ask for supporting documents. Boards often record the name as new name alias old name.
Some do. Courts have disagreed: several High Courts have directed boards to act on gazette notices, while an Allahabad High Court Division Bench in 2025 held that U.P. Board certificates can be changed only under a civil court decree.
No. It is a public notice of your own declaration. Most offices accept it, but where rules demand a decree or the change is contested, a civil court declaration may be needed.
The rate for a change of religion is Rs 1,700. Adopting a name linked to another religion without converting is charged at Rs 1,100 plus Rs 250. Confirm the current rate on Bharatkosh.
No. Some states require prior notice to the district magistrate before a conversion. Comply with your state's law separately.
A change of name and gender is published as a public notice, at Rs 1,400. The certificate of identity issued by the district magistrate under the Transgender Persons Act, 2019 is the main official proof, and the Department's current guideline lists what else to attach.
The Supreme Court in NALSA (2014) recognised self-identification of gender, and the certificate of identity under the 2019 Act does not require surgery. Check the Department's current guideline for its document list.
No. Companies change names through the Registrar of Companies under company law, and firms through their own registration authority. Part IV personal notices are for individuals.
Yes. The Department has separate guidelines for notices of lost, destroyed or stolen documents, with a different charge. That is a separate notice from a change of name.
Usually about one to three months from drafting to download, of which the Department's scrutiny and publication take the largest share. A query adds time.
The Department does not offer an official fast track for personal notices. A complete, correct file is the most reliable way to avoid delay.
Either can work for local records. The Gazette of India is generally the safer choice if you may move, work for a central body, or deal with CBSE, central universities or offices outside Delhi.
Inform HR with the gazette so that payroll, PF and service records match. Central Government employees follow the deed procedure in the 1987 Home Ministry memorandum.
Pick the name on your earliest official record, usually the school certificate, as the old name, and mention the other variants in the notice if needed. Extra names may attract an add-on charge.
No. The calculator gives the central gazette charge only. State charges and procedures differ; check your state's portal.
Yes. Issues remain on the e-gazette website and can be searched by anyone. Keep that in mind if privacy is a concern.
This calculator gives general information based on the law and government notifications listed on this page, as checked on 16 October 2026. Fees and rules change, and your facts may differ. Confirm with the office concerned or an advocate before you pay or file. Mara Vakil is a technology platform, not a law firm, and does not give legal advice. Read our disclaimer.
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