Name and Gender Marker Change Guide

CHANGING YOUR LEGAL NAME IN ONTARIO [FOR PEOPLE OVER 16]

You will need to complete the following form: 

Application to Change an Adult’s Name.

Cost: $137.00

Submit in person to: 

ServiceOntario 417-47 Sheppard Avenue East Toronto, ON M2N 5N1 

Processing: 6 to 8 weeks 

Submit by mail to: 

ServiceOntario Office of the Registrar General P.O. Box 3000 189 Red River Road Thunder Bay, ON P7B 5W0

Before you apply, you must:

• be at least 16 years old [to apply as an adult].
• have lived in Ontario for at least 12 months. 

If you’re 16-17 years old:

• You must get consent from every person who has legal custody of you (you must also complete Part 3 of the application). 

If you’re married or have signed a Joint Declaration of Conjugal Relationship document:

• You must give your partner/spouse notice that you’re changing your name (you must also complete Part 2 of the application). 

If you have pending criminal charges against you, have ever been convicted of a criminal offence (and not been discharged), or have any outstanding law enforcement orders against you:

• You must provide a current original police record check with your application. 
• Provide this form to the police force conducting the record check. 

STEP 1: GATHER ALL YOUR DOCUMENTS

Born in Ontario	All original birth certificates or certified copies of birth registration	Photocopies of all previous legal name change documents
Born in Canada	An original birth certificate or certified copy of birth registration	Photocopies of all previous legal name change documents
Born outside Canada	Photocopy of original birth certificate or photocopy of certified copy of birth registration from country of birth	Photocopy of Canadian Citizenship Card OR photocopy of Canadian Record of Immigrant Landing OR photocopy of Permanent Resident Card AND photocopy of the passport used to enter Canada

STEP 2: FILL IN THE APPLICATION

• You can fill in the form on your computer and then print it out. 
• You can also fill the form in with a blue or black pen. Write clearly. 
• DO NOT use correction fluid (white-out). If you make a mistake, put brackets around the wrong information. Enter the correct information, and put your initials beside each change.
  • The person commissioning the form must also initial each change before it is sworn. 
• OPTIONAL: 
  • Writing a cover letter makes everything as clear as possible. 
  • This letter will be the first page of your package and should have a general overview of your basic information. 
  • For example: your current legal name, what you are changing your name to, your contact info, and a list of what documents you have included. Kind of like a table of contents! 
• FINDING A GUARANTOR:
  • You will need to find a guarantor and have them fill in and sign the Guarantor’s Statement.
  • A guarantor is someone who can confirm that you’ve lived in Ontario for at least 12 months.

A guarantor can be someone in a “prescribed class.” The following are members of a prescribed class: 

Provincial judges appointed under the Courts of Justice Act.

Justices of the peace appointed under the Justices of the Peace Act.

Chiefs of Indian bands that are located in Ontario.

Persons authorized under the Marriage Act to solemnize marriages.

Legally qualified medical practitioners.

Members of the Law Society of Upper Canada.

Heads of Municipal Councils in Ontario.

Clerks of municipalities in Ontario.

Principals of elementary and secondary schools

Managers or signing officers of Ontario branches of banks

OR a guarantor can be someone other than a relative who has known you for at least five years, and knows that you have been ordinarily resident in Ontario for at least the past 12 months.  

STEP 3: OPTIONAL NON-PUBLICATION IN THE ONTARIO GAZETTE

• All name changes registered under Ontario’s Change of Name Act must be published in The Ontario Gazette UNLESS the person whose name is being changed is a transgender, First Nations, Inuit, or Métis individual and a request for non-publication is made.
• This form allows you to request that your name change is not published in the Ontario Gazette. 
• The form should be included with your name change application form. 

STEP 4: SIGNING YOUR APPLICATION 

• You must sign your application in front of A COMMISSIONER FOR TAKING AFFIDAVITS. 
  • The statement says you have followed all the steps and all the information is true. 

Here are some examples of commissioners: 

A member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario

Clerks, deputy clerks and treasurers of local municipalities

A lawyer entitled to practice law in Ontario

Provincial judges and justices of the peace

• In Guelph, you can book an appointment at City Hall. Cost is $39.55.
• The Legal Clinic of Guelph & Wellington County can provide assistance with commissioning services. They provide a list of other options for finding commissioning services. 

STEP 5: SUBMITTING YOUR APPLICATION 

• Submit your completed application via mail or in person. 
• If you were born in Ontario, you will be sent an updated birth certificate with your new name.
  • If you want to change your gender marker as well, you can submit an Application for Change of Sex Designation on a Birth Registration of an Adult and the corresponding statutory declaration at the same time (if you were born in Ontario).  

WHAT YOU WILL RECEIVE: 

• If your name change is approved, you will get a change of name certificate. It will show your previous name and your new name. 
• You can use this certificate to change your name on other personal documents such as your driver’s licence or credit cards.
  • Every person born in Ontario who changes their name will also get a new birth certificate in their new name.

CHANGING YOUR OTHER DOCUMENTS

• Once you have received your Change of Name Certificate, you can use that to update your other government documents.

The next step will be to update your gender marker and name on your birth certificate. Then you can use this to update your health card. THEN you can update your photo ID card, driver’s license, and other federal documents. 

NAME CHANGE CERTIFICATE  ➜ BIRTH CERTIFICATE ➜ HEALTH CARD ➜ EVERYTHING ELSE   

BIRTH CERTIFICATE

BORN IN ONTARIO:

• You can change your name and gender marker at the same time (by sending both applications in one package). 
• You will receive a Name Change Certificate and a new Birth Certificate, which you can then use to change your name and gender marker on other documents.
• DESPITE WHAT THE FORM SAYS, you DO NOT need to separately fill out a Request for Birth Certificate, since the name change process automatically sends you a new birth certificate with your updated name. 

BORN OUTSIDE ONTARIO: 

• You will have to submit the Name Change application first. 
• Once it is accepted, you can change your name and gender marker at the same time on your other Canadian documents, like your birth certificate . 
• The required documentation for changing your gender marker will vary depending on where you were born. 

Your birth must be registered in Ontario in order to change your sex designation on an Ontario birth registration.

.Before you apply, you must:

• be born in Ontario. 
• be at least 16 years old. 

You must complete the following forms:

• Application for Change of Sex Designation on a Birth Registration of an Adult
• Statutory Declaration for a Change of Sex Designation on a Birth Registration of an Adult

You also must provide:

• A letter signed by a practicing physician or psychologist (including a psychological associate) authorized to practice in Canada, that includes the statements necessary to support your request (see Application cover sheet for instructions). 
• All previously issued birth certificates, birth certificates with parental information and certified copies of your birth registration.
• You DO NOT need to separately fill out a Request for Birth Certificate, since the name change process automatically sends you a new birth certificate with your updated name.
  • If you are NOT going through the name change process (you’re only changing your gender marker) then you WILL have to fill out a Request for Birth Certificate along with the applicable fees. 

OHIP HEALTH CARD

• To change your name on your health card, you must visit a ServiceOntario centre.

YOU MUST BRING:

• A completed Change of Information form 
• Original copy of change of name certificate.
• If you have a birth certificate with the correct gender marker, you should bring that as proof.
  • If not, there is… no clear guidance (lol). 
  • The519.org recommends bringing three documents as specified on the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) Document List. 

DRIVER’S LICENSE/PHOTO ID CARD 

• To change your information on your driver’s license or photo ID card, you must visit a ServiceOntario centre (again, sorry).

YOU MUST BRING THE FOLLOWING ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS:

• Your current driver’s license or photo ID 
• Original copy of your change of name certificate 
• Original, valid long or short form birth certificate showing the correct information. 

IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A BIRTH CERTIFICATE WITH THE CORRECT GENDER MARKER, BRING: 

• A letter from a licensed doctor or psychologist. 
  • The information on the letter should be the same as for the birth registration but should specify that you want to update your driver’s license. 
• A letter from you that includes:
  • the change you want to make. 
  • your full name. 
  • your current address. 
  • your driver’s licence number.
  • the name and address of the doctor or psychologist who has signed the letter in support of the change.

SOCIAL INSURANCE NUMBER (SIN)

• This number is stored by Service Canada along with all of the information that was provided when you first applied. 
• Updating the information connected to your SIN will not change the number itself; you will receive a confirmation letter in the mail to let you know that your update was successful!
• You should apply to change the information on your SIN when you change your name and/or gender marker. 

YOU CAN SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION: 

IN PERSON: 

Service Canada Centre 559 College Street, Suite 100 Toronto ON M6G 1A9 

ONLINE: 

https://sin-nas.canada.ca/en/Sin

BY MAIL:

Service Canada Social Insurance Registration Office PO Box 7000 Bathurst, NB E2A 4T1

Applying in person or online tends to be easiest. 

IN PERSON:

• Visit a Service Canada Center. 
• Bring PRIMARY, SECONDARY AND SUPPORTING documentation (three separate documents). The provided link goes through the accepted documentation. 

ONLINE:

• Use digital copies of the same documents above. 

CANADA REVENUE AGENCY (CRA) 

• You must notify the CRA of any name changes. 

IF YOU CHANGED BOTH FIRST + LAST NAME: 

• Send a letter either by mail or fax, with an original or certified true copy of one of the following documents:
  • A name change certificate from a provincial/territorial vital statistics department.
  • A court order issued under an act on change of name. 
• You must also include:
  • Your old and new names. 
  • Your social insurance number. 
  • Your signature. 

Find the location of your tax centre here. 

IF YOU HAVE ONLY CHANGED EITHER YOUR FIRST OR LAST NAME AND HAVE NOT PREVIOUSLY CHANGED YOUR NAME, YOU MAY ALSO NOTIFY THE CRA BY PHONE!

OTHER PLACES TO UPDATE INFORMATION

• Passport 
• Permanent Resident Card
• Citizenship Certificate  
• Employer  
• Schools  
• Banks (and credit cards)  
• Credit Bureaus  
• Billing Accounts  
• Doctor’s Offices  
• Landlord  
• Elections Canada  
• Extended Health Benefits  

FOR HELP & GUIDANCE IN GUELPH:

Check out the Legal Clinic of Guelph & Wellington County for: 

• Assistance with navigation
• Assistance reviewing name and gender marker change applications
• Free commissioning services
• A list of various other resources! 

Thanks to The519.org for providing the majority of the information in this guide! You can find their guide here