To change your name on the title deeds, you apply to HM Land Registry to update the proprietor’s name on the title register. In almost all cases this is free: HM Land Registry does not charge a fee for a name-only change when it’s the only application you’re making. You send a completed application form, evidence of your new name (such as your deed poll or marriage certificate) and proof of identity, and once processed the register shows your new name.
The “title deeds” most people picture — the old paper documents — are no longer what matters. Ownership is recorded electronically on the title register, so this is really about updating a name held by HM Land Registry. If you’ve just changed your name by deed poll or on marriage, updating the register keeps your property records consistent and avoids awkward delays the next time you sell or remortgage.
Do you need to change your name on the title deeds?
Nothing about your ownership changes when you change your name — you still own the same property. Updating the register is about keeping your records accurate, not about proving ownership again. That said, there are good reasons to do it:
- Lenders, buyers and conveyancers expect the name on the register to match your ID exactly. A mismatch can hold up a sale or remortgage while it’s corrected.
- It’s free and straightforward, so there’s little reason to leave it.
You don’t have to update it the moment you change your name. In practice, if you don’t deal with it now, the change is often picked up the next time you sell or remortgage, because your conveyancer will update the register as part of that transaction. But doing it early removes any friction later, and it’s a sensible entry on your wider update-your-ID checklist.
How to change your name on the title deeds, step by step
If you’re applying yourself (without a solicitor or conveyancer), the process runs like this:
- Complete form AP1 — “Application to change the register”. This is HM Land Registry’s standard form for a name change backed by ordinary evidence such as a deed poll, marriage or civil partnership certificate, statement of truth or statutory declaration. (For more sensitive documents, such as a gender recognition certificate, HM Land Registry uses form CNG instead.)
- Provide evidence of your new name. Enclose the original or a certified copy of your deed poll (or your marriage/civil partnership certificate if you changed your name on marriage).
- Prove your identity. When you apply without a conveyancer, HM Land Registry asks for a completed confirmation-of-identity form in your new name — form ID1 if your identity is checked in person, or form ID3 if an authorised professional verifies it remotely — plus a copy of an official document in your former name, such as a passport, driving licence or utility bill.
- Send it to HM Land Registry. Postal applications go to HM Land Registry, Citizen Centre, PO Box 7806, Bilston, WV1 9QR. Solicitors and conveyancers can submit electronically via the HM Land Registry portal, but the postal route is the usual one for individuals.
Once the application is processed, the register is updated to show your new name. You can order an official copy of the updated register afterwards if you’d like written confirmation.
Timing, fees and proof they’ll ask for
A name-only change is free — HM Land Registry states plainly that you do not have to pay anything to change your name on the register, provided it’s the only application being made. (Fees only apply where a name change is bundled with something chargeable, such as transferring the property into different ownership.)
Processing times for register updates vary depending on HM Land Registry’s current workload, so it’s worth applying in good time rather than in the middle of a sale. The evidence they’ll want is simple: your deed poll (or marriage certificate) and your confirmation-of-identity form. A professionally produced unenrolled deed poll is accepted here just as it is by passport, DVLA and banks — you don’t need to enrol it or involve a court.
Don’t forget your mortgage lender
Updating the register is only half the job if you have a mortgage. Your lender holds a charge registered against your property, and they keep their own records of who you are, so you should tell them separately.
Contact your mortgage lender directly — most have a name-change process on their website or through online banking — and provide a copy of your deed poll or marriage certificate. They’ll update your account so that your mortgage statements, direct debits and correspondence all carry your new name. Doing this alongside the register update keeps everything consistent, which is exactly what a future buyer’s solicitor will check.
Common pitfalls
- Assuming the deeds update automatically. A deed poll changes your name everywhere in principle, but the register won’t reflect it until someone applies. It usually happens at your next sale or remortgage if you don’t do it sooner.
- Sending originals you can’t spare. You can submit a certified copy of your deed poll rather than the original if you’d prefer to keep the original safe.
- Forgetting the identity form. Applying yourself means completing ID1 or ID3 — missing this is the most common reason a personal application is delayed.
- Overlooking Scotland. HM Land Registry covers England and Wales only. In Scotland, property is registered with the Registers of Scotland, which has its own process. Northern Ireland has its own Land Registry too.
Related admin
Your home is just one record among many. Once the register and your lender are sorted, work through the rest — passport, driving licence, HMRC, bank and utilities — using our ID update checklist, and see which companies accept a deed poll if you’re unsure who to tell.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a fee to change my name on the title deeds?
No. HM Land Registry does not charge a fee to change your name on the register when a name change is the only application you’re making. Fees only arise where the change is combined with something chargeable, such as transferring ownership.
Do I need a solicitor to update the register?
No. You can apply yourself using form AP1 and a confirmation-of-identity form (ID1 or ID3). Many people do use a conveyancer, but it isn’t required for a simple name change.
Will an unenrolled deed poll be accepted?
Yes. An unenrolled deed poll is valid evidence of your name change for HM Land Registry, the same as it is for passports, the DVLA and banks. You don’t need to enrol it or go through a court.
Do I still need to tell my mortgage lender?
Yes. Your lender keeps separate records and a charge registered against your property. Contact them directly with a copy of your deed poll or marriage certificate so your account and statements show your new name.
What if my property is in Scotland?
HM Land Registry only covers England and Wales. In Scotland you deal with the Registers of Scotland instead, and Northern Ireland has its own Land Registry — each with its own procedure.
Does my name update automatically when I sell or remortgage?
Often, yes — if you haven’t already updated the register, your conveyancer will normally do it as part of your next sale or remortgage. Applying early simply avoids any last-minute delay.
Ready to Change Your Name?
Before you can update the title deeds, you need the deed poll itself. UK Name Change provides a professionally printed unenrolled deed poll from just £14.49, accepted by HM Land Registry, HM Passport Office, the DVLA and UK banks. The online order takes around 4 minutes, with same-day dispatch before 3pm and free Royal Mail Tracked delivery. More than 160,000 people across the UK have already changed their name with us — you could have your deed poll on the way today.