Enrolling a deed poll at the High Court costs £53.05 in 2026 - the court fee paid to the Royal Courts of Justice - plus any drafting cost and a 2-3 week wait, and it publishes your details in the London Gazette. For the overwhelming majority of people, that’s money and privacy spent for no legal benefit over a £14.49 unenrolled deed poll. Here’s the honest 2026 cost breakdown.
What “Enrolling at the High Court” Means
Enrolment lodges your deed poll with the Senior Courts (Royal Courts of Justice), entering it on a public register and announcing it in the London Gazette. It’s an optional step - your name change is already legal once you sign an unenrolled deed poll. Enrolling just adds an official public record.
The True Cost of Enrolment in 2026
- Court (enrolment) fee: £53.05 - the official Royal Courts of Justice fee.
- Drafting/preparation: you still need a correctly drafted deed to enrol, which many people pay extra for.
- Time: 2-3 weeks for the registration to complete, before which you can’t use it.
Compare that to an unenrolled deed poll: £14.49 professionally printed (or free DIY), valid the moment you sign, and accepted everywhere an enrolled one is.
What Do You Actually Get for £53.05?
One thing: a permanent public record of your name change. That’s the entire upside. It does not make your name change “more legal”, and it does not improve acceptance with the Passport Office, DVLA, HMRC or banks - they treat unenrolled and enrolled identically.
The Privacy Cost
An enrolled deed poll is published in the London Gazette - your old name, new name and address, online and permanent. For most people, and especially anyone changing their name for privacy or safety, that public footprint is a genuine downside. The full trade-off is in our guide to what an enrolled deed poll is and why you probably don’t want one.
When Is Enrolment Actually Worth It?
Rarely - but genuinely in a few cases:
- You expect a future dispute and want a permanent public record as evidence.
- A specific overseas authority insists on an enrolled deed poll.
- You personally want an official register entry.
If none of those describe you, the £53.05 isn’t worth it. For the broader decision, see our enrolled vs unenrolled comparison, and for total name-change costs, our UK name change cost breakdown.
Wondering if any of this is required? Our guide to whether you need the UK government to change your name answers it directly — you don’t.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does an enrolled deed poll take?
Enrolment at the Royal Courts of Justice typically takes 2–3 weeks once your papers are correct, on top of preparing the deed itself. An unenrolled deed poll by contrast is effective the moment you sign it — ordered online it’s dispatched same-day and legally complete the day it arrives and is witnessed. That speed difference is one of the main reasons 98% of people don’t enrol.
How much does it cost to enrol a deed poll at the High Court?
The court fee is £53.05, on top of drafting the deed itself, and the process adds 2–3 weeks. Enrolment publishes your name change in the London Gazette (publicly searchable forever) and adds no legal validity — every UK organisation accepts an unenrolled deed poll (from £14.49) on exactly the same terms.
How much does it cost to enrol a deed poll in 2026?
The court fee is £53.05, usually plus a drafting cost, with a 2-3 week processing time.
Is enrolment cheaper than a solicitor?
You don’t need either. A £14.49 unenrolled deed poll does the same legal job as an enrolled one and far cheaper than a solicitor (who’d charge £150-£300+).
Does paying £53.05 make my name change official?
Your name change is already official the moment you sign an unenrolled deed poll. The £53.05 only buys a public register entry.
Can I enrol a deed poll myself without a solicitor?
Yes - you can apply to the Royal Courts of Justice directly. But for everyday purposes there’s rarely a reason to enrol at all.
Is the enrolment fee refundable if I change my mind?
Court fees are generally non-refundable once processed, which is another reason to be sure you actually need enrolment before paying.
Skip the £53.05 - Get an Unenrolled Deed Poll for £14.49
Unless you specifically need a public record, the unenrolled route saves you money, weeks of waiting and your privacy. A professionally printed UK deed poll from UK Name Change is £14.49, dispatched the same day by tracked Royal Mail, and legally accepted by every major UK organisation.
