Deed Poll Witness Checker

Any two adults aged 18 or over who are independent of you: not a relative by blood, marriage or civil partnership, not your partner, and not anyone living at your address. GOV.UK says to use two witnesses and warns that organisations may refuse a deed poll witnessed by a close relative or someone at the same address. Friends, neighbours and colleagues are the usual choice. Full rules in our guide to who can witness a UK deed poll.

No. Parents, siblings, children, grandparents, in-laws and step-family are all treated as not independent, and banks and HM Passport Office refuse deed polls witnessed by them. Ask someone outside the family.

No. A spouse or civil partner is a relative in law, and an unmarried partner or ex-partner is treated the same way in practice. Choose someone with no personal tie to you.

Yes. The rule is that neither witness lives at your address or is related to you; a couple who are your friends, or two colleagues, can both witness. Each must watch you sign and sign in their own hand.

No. A solicitor can witness it, but any independent adult is equally valid and the document is accepted in exactly the same way. Paying a solicitor £100 or more to witness a deed poll buys nothing. See whether you need a solicitor.

After watching you sign in your old and new names, each witness signs, then prints their full name, address and occupation beneath their signature. A professionally printed deed poll has the two witness blocks laid out for them.

No. A deed poll is signed in wet ink with the witnesses physically present at the same sitting. A scan, a photo or an e-signature is not accepted by HM Passport Office, the DVLA or the banks, which is why the original document is what every organisation asks to see.

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