Can I change my name or surname?
Conditional: some changes are simple and free; a "just because" change needs special authorisation. The basis is art. 72 of the Civil Code and the Civil Registry Code (art. 104), run by the IRN. The composition limit is 2 first names + 4 surnames (6 elements). Corrections and additions within the rules can be requested at any registry office from age 16, generally free. A discretionary change ("new name") needs a special process authorised by the Central Registry, with justification — and is not automatic (costs €200). On marriage, you may adopt up to 2 surnames of your spouse; on divorce, they're lost unless agreed. In short: it depends on the type of change.
📋 The rules
- Limit: 2 first names + 4 surnames (art. 104)
- Corrections/additions within rules: 16+, usually free
- Discretionary change: special process at the Central Registry
- Marriage: adopt up to 2 surnames of the spouse
- Divorce: adopted surnames are lost, unless agreed
🔓 Exceptions
- Gender + first-name change: own, free process (Law 38/2018)
- Foreigner acquiring nationality: may adapt the name to Portuguese rules
- Minors: change requested by parents via the special process
⚠️ Penalties & fines
There's no "fine" — there are service costs. The special name-change process (Central Registry) costs €200; the simple changes you're entitled to are generally free; the marriage surname is included in the civil-marriage cost (about €120); and a change under Law 38/2018 (gender identity) is free. A refusal merely denies the request. Beware the Brazil confusion: "I can pile on as many surnames as I want" is false — there's a limit of 2 first names + 4 surnames and very long strings are rejected. And, in Portugal, adopting the spouse's surname is optional and only added (many keep their birth name). To change: distinguish the simple change (registry office) from the special process (Central Registry, €200).
📎 Official sources
❓ Frequently asked
Can I just change my name because I want to?
Not automatically. A discretionary name change, where you simply want a different name, needs a special process authorised by the Central Registry conservator, with justification, and isn't guaranteed. Corrections and additions within the rules, by contrast, can be requested more simply at any registry office.
How many names can I have?
Your full name can have, at most, two first names and four surnames, a total of six elements. This limit is in the Civil Registry Code. So very long surname strings, in the style of other countries, aren't allowed, and requests exceeding the limit are refused by the registry.
How much does it cost to change a name?
The special name-change process, at the Central Registry, costs about €200. The simple changes you're entitled to by law are generally free. Adopting the spouse's surname is included in the civil-marriage cost. A name change under gender identity is free.
Can I adopt my spouse's surname?
Yes, but it's optional. On marriage, either spouse can add up to two of the other's surnames, always respecting the total limit of six elements. There's no obligation to adopt the spouse's surname, and many people keep only their birth name.
Do I lose my ex-spouse's surname on divorce?
As a rule, yes. On divorce, the ex-spouse's surnames that were adopted can no longer be used, unless the ex-spouse agrees or the court authorises keeping them. In widowhood, by contrast, the adopted surname can generally continue to be used.
🔎 Common searches
What people search to land here:
- “change name portugal”
- “name change central registry”
- “name limit 2 first 4 surnames”
- “cost change name 200 euros”
- “marriage surname optional”
- “lose ex surname divorce”