📝 Can I change my first name or surnames?

With conditions

Quick answer

Yes, at the Civil Registry, by case. To change your first name, file an application with the Civil Registry official of your residence, showing a cause (a name that isn't yours, the habitual use of another name, identity reasons, etc.). For surnames there are two routes: reversing the order of the two surnames is a simple declaration at the Civil Registry; other changes (replacing a surname, joining two into one, adapting the spelling) need a procedure with just cause. It's all governed by the Civil Registry Law (Law 20/2011). The change can't be used to escape obligations or cause confusion.

📋 The rules

First-name change: application at the Civil Registry, with a cause
Reversing the order of surnames: simple declaration
Other surname changes: procedure with just cause
Governed by the Civil Registry Law 20/2011
Can't be used to escape obligations or deceive

🔓 Exceptions

Trans people: name change and registry sex mention with its own procedure
Minors: legal representatives apply (the minor heard per their age)
Adapting foreign surnames or their spelling: specific route

⚠️ Penalties & fines

There's no penalty for requesting a change: the application can simply be refused if there's no just cause or it harms third parties. By contrast, using a false name in official documents or changing identity to escape debts or liabilities is an offence or a crime. The Civil Registry procedure is free (first-name change and surname-order change), and you should provide documents proving the cause.

📎 Official sources

Last verified: 2026-06-20

❓ Frequently asked

Can I change my first name?

Yes, by filing an application with the Civil Registry official of your residence and showing a cause, such as a name that doesn't match your identity or the habitual use of another name. The official assesses the application.

How do I change the order of my surnames?

Reversing the order of the two surnames is a simple declaration at the Civil Registry, with no need to justify a special cause. It's the simplest route; other surname changes need a procedure with just cause.

Can I replace one of my surnames?

Yes, but by a procedure at the Civil Registry where you must show a just cause (e.g. avoiding a harmful surname, adapting the spelling or recovering a surname). It's not automatic and is decided case by case.

Is changing your name free?

Handling the first-name change and the surname-order reversal at the Civil Registry is free. You should provide documents proving the cause to ease the process.

And a trans person's name change?

Trans people can change their name and the registry sex mention through a specific Civil Registry procedure, without medical reports, under the rules in force. It's a specific procedure, different from the general one.

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