📝 Can I change my first name or surname?

With conditions

Quick answer

Yes, with a procedure depending on the case. To change your first name, you file a request with the registrar (town hall of your residence or birth) showing a legitimate interest (ridiculous name, long use of another name, transition, etc.). For the surname, the law of 2 March 2022 lets an adult change their name once in their life via a simple town-hall step, to take the other parent's name (or join/reverse them). Other surname changes (personal motive, foreign-sounding name, etc.) require a request by decree, longer and reasoned.

📋 The rules

First-name change: request at the town hall, legitimate interest
Law of 2 March 2022: an adult can change surname once at the town hall
This simplified change: take the other parent's name (or join)
Other surname-change motives: by decree (long procedure)
In case of doubt, the registrar can refer to the prosecutor

🔓 Exceptions

Simplified surname change: once in a lifetime
For a minor, the parents' consent (and the child's if over 13) is required
Disputed request: passed to the public prosecutor then the judge

⚠️ Penalties & fines

There's no "penalty" for requesting a change: the request can simply be refused if the legitimate interest isn't recognised (first name) or the conditions aren't met. Using a false name in official acts, or changing identity to escape obligations (debts, justice), is however an offence. The legal procedure is free (first name and simplified surname at the town hall).

📎 Official sources

Last verified: 2026-06-20

❓ Frequently asked

How do I change my first name?

You file a request with the registrar (town hall of your residence or birth), showing a legitimate interest. It's free. In case of doubt, the mayor can refer to the public prosecutor.

Can you change your surname easily?

Since the law of 2 March 2022, an adult can change their surname once in their life via a simple town-hall step, to take the other parent's name, join or reverse the order. It's a simplified, free procedure.

What's a legitimate interest for the first name?

For example a ridiculous or mocked name, long use of another name, an integration reason, or a gender transition. The registrar assesses; in case of doubt, refers to the prosecutor.

And for another surname-change motive?

Surname changes for a motive other than taking a parent's name (hard-to-bear name, foreign-sounding, etc.) go through a request by decree, published and reasoned. The procedure is longer.

Can you change a child's name?

Yes, with both parents' consent, and the child's if over 13. Changing a minor's surname follows specific rules and, in case of disagreement, may need the judge to intervene.

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