If you wish to change your surname and/or first name outside the provisions of civil law (i.e., not in the case of marriage or divorce), you must apply for this change of name under public law.

Please note:

• Name changes can only be carried out for German citizens within the meaning of the Basic Law, stateless persons, stateless foreigners, foreign refugees, or persons entitled to asylum.
• Only important reasons justify a name change. The reasons must therefore be explained in detail in the application.
• For a person with limited legal capacity, the application is submitted by their legal representative (father, mother, guardian, carer); a guardian requires the approval of the family court, a carer the approval of the guardianship court. A person with limited legal capacity who has reached the age of 16 must be heard by the family or guardianship court regarding the application. The court's approval and proof of the outcome of the applicant's court hearing must be attached to the application.
• The application must include a statement as to whether a change of name has been applied for previously, and if so, when and to which authority.
• The applicant must also declare that they are aware that the name change or the rejection or withdrawal of the application is subject to a fee.

If you have any questions when completing the application, please seek advice from the authority.

• Proof that the applicant is either a German citizen within the meaning of the Basic Law or a stateless person, a foreigner without a home country, a foreign refugee, or a person entitled to asylum (e.g., certificate of nationality, passport, travel document, identity card, child identity card)
• Certificate of ethnic German repatriate or displaced person's identity card (for ethnic German repatriates and displaced persons)
• A certified copy of the birth certificate for the applicant and for all persons to whom the change of surname is to apply; the documents must be recent
• If the applicant is or was married, the marriage certificate
• In the case of a name change for family law reasons, birth and marriage certificates of family members whose names the applicant wishes to adopt must also be submitted
• For persons who have reached the age of fourteen, a certificate of good conduct in accordance with the Federal Central Register Act (to be applied for at the competent registration authority; the certificate of good conduct will be sent directly to the name change authority by the issuing authority)

Please note:  

The documents should be submitted in the original. All application documents will remain with the authority. The original documents submitted will be returned to you after the copies have been certified.

In individual cases, additional documents and evidence may be required to process the application. You can obtain information on this from the relevant name change authority.

The amount of the fee is based on the administrative costs and the significance, economic value, or other benefit of the official act for the applicant.

You can only pay by card.