Surname Changing

There are no legal requirements to change a name after marriage for a couple being married in Alberta.

All marriage documents record the names of the two parties being married and makes no indication of what surname either spouse elects to use after marriage.

The custom of assuming the spouse's surname, or a combined hyphenated surname is only social tradition and is not a legal change of name.

As it is customary for the wife to assume the husband's surname, or a combined hyphenated surname, there is usually no difficulty with her having her identification and accounts changed. A marriage certificate proving she is married is usually the only requirement.

Confirmation should be made to organizations and businesses where she deals with to obtain information on their individual requirements.

As it is not customary for the husband to assume his wife's surname or combined hyphenated surname after marriage, he may encounter more difficulties. He should check with organizations and businesses where he deals to see what their requirements are. As an alternative for a husband who wants to use his wife's name, he may apply for a legal change of name. This will affect his legal name on his birth certificate.

A person who has only assumed their married surname may revert back to the use of their maiden name at any time.

Registration of Legal Change of Names

To legally change a name, the completion of a change of name form is required. Depending on the circumstances, presentation of identification, court orders, dispensations, statutory declarations, proof of marital status or custody orders may be required. A legal change of name can only be processed in Alberta for residents of Alberta. The applicant must be 18 years of age or older.

To process a Legal Change of Name an individual may either:

In all cases the final approval, processing and production of the "original" legal change of name certificate may only be done by the Vital Statistics office in Edmonton.

All legal change of name forms may be obtained from a registry agent.

Once the legal change of name has been completed and is registered with Vital Statistics, a legal change of name document is mailed to the customer. Further copies of the Certified Photographic Print of a Legal Change of Name Certificate may be purchased through a registry agent.

When a married woman wishes to use her Married Surname, which is her husband's surname, a legal change of name does not have to be done.

For information or clarification on the legal change of name registration process, contact a registry agent.

Registry Agent Offices

Registry Agent

Halpenny Agencies 1989

Box 85, Main Street, CEREAL

Phone: (403)326-3818

Fax: (403)326-3818

Claresholm Agencies (1985)

Box 1870, 138 - 49 Avenue West, CLARESHOLM

Phone: (403)625-4488

Fax: (403)625-3226

Coaldale Insurance Ltd.

Box 1206 1801 - 20 Avenue, COALDALE

Phone: (403)345-4466

Fax: (403)345-5991

Cochrane Plates, Licensing and Registries Ltd.

Box 820, #1, 123 - 4 Avenue West, COCHRANE

Phone: (403)932-5546

Fax: (403)932-2567

Tri-Town Registries Inc.

Box 1318, Station Main 5214 - 51 Avenue, COLD LAKE

Phone: (780)594-5809

Fax: (780)594-1280

Village Agencies

Box 88, 5039 - 50 St, CONSORT

Phone: (403)577-2650

Fax: (403)577-2665

N.H.I. Insurance Group Inc.

Box 459, 5016 Victoria Avenue, CORONATION

Phone: (403)578-3695

Fax: (403)578-3344

Crossfield Registry

Box 909, 1310 Railway Street, CROSSFIELD

Phone: (403)946-4355

Fax: (403)946-4048

Westview Daysland Registries

Box 640, 5013 - 50 Street, DAYSLAND

Phone: (780)374-3930

Fax: (780)374-3885

Devon Registries & Insurance Ltd.

Suite A, 11 Athabasca Avenue, DEVON

Phone: (780)987-3344

Fax: (780)987-2021

Acme Motor Vehicle Licenses & Registries

Box 297, 130 Main Street, ACME

Phone: (403)546-3066 Fax:

(403)546-4080

Airdrie Registries

Box 3640 Bay 1, 128 Edmonton Trail South, AIRDRIE

Phone: (403)948-6018

Fax: (403)948-5948

Alix Agencies

Box 459, 4916 - 50 Street, ALIX

Phone: (403)747-2614

Fax: (403)747-3828

Buchanan Agencies

Box 210, Main Street, ALLIANCE

Phone: (780)879-3653

Fax: (780)879-2477

A & L Agencies Ltd.

Box 112, 5012 - 52 Street, ANDREW

Phone: (780)365-3803

Fax: (780)365-2331

Athabasca Registries Inc.

4801-49 Street, ATHABASCA

Phone: (780)675-5429

Fax: (780)675-5757

Alberta Motor Association

Box 1520, 215 Bear Street, BANFF

Phone: (403)762-2266

Fax: (403)762-3631

Gibbs Agencies (1997) Ltd.

Box 10, Main Street, BARONS

Phone: (403)757-3820

Fax: (403)757-2083

Banff Bureau of Licensing & Registrations Ltd.

PO Box 459 Unit 6 Wolf & Bear Mall 229 Bear Street, BANFF

Phone: (403)762-2177

Fax: (403)762-0463

Barrhead Agency

Box 4497, 6201 - 49 Street, BARRHEAD

Phone: (780)674-2236

Fax: (780)674-4657

Raemer Agencies

Box 580, 4907 - 50 Street, BASHAW

Phone: (780)372-3020

Fax: (780)372-3053

Bassano Registries

Box 689, 419 - 2 Avenue, BASSANO

Phone: (403)641-3014

Fax: (403)641-4546

Ry-Reg Holdings Ltd.

Box 719, 203 - 10 Street, BEAVERLODGE

Phone: (780)354-2265

Fax: (780)354-3188

Alberta Rose Insurance Agency

Box 237, 223 - 6 Street, BEISEKER

Phone: (403)947-3773

Fax: (403)947-3773

Bentley Agencies

Box 59, 5017 - 50 Avenue, BENTLEY

Phone: (403)748-3977

Fax: (403)748-3120

Crowsnest Registries & Licence Bureau

Box 960, 12161 - 20 Avenue, BLAIRMORE

Phone: (403)562-2248

Fax: (403)562-8379

A.B. Insurance Brokers Ltd.

Box 8179, 4901 - 50 Avenue, BONNYVILLE

Phone: (780)826-2550

Fax: (780)826-7801

Island Agencies Ltd.

Box 489, 509 A - 1 Street West, BOW ISLAND

Phone: (403)545-2288

Fax: (403)545-2857

Alberta Registry Agent

Box 419, 2106 - 20 Avenue, BOWDEN

Phone: (403)224-3222

Fax: (403)224-2337

Boyle Registry a Division of 886696 Alberta Ltd.

Box 619, 5111 - 3 Street, BOYLE

Phone: (780)689-3050

Fax: (780)689-3050

Bragg Creek Insurance Services Inc.

Box 537, #1 River Drive South, BRAGG CREEK

Phone: (403)949-2599

Fax: (403)949-5646

Hill 'n' Dale Registries

Box 362, 5024 - 50 Avenue, BRETON

Phone: (780)696-3575

Fax: (780)696-2094

Grasslands Registry Inc.

240 - 3 Street W., BROOKS

Phone: (403)362-5755

Fax: (403)362-5961

Alberta Motor Association

4700 - 17 Avenue S.W., CALGARY

Phone: (403)240-5300

Fax: (403)242-2862

Alberta Motor Association

532, 10816 Macleod Trail S.E., CALGARY

Phone: (403)278-3530

Fax: (403)278-9897

Alberta Motor Association

3650 - 20 Avenue N.E., CALGARY

Phone: (403)590-0004

Fax: (403)293-6731

Alberta Motor Association

220 Crowfoot Crescent N.W., CALGARY

Phone: (403)239-6644

Fax: (403)241-2405

Alberta Motor Association

#100, 530 - 8 Avenue S.W., CALGARY

Phone: (403)262-2345

Fax: (403)262-2996

A Plus Registry Services Ltd.

4640 - 17 Avenue N.W., CALGARY

Phone: (403)288-3333

Fax: (403)288-0391

Altafacts Search & Registry Inc.

4949 Barlow Trail S.E., CALGARY

Phone: (403)235-7888

Fax: (403)235-7889

Beddington Registry Services

8282B Centre Street North, CALGARY

Phone: (403)295-1555

Fax: (403)295-0990

Richmond Road Registry Ltd.

5767 Signal Hill Centre SW, CALGARY

Phone: (403)246-0130

Fax: (403)246-0647

Calgary Registry Services Ltd.

4892 - 32 Avenue N.W. (Market Mall), CALGARY

Phone: (403)286-6824

Fax: (403)288-9677

City Centre Registry Inc.

Gulf Canada Square 240 401 9 AVE SW, CALGARY

Phone: (403)571-9120

Fax: (403)571-9129

Crowfoot Plates Inc.

49 Crowfoot Way N.W., CALGARY

Phone: (403)241-7951

Fax: (403)241-7954

Dycko Registries Ltd.

2640 Crowchild Trail S.W., CALGARY

Phone: (403)246-4646

Fax: (403)242-1508

Country Hills Plates Inc.

Unit 128,450 Country Hills Blvd. NE, CALGARY

Phone: (403)531-6575

Fax: (403)235-2522

H.G. Registry Services

#101, 1010 - 8 Avenue SW, CALGARY

Phone: (403)508-1105

Fax: (403)508-1108

MacLeod Trail Registries

4660 Macleod Trail S.W, CALGARY

Phone: (403)243-8935

Fax: (403)243-8929

Mojo's Licence & Registry Services Inc.

Bay 3, 6020 - 1 A Street S.W., CALGARY

Phone: (403)252-3333

Fax: (403)252-3218

Provincial Registry Service Centre

Bay 12, 2333 - 18 Avenue NE, CALGARY

Phone: (403)277-7777

Fax: (403)250-8122

Registries Direct Inc.

2404 Centre Street N., CALGARY

Phone: (403)520-2000

Fax: (403)520-2004

Registries Plus Inc.

#2 5268 Memorial Drive NE, CALGARY

Phone: (403)272-5513

Fax: (403)272-7037

Registry Unlimited

2754 - 32 Street N.E., CALGARY

Phone: (403)291-9696

Fax: (403)291-6811

Registry Express Inc.

Unit 1841, 1632 - 14 Avenue NW, CALGARY

Phone: (403)282-3820

Fax: (403)282-1223

Riverbend Registries

#228, 8338 - 18 Street S.E., CALGARY

Phone: (403)720-3315

Fax: (403)720-3316

Shawnessy Licence & Registry Ltd.

124, 250 Shawville Blvd. SE, CALGARY

Phone: (403)254-4222

Fax: (403)254-8596

Southland Registrations Ltd.

#106B, 9705 Horton Road S.W., CALGARY

Phone: (403)255-3653

Fax: (403)255-4503

The Registry

Box 23148, Connaught P.O. 2106 - 33 Avenue S.W., CALGARY

Phone: (403)246-6510

Fax: (403)246-6580

The Downtown Registry Ltd.

524 - 11 Avenue SW, CALGARY

Phone: (403)262-9999

Fax: (403)262-8695

The Registry Depot

#27, 575 - 28 Street S.E., CALGARY

Phone: (403)273-3730

Fax: (403)248-2922

The Licensing Company (Calgary) Inc.

Bow Valley Square IV #283, 250 - 6 Avenue S.W., CALGARY

Phone: (403)299-2373

Fax: (403)299-2374

Wild Rose Licence & Registry Ltd.

#27, 2580 Southland Drive S.W., CALGARY

Phone: (403)251-0311

Fax: (403)251-0367

Alberta Motor Association

6702 - 48 Avenue, CAMROSE

Phone: (780)672-3394

Fax: (780)672-5151

Camrose Licence & Registry

6008 - 48 Avenue, CAMROSE

Phone: (780)672-1671

Fax: (780)672-1982

Downer Ventures Ltd.

Rm 104 837 Main Street, CANMORE

Phone: (403)678-9320

Fax: (403)678-1968

Frontier Valley Holdings Ltd.

PO Box 1330, 295 Main Street, CARDSTON

Phone: (403)653-3006

Fax: (403)653-1783

Caroline Insurance Services

Box 910, Bay 4, 5040 - 49 Avenue, CAROLINE

Phone: (403)722-2277

Fax: (403)722-2380

Alcorn Insurance & Registries

Box 760, 207 - 10 Avenue, CARSTAIRS

Phone: (403)337-3454

Fax: (403)337-3888

F.C. Hunt Agencies 1984 Ltd.

Box 262, 4902 - 50 Street, CASTOR

Phone: (403)882-3202

Fax: (403)882-3201

Ken's Auto & Diesel Repair

Box 160, Railway Avenue & Main Street, DEWBERRY

Phone: (780)847-3002

Fax: (780)847-3004

Vanda Agencies Ltd.

Box 1210, 2004 - 20 Street, DIDSBURY

Phone: (403)335-3365

Fax: (403)335-8311

Ms. Mulligan Registries

Box 6398, 5136 - 52 Avenue, DRAYTON VALLEY

Phone: (780)621-1707

Fax: (780)621-1667

Drumheller Registries a Division of D & S McKay Holdings Inc.

(Mailing: Box 1659, Stettler AB T0C 2L0)

Greentree Co-op Mall 555 Highway 10 East, DRUMHELLER

Phone: (403)823-3067

Fax: (403)823-3097

EckRim Agencies Ltd.

Box 208, 5102 - 50 Street, ECKVILLE

Phone: (403)746-2151

Fax: (403)746-2181

Alberta Motor Association

5040 Manning Drive, EDMONTON

Phone: (780)472-4890

Fax: (780)473-9051

Alberta Motor Association

9780 - 170 Street, EDMONTON

Phone: (780)930-3700

Fax: (780)484-2024

Alberta Motor Association

11220 - 109 Street, EDMONTON

Phone: (780)474-8636

Fax: (780)474-8770

Alberta Motor Association

10310 G.A. MacDonald Ave Box 8180 Stn South, EDMONTON

Phone: (780)430-5460

Fax: (780)430-5423

Accusearch Licence Registry

10205 - 101 Street, 320 Edmonton Centre, EDMONTON

Phone: (780)990-0092

Fax: (780)421-1280

Alberta First Registries Inc.

8104 - 82 Avenue, EDMONTON

Phone: (780)465-9740

Fax: (780)465-9401

Alberta One Stop Registry Ltd.

A-129 Palisades Square Shopping Centre 12812 - 137 Avenue, EDMONTON

Phone: (780)457-7867

Fax: (780)475-1845

Alberta Service Bureau Inc.

Suite M23, Scotia Place 10060 Jasper Avenue, EDMONTON

Phone: (780)944-1204

Fax: (780)423-0285

All Licenses Ltd.

3012 - 106 Street, EDMONTON

Phone: (780)463-4006

Fax: (780)463-8721

Edmonton Motors Limited

11445 Jasper Avenue, EDMONTON

Phone: (780)482-5771

Fax: (780)488-6849

Edmonton Registry Services Inc.

284 Mayfield Common, EDMONTON

Phone: (780)483-4545

Fax: (780)487-2807

Elizabeth Avenue Registries Inc.

10129 Princess Elizabeth Avenue, EDMONTON

Phone: (780)448-0305

Fax: (780)448-7295

Millcreek Registry Services

3424-43 Avenue, EDMONTON

Phone: (780)944-1150

Fax: (780)453-2716

KVP Registration Services Ltd.

11648 - 104 Avenue, EDMONTON

Phone: (780)702-1300

Fax: (780)482-2244

Leibel Melnyk Registry

Suite 150, 11082 - 156 Street, EDMONTON

Phone: (780)484-8880

Fax: (780)483-1835

Abbey Road Registries Ltd.

#103, 10010 - 106 Street, EDMONTON

Phone: (780)420-1234

Fax: (780)423-2567

MBS Registry Services Ltd.

5738 - 75 Street, EDMONTON

Phone: (780)463-8090

Fax: (780)463-8099

Millwoods Registry Services Ltd.

#100, 6203 - 28 Avenue, EDMONTON

Phone: (780)461-9071

Fax: (780)490-0888

Monarch Insurance Brokers Ltd.

#200, 11210 - 107 Avenue, EDMONTON

Phone: (780)422-0938

Fax: (780)424-6885

Edmonton Registry Services (South) Inc.

9360 - 34 Avenue, EDMONTON

Phone: (780)435-7800

Fax: (780)436-1000

North East Registry Ltd.

13058 - 50 Street, EDMONTON

Phone: (780)473-8899

Fax: (780)473-7237

Quality Registries

#138, 9700 - 105 Avenue, EDMONTON

Phone: (780)423-3228

Fax: (780)424-3322

Registrations Office Alberta Inc.

Argyll Plaza, 9941 - 63 Avenue, EDMONTON

Phone: (780)437-6630

Fax: (780)437-6643

Registrations are Us

16658 - 109 Avenue, EDMONTON

Phone: (780)448-2233

Fax: (780)453-5629

Riverbend Registry Services

#201, 596 Riverbend Square, EDMONTON

Phone: (780)437-7355

Fax: (780)436-4147

Sentinel Registry Ltd.

12818 - 82 Street, EDMONTON

Phone: (780)478-8832

Fax: (780)476-5887

Trans West Insurance Brokers & Registries Ltd

#101, 10612 - 178 Street, EDMONTON

Phone: (780)487-3887

Fax: (780)487-6681

Strathcona Registry Centre

10808 82 AVE, EDMONTON

Phone: (780)430-1154

Fax: (780)430-1161

Vehicle Licensing Services & More

13542 - 97 Street, EDMONTON

Phone: (780)473-5724

Fax: (780)473-5745

West-End Registrations, Licensing & Searches Ltd.

10011 - 170 Street, EDMONTON

Phone: (780)483-8211

Fax: (780)483-0928

Yellowhead Registries

Box 6600, 4813 - 4 Avenue, EDSON

Phone: (780)723-6666

Fax: (780)723-6755

Elk Point Insurance & Realty Ltd.

Box 419, 4826 - 50 Street, ELK POINT

Phone: (780)724-3926

Fax: (780)724-2424