Name Change Gazette Notification: Process, Documents and Fees

To get a gazette notification for a name change, advertise the change in a daily newspaper and prepare a signed undertaking. Then pay ₹1,100 on Bharatkosh and send the file to the Department of Publication in Delhi, in person or by post. The notice appears in Part IV of the weekly Gazette of India, which you download free from egazette.gov.in.

Key facts

The fees come from the Department’s rate order, revised with effect from 14 June 2021.

When you need a gazette notification

A gazette notice is the public record of a new name. You need one when you change your first name or full name, or add or drop a surname. Offices then accept it as proof for the new name:

• Aadhaar: UIDAI lists the gazette notification as the proof of identity for a change in first name or full name.
• PAN: Protean accepts gazette publication, or a gazetted officer’s certificate, as proof of name change. Married women can also use a marriage certificate.

A surname change after marriage usually runs on the marriage certificate instead. If you want to use a surname different from your father’s or mother’s, the Department first needs an affidavit attested by a First Class Magistrate.

States also publish name changes in their own gazettes. Odisha, for example, takes these applications online on its e-Gazette portal. This guide covers the central Gazette of India.

Step 1: undertaking or affidavit

The Department asks for an undertaking signed by you. It shows your old and new names, your father’s or husband’s full name and your residential address, and declares that the facts are true. Central government employees may submit a deed for change of name instead, under a Ministry of Home Affairs office memorandum of 12 March 1987. An Indian living abroad submits the deed attested by the Indian embassy or high commission.

Many people also swear a name change affidavit before a notary, since banks and other offices ask for one. See our guide on stamp duty in India for stamp paper basics.

Step 2: newspaper advertisement

Publish the change in a daily local leading newspaper. Give your old and new names, your father’s or husband’s name and your residential address. The Department’s guideline asks for one newspaper, and you must send the original newspaper, not a clipping or photocopy. Some offices, including passport offices according to several agents’ guides, ask for advertisements in two papers. Check the office you are updating before you book.

Step 3: pay the fee and send the application

Documents checklist

• The signed undertaking (or deed)
• The original newspaper carrying your advertisement
• The prescribed proforma, computer-typed, in duplicate, signed in your old name with two witnesses
• A CD with the proforma text in MS Word, without the witness part, with your old name typed in place of the signature
• Two self-attested passport-size photographs
• A self-attested copy of photo ID, such as passport, Aadhaar, voter card, driving licence or PAN
• A signed certificate that the hard copy and soft copy match
• A request letter with the Bharatkosh fee receipt

Documents must not be more than one year old. The Department does not return anything you send.

Paying on Bharatkosh

1. Open bharatkosh.gov.in and choose Non Registered User.
2. Under Payment Purpose, select Housing and Urban Affairs as the ministry.
3. Select the purpose “Sale of Gazette (PAO Printing, New Delhi)”.
4. Choose DDO 242722, Controller of Publications, and enter the amount.
5. Enter “Fee for publication in the Gazette of India” as the remark, then click Next.
6. Fill in your name, address, mobile and email, and confirm.
7. Pay by net banking, debit card or credit card.
8. Generate the receipt and print it for your application.

Sending the file

1. Address the forwarding letter to the Controller of Publications, Department of Publication, Civil Lines, Delhi 110054.
2. Deliver it yourself during public dealing hours, or send it by post or courier.
3. Keep copies of everything, since the originals are not returned.

Once the file is complete, the Department sends it to the Government of India Press for printing. It does not commit to a timeline and says it is not responsible for press delays.

Downloading your e-gazette notification

Printed copies of the Gazette stopped on 1 October 2015, so you download yours from egazette.gov.in:

1. Click Search Gazette.
2. Choose the category Weekly Gazette.
3. Select Part IV.
4. Set the date range between two Saturdays.
5. Download the PDF for each week.
6. Press Ctrl+F and search for your old or new name.
7. Save the whole gazette. The Department says the downloaded copy needs no further certification.

Updating Aadhaar, PAN and other records

If the change involves a minor, a divorce or a change of religion, the Department has separate guidelines. A lawyer can help where your records conflict.

Frequently asked questions

What is the fee for a name change gazette notification?

₹1,100 for an adult and ₹1,700 for a minor. Indians living abroad pay ₹3,500 for an adult and ₹5,100 for a minor.

Can I apply for a central gazette name change online?

Only the fee is paid online, on Bharatkosh. The Department accepts the application in person or by post or courier.

Is a gazette notification needed for a name change in Aadhaar?

Yes, for a change in first name or full name. UIDAI lists the gazette notification as the proof of identity for that update.

How many newspapers do I need?

The Department’s guideline asks for one daily local leading newspaper. Some offices ask for two, so check before you advertise.

Can an agent or advocate submit the application for me?

No. The guideline says only applications submitted personally or sent by post or courier are entertained.

Where do I get a copy of the e-gazette notification?

Download it free from egazette.gov.in under Weekly Gazette, Part IV. No certified copy is needed.

Sources

• Guidelines for change of name for adult (major) — Department of Publication (checked 16 Sep 2026)
• Revision of rates of publication in the Gazette of India — Department of Publication (checked 16 Sep 2026)
• Payment procedure through Bharatkosh — Department of Publication (checked 16 Sep 2026)
• Acceptable documents as proof of old name and address — Department of Publication (checked 16 Sep 2026)
• Guidelines for adopting a different surname — Department of Publication (checked 16 Sep 2026)
• Change of Name / Public Notices guidelines — Department of Publication (checked 16 Sep 2026)
• e-Gazette of India — Department of Publication (checked 16 Sep 2026)
• List of acceptable documents for enrolment and update — UIDAI (checked 16 Sep 2026)
• SOP for name and gender update under exception handling — UIDAI (checked 16 Sep 2026)
• Instructions for PAN correction — Protean (checked 16 Sep 2026)
• Name/Surname — e-Gazette, Government of Odisha (checked 16 Sep 2026)