Blog HMRC guide 2026
HMRC change of name: how to tell them.
You can tell HMRC online or in the HMRC app in a few minutes. Post works too, but it's slow. Here's how to do each, what proof to send, and what happens to your National Insurance number and tax code.
By Anna Akinyosoye, founder of My Name Changed. I've changed my name four times, and telling HMRC is one of the things I do for my customers.
Updated October 2026 and checked against GOV.UK. Wherever a rule matters, I link to the official page.
The short version
- You need to tell HMRC. There's no deadline, so if you changed your name ages ago, just do it now.
- Do it online or in the HMRC app. It's the quickest way by miles.
- Can't sign in? Write to them. Send a copy of your marriage certificate or deed poll. Expect to wait at least two months.
- Your National Insurance number stays the same. It's how HMRC keeps your records together, so your tax and NI stay yours.
- Tell your employer too. They run your payroll, and HMRC won't pass it on.
New here? I'm Anna, and I run My Name Changed. This guide works whether you do it yourself or not. If you'd rather not, you fill in one short form and I write to HMRC for you and send your new name to your council, GP and more. £45, one-off.
How do you tell HMRC?
Three ways. Online and the app are quick. Post works, but it's slow.
-
Online
Sign in to your HMRC account on GOV.UK and fill in the change of personal details form. No account yet? You can set one up from the same page.
Quickest -
The HMRC app
Same thing, from your phone. Report the name change in the app.
Quickest -
By post
Write with your old and new names, your date of birth, your National Insurance number, your address and a copy of your proof, to:
Pay As You Earn and Self Assessment
At least two months
HM Revenue and Customs
BX9 1AS
What it's actually like. HMRC take the longest of anyone. They're sadly horrifically understaffed, and everything's taking longer than it used to. By post, name changes have taken at least two months to go through, and it's looking even longer now. They say they'll write to confirm, but sometimes they just don't. If you can sign in, do it online. If you'd rather not deal with any of it, I'll write to HMRC for you, along with everyone else. Start my name change →
What proof does HMRC want?
Whatever shows your name changed. Send a copy, and keep the original.
- Married or in a civil partnership? Your marriage or civil partnership certificate.
- Any other reason, or going back after a divorce? Your deed poll. You can make your own for free. Free deed poll →
- A photo or scan is fine. When I phoned HMRC about my own name change, a copy was what they wanted. Never post them your original.
- Not sure which you need? What proof do I need? →
What happens to your NI number and tax code?
Nothing changes except the name on your record.
- National Insurance Your number stays the same. It's yours for life, and it's how HMRC matches all your records to you. Your NI number on GOV.UK →
- Tax code Your tax code doesn't change. It's based on your income and allowances, not your name. Your NI number keeps everything linked to you while HMRC catches up.
- Payslips Tell your employer. They update your name on payroll. Until they do, your payslips just show your old name.
Your employer and your business
- Employed? Tell your employer as well as HMRC. They're two separate updates.
- Run a business? Telling HMRC about your own name is one update. Your business records are another, so do both.
- File Self Assessment? Your details update once you've told HMRC.
Changing your gender too?
For HMRC, a name change and a gender change are separate things.
- Just changing your name? Do it the same way as anyone else, online, in the app or by post. GOV.UK also says you can write to HMRC's Special Section D about a name change if you haven't changed your legal gender.
- Got a Gender Recognition Certificate? HMRC is usually told automatically when you apply. They update your records, tell the DWP, and restrict your records so only specialist staff can see them. Tell your employer at the same time so they can update payroll.
- Want to tell HMRC yourself? Write to Special Section D with your National Insurance number and your original Gender Recognition Certificate: HMRC, Special Section D, Room BP9207, Benton Park View, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE98 1ZZ.
- Questions first? Special Section D's advice line is 03000 554344, Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm.
Who's next on the list?
- Your driving licence and log book. Driving licence guide →
- Your passport. You don't have to change it until it runs out. Passport guide →
- Everything else. Tick it all off on your phone. Free name change checklist →
Or let me do the boring bits.
HMRC is one of about nine places I update for you. You fill in one short form, and I write to HMRC and send your new name to your council, GP, energy, water, electoral roll, TV Licensing and State Pension, and put your DVLA pack together. Your deed poll's included if you need one. £45, one-off, whether you pick one or all of them.
It's literally just me. Not a big corporation, not a call centre.
Anna x
Questions about telling HMRC you've changed your name
Anything else? Email hello@mynamechanged.com or DM me on Instagram or TikTok. More answers on the FAQs page.
How do I change my name with HMRC?
The quickest way is online. Sign in to your HMRC account on GOV.UK and fill in the change of personal details form, or use the HMRC app. If you can't sign in, you can write to HMRC instead, but it's much slower.
Can I tell HMRC about my name change by post?
Yes. Write to Pay As You Earn and Self Assessment, HM Revenue and Customs, BX9 1AS, with your old and new names, your date of birth, your National Insurance number, your address and a copy of your proof. Expect to wait at least two months.
What proof does HMRC need for a name change?
Your marriage or civil partnership certificate, or your deed poll. Send a copy, not the original. When I phoned HMRC about mine, a photo or scan of my proof was what they wanted.
Do I have to tell HMRC if my name changes?
Yes. GOV.UK says you need to tell HMRC when your name changes. There's no deadline, so if you changed it ages ago and never told them, just do it now.
How long does it take HMRC to update my name?
Online is the quickest. By post, it's taken at least two months in the past, and it's looking longer than that now. HMRC are badly understaffed and everything's taking longer than it used to. They say they'll write to confirm, but they don't always.
Will my National Insurance number change if I change my name?
No. Your National Insurance number stays the same for life. It's how HMRC matches all your records to you, so your tax and National Insurance contributions stay yours under your new name.
Does changing my name change my tax code?
No. Your tax code is based on your income and allowances, not your name, and your National Insurance number keeps everything linked to you while HMRC catches up.
Do I need to tell my employer as well as HMRC?
Yes. Your employer runs your payroll, so tell them separately. Don't wait for HMRC to pass it on.
I'm self-employed. Is it any different?
Tell HMRC the same way. If you run a business, update your business records too, because that's a separate change. If you file Self Assessment, your details update once you've reported it.
What if I can't sign in to my HMRC account?
Write to HMRC instead (the address is above). It's slower, but it works.
What if I'm transitioning?
A name change and a gender change are separate things for HMRC. If you're only changing your name, do it the same way as anyone else. For a gender change, see the transitioning section above.
Can someone tell HMRC about my name change for me?
Yes, that's what I do. You fill in one short form, and I write to HMRC for you, along with your council, GP, energy, water, electoral roll, TV Licensing and State Pension, and put your DVLA pack together. It's £45, whether you pick one or all of them.