Name Change Online in India
Fast, Legal & Hassle-Free Name Change with Expert Assistance. Get affidavit, newspaper publication & gazette support — all in one place.
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Choose that suits best for you!
- ✔ Consultation & case review with an expert
- ✔ Notarized affidavit
- ✔ Newspaper publication in 1 newspaper
- ✔ Preparation of all official gazette documents
- ✔ Reply towards the objection
- ✖ Submission of application under the gazette
- ✖ Tracking of an Application
- ✖ Delivery of Gazette notification (Soft Copy)
- ✖ Priority submission of documents
- ✖ Priority follow-ups with Gazette
- ✖ Representation in the Gazette
- ✔ Consultation & case review with an expert
- ✔ Notarized affidavit
- ✔ Newspaper publication in 1 newspaper
- ✔ Preparation of all official gazette documents
- ✔ Submission of application under the gazette
- ✔ Tracking of an application
- ✔ Reply towards the objection
- ✔ Delivery of gazette notification (Soft copy)
- ✖ Priority submission of documents
- ✖ Priority follow-ups with Gazette
- ✖ Representation in the Gazette
- ✔ Consultation & case review with an expert
- ✔ Notarized affidavit
- ✔ Newspaper publication in 1 newspaper
- ✔ Preparation of all official gazette documents
- ✔ Submission of application under the gazette
- ✔ Tracking of an application
- ✔ Reply towards the objection
- ✔ Delivery of gazette notification (Soft copy)
- ✔ Priority submission & follow-ups
- ✔ Representation in the gazette
Who Handles What in Name Change Process
We at eDrafter believe in complete transparency. Here is exactly what our team handles and what you do yourself in Name Change Process.
| TASK | EDRAFTER DOES IT | YOU DO IT |
|---|---|---|
| Drafting of name change affidavit on stamp paper | ✔ | |
| Arrange notarization with Notary Public | ✔ | |
| Draft and arrange newspaper publication | ✔ | |
| Prepare all Gazette application documents | ✔ | |
|
Pay Gazette publication fee via Bharatkosh.gov.in |
Premium & Priority+ | Standard |
| Submit documents to Gazette office | Premium & Priority+ | Standard |
| Track application status | Premium & Priority+ | Standard |
| Download Gazette notification (published by Govt.) | ✔ |
Why 30% of DIY Applications Get Rejected?
The Gazette office returns applications for very specific reasons. Here's what trips people up — and how we prevent every one of them.
Gazette Name Change Process in India
Step 1 : Affidavit for Change of Name
The Affidavit should be printed on a 10 or 20-value Stamp paper and should be duly Notarized by the Notary Public;The Affidavit must include the details below:
- 1. The Affidavit should be declared by the Old Name of the Applicant (known as Deponent).
- 2. Details about the New Name should be mentioned.
- 3. Father’s Name of the Applicant or the Name of the Husband (if the Applicant is a married female and has a valid ID proof with the Spouse Name).
- 4. Residential Address to be mentioned as per the Aadhaar Card, if Applicant holds 2 addresses i.e. Current Address and Permanent Address then both can also be mentioned.
- 5. Reason for Change of Name to be mentioned. For ex: Astrological, Numerological, or any other. Mentioning reason is not mandatory until and unless one is changing the Surname.
- 6. Declaration stating that the facts in the Affidavit are true.
- 7. Signature of the Deponent.
Step 2 : Newspaper Publication
Publish the Advertisement in one of the English leading newspaper and preserve at least 4-5 original copies of the Newspaper.
An important point that must be included in the details for Newspaper Publication for Change of Name:
- 1. Old Name
- 2. New Name
- 3. Father’s/Husband’s Name
- 4. Full Address
- 5. Declaring the Change in Name
Step 3 :Publication in the Official Gazette of India
Publish Notification in the Gazette of India (Central Gazette) shall be done by submitting an Application along with the Payment receipt of the Required fees (payable online).
Prepare and send the following name change documents to the Department of Publication for publishing Notification of Change of Name:
- Request Letter along with the List of the Enclosed Name Change Documents.
- Name Change Affidavit duly Notarized (Original).
- Newspaper Publication (Original).
- Self-attested ID proofs reflecting the Old Name (If having more than one old name(s) then attach ID proofs reflecting all the names).
- The payment receipt needs to be attached. Please note that the Fees need to be Payable at the Bharatkosh Website.
- Two Passport-size photographs duly affixed under the Specimen and the Cross-signature of the Applicant.
- Two Hard Copies of Specimen of Name Change duly filled as per the prescribed format.
- Soft Copy of Specimen in a Compact Disc (C.D) . In a Soft Copy, remove the Signature and Witness Column from the Format of Specimen.
- A Certificate duly signed by the Applicant declaring or stating that the content of the hard copy and soft copy that the applicant provided is the same.
Major Reasons for the Change of Name
Whatever your reason, eDrafter can help you prepare the right documents for your specific case.
Women mostly change their Surname/Name after Marriage and this is one of the most common reasons for change of name.
The female applicant generally prefers to use their Maiden Name after Divorce.
People prefer changing their name due to Astrological and numerological reasons.
If the Religion has been converted then people usually prefer changing their old religion name.
After changing the gender, people prefer changing their names.
If the person is not liking his/her name then they’re free to change it as per their choice.
Criteria of Changing Name in India
There are few criterias that you need to fulfill in order to change your name legally in India.
The Person should attain a age of 18 years or above.
For Minor’s name change, only guardians or parents can act as an applicant, Child being a minor cannot act as an applicant nor legally allowed to sign.
The applicant should have a valid reason for the name change. The Gazette Department may reject applications with unclear or insufficient reasons.
The Person should have a valid government ID proof reflecting the Old Name, In case of Multiple Old names an applicant need to furnish the ID proofs reflecting all Old Names otherwise the application shall not be entertained.
State Gazette vs Central Gazette
Changing your name comes with a lot of paperwork and verification. Alongside this also comes confusion between the central gazette and the state gazette. While both serve as government records, the process, acceptance, and scope can differ significantly.
State Gazette Name Change
The State Gazette Publication is made available by the concerned State Government in which the applicant belongs. This form of publication is generally employed for identification purposes at the local level in the state.
- ✔ Conducted by various State Governments individually
- ✔ The guidelines for the procedure differ from one state to another
- ✔ Generally recognized for regional identification purposes
- ✔ The duration of processing varies according to the authority of the particular state
- ✔Some states permit publications only for their state residents
Central Gazette Name Change
The Central Gazette change of name announcement is made by the Government of India via the Department of Publication. Such an announcement gets greater recognition in India and is often favoured when making changes to official documents, passports, and other national-level identity information.
- ✔ Officially published under the Government of India
- ✔ Accepted throughout all states and government departments
- ✔ Commonly used for Name Change, passport and PAN card update
- ✔ Regarded as more universally recognized for applications made from outside the country too
States That Offer State Gazette Publication
All the states of India do not follow the same procedure for Gazette publication. While some states have a separate State Gazette publication procedure, others mainly depend upon Central Gazette for any name change through Gazette publication. Availability, procedures involved, and requirements differ vastly from one state to another. This is the reason why every individual intending to change his/her name must ensure the availability of State Gazette publication in his/her state.
| State / UT | Gazette Name | Editions | Types of Notifications Published | Online Portal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andhra Pradesh | The Andhra Pradesh Gazette | OrdinaryExtraordinary | Acts & Rules, Appointments, Wakf Board notices, Revenue/Registration notices, Municipal Administration orders, Name change | Internet Archive ↗ |
| Arunachal Pradesh | The Arunachal Pradesh Gazette | OrdinaryExtraordinary | Acts, Rules, Appointments, UAPA tribunal notices, Election notifications, Name change/affidavits | printing.arunachal.gov.in ↗ |
| Assam | The Assam Gazette | Weekly (Wed)Extraordinary | Acts, Bills, Government notifications, Appointments, Recruitment rules, Land acquisition, Tenders | dpns.assam.gov.in ↗ |
| Bihar | Bihar Rajpatra | OrdinaryExtraordinary | Acts, BERC regulations, Statutory notifications, Appointments, Departmental rules, Land notifications | Internet Archive ↗ |
| Chhattisgarh | Chhattisgarh Gazette | OrdinaryExtraordinary | Notifications from all departments — Home, Finance, Forest, Revenue, Labour, Mining, Higher Education | egazette.cg.nic.in ↗ ✓ e-Gazette since 2015 |
| Goa | Official Gazette of the Government of Goa | Series ISeries IISeries III | Acts & Rules (S-I); Land Acquisition, Mining, Elections (S-II); Motor Vehicles, Town Planning, Change of Name, Private ads (S-III) | goaprintingpress.gov.in ↗ |
| Gujarat | The Gujarat Government Gazette | OrdinaryExtraordinaryParts I–IV | Acts (GST, SEZ), Bills, Statutory rules, Appointments, Single-window notifications, Name change publications | gujaratindia.gov.in ↗ |
| Haryana | Haryana Government Gazette | Ordinary (Fri)Extraordinary15 Parts | Acts, Recruitment rules, Model Transfer Policy, Punjab Civil Service amendments, Land/revenue notifications, EWS/SC/BC reservation orders, Admission rules | haryana.gov.in/e-gazette ↗ |
| Himachal Pradesh | Himachal Pradesh Rajpatra | OrdinaryExtraordinary | Notifications, Court notices, Acts, Rules (Hindi & English, full-text searchable) | rajpatra.hp.gov.in ↗ ✓ Digital-only since 2007 |
| Jharkhand | The Jharkhand Gazette | OrdinaryExtraordinary | Acts, Law Officer Rules, Industrial policy documents, Notifications, Appointments, Land acquisition | egazette.jharkhand.gov.in ↗ |
| Karnataka | Karnataka Rajya Patra | OrdinaryExtraordinary | Acts, Rules, Cadre & Recruitment Rules, Municipal administration notifications, Court-related notices, Name change | erajyapatra.karnataka.gov.in ↗ ✓ e-Gazette since Jan 2020 |
| Kerala | The Kerala Gazette | Weekly OrdinaryExtraordinaryParts I–IV | Government Orders, Acts, Bills, Revenue/Survey notifications, Private Advertisements (Part IV), Name/Religion/Caste change | compose.kerala.gov.in ↗ |
| Madhya Pradesh | MP Gazette (Madhya Pradesh Rajpatra) | OrdinaryExtraordinary | Acts (MP GST, Appropriation Bills), Rules (Pension, NPS, Civil Services, Treasury Code), Election notifications, Departmental notifications across all departments | govtpressmp.nic.in ↗ |
| Maharashtra | Maharashtra Shasan Rajpatra | OrdinaryExtraordinaryParts I–IV-B | Law & Judiciary notifications, Slum Rehabilitation, Land Acquisition (Sec 11 & 19), MRTP Act notices, Town Planning Schemes, Maharashtra Right to Public Services Act, Zila Parishad reservation orders | dgps.maharashtra.gov.in ↗ |
| Manipur | The Manipur Gazette | Weekly (Wed)Extraordinary | Government orders, Acts, Rules, Gazette of India republications, Appointments, Election notifications | egazettemanipur.mn.gov.in ↗ ✓ Digital-only since Aug 2025 |
| Meghalaya | The Gazette of Meghalaya | OrdinaryExtraordinaryPart-IIA | Acts, GST notifications, IAS/MCS appointments & transfers, Right to Public Services, Land acquisition, Name change, Election notifications | megpns.gov.in ↗ |
| Mizoram | The Mizoram Gazette | OrdinaryExtraordinary | Acts, Recruitment Rules (Art. 309), Lottery rules, District Council rules, Right to Public Services, Pollution Control Board, Appointments | egazette.mizoram.gov.in ↗ |
| Nagaland | The Nagaland Gazette | OrdinaryExtraordinary | Acts (Municipal Act 2023, Forest Act), Bills, Appointments, Postings & Transfers, Budget documents, Taxation amendments | govtpress.nagaland.gov.in ↗ |
| Odisha | The Odisha Gazette | Weekly (Fri)Extraordinary | Department-wise notifications (searchable by dept/keyword), Acts, Rules, Statutory orders, Appointments, Land acquisition | egazette.odisha.gov.in ↗ ✓ e-Gazette since Jan 2020 |
| Punjab | Punjab Government Gazette | OrdinaryExtraordinary | Acts, Bills, Disaster management orders, Recruitment rules, Name change notices, Tender notices, Appointments | dsa.punjab.gov.in ↗ |
| Rajasthan | Rajasthan Rajpatra | Ordinary (Dept)Ordinary (Citizen)Extraordinary | Rules, Regulations, Notifications, Orders, Circulars, Ordinances, Statutory Orders — uploaded by Nodal Officers (not below Joint/Deputy Secy level) | reams.rajasthan.gov.in ↗ |
| Sikkim | The Sikkim Government Gazette | OrdinaryExtraordinary | State Acts/Ordinances, Statutory Rules, Constitutional Appointments, Policy Decisions, Land Acquisition, Appreciation letters/obituaries — published in English & Nepali | sikkimgazettes.gov.in ↗ |
| Tamil Nadu | Tamil Nadu Government Gazette | Weekly OrdinaryExtraordinary | Acts, Bills, IAS Cadre Rules, Name/religion change (₹750), Land acquisition, Industrial Tribunal orders, Waqf Board notifications, Judicial insolvency petitions | stationeryprinting.tn.gov.in ↗ |
| Telangana | The Telangana Gazette | OrdinaryExtraordinaryParts I–V | Acts, Rules, Election Commission notifications (Part V), Name change (Part II), High Court Rules (live-streaming), GAD notifications, Departmental orders | tggazette.cgg.gov.in ↗ |
| Tripura | The Tripura Gazette | OrdinaryExtraordinary | Transfer/posting notifications (IAS, TCS, TJS), Acts, Recruitment, Tenders, GST/tax notifications, Relinquishment of charge | egazette.tripura.gov.in ↗ |
| Uttar Pradesh | UP Rajpatra (Uttar Pradesh Gazette) | OrdinaryExtraordinary | Acts, Bills (Indian Stamp UP Amendment), Rules (Municipal Parking, Bottling Rules), State Election Commission, Excise notifications — Personal name change via Central Gazette | dpsup.up.gov.in ↗ |
| Uttarakhand | The Uttarakhand Gazette | OrdinaryExtraordinary | GAD notifications, Advertisements, Office memoranda, Labour notifications, Census notifications, Stamp duty notifications | Internet Archive ↗ |
| West Bengal | The Kolkata Gazette | OrdinaryExtraordinaryParts I–III | Governor's orders, High Court notifications, Treasury orders, Acts, Statutory rules, Jurisdiction/registration office changes, Appointments, Land acquisition | wbgazettepart2.in ↗ |
| Delhi (NCT) | Delhi Gazette | OrdinaryExtraordinaryParts I–IV | Acts, Recruitment rules, Minimum Wages notifications, Land acquisition, Home/Labour/Education notifications, Appointments under BNSS | delhigovt.nic.in ↗ |
| Chandigarh (UT) | UT Chandigarh Digital Gazette | OrdinaryExtraordinary | Right to Service Act notifications, Appointments, Public notices, Acts extended to UT, Engineering/PWD notifications, Departmental orders | egazette.chd.gov.in ↗ ✓ Digital-only |
| Jammu & Kashmir (UT) | J&K Government Gazette | OrdinaryExtraordinary | Acts (J&K BOPEE Act amendments), Rules, Statutory notifications, Appointments, GAD orders | rgp.jk.gov.in ↗ |
| Ladakh (UT) | The Ladakh Gazette | OrdinaryExtraordinary | Notifications, Government orders, Standing rules & regulations, Appointments, Departmental circulars | egazette.ladakh.gov.in ↗ ✓ e-Gazette since Oct 2020 |
| Puducherry (UT) | The Gazette of Puducherry | Ordinary (Tue)ExtraordinaryPart-II Suppl.Part-III | Acts & Rules (Extraordinary), Land acquisition/tenders (Ordinary), Recruitment rules/statistical reports (Part-II), Central Govt. republications (Part-III) — Tamil, English & French | egazette.py.gov.in ↗ |
How Does the State Gazette Process Work?
The process of State Gazette involves the preparation of all the required documents, which include:
- ✔ Name Change Affidavit
- ✔ Identity Proof
- ✔ Address Proof
- ✔ Publication of Notice in the Newspapers
- ✔ Self-attested Photograph
The candidate then needs to submit the documents to their respective State Gazette office along with the necessary fees. Once the application is processed and approved, the name change is gazetted through the State Gazette.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| What to Compare | State Gazette | Central Gazette |
|---|---|---|
| Who Publishes It | Your State Government | Government of India (Dept. of Publication) |
| Where Is It Accepted | Depends on the department — not universal | Accepted all across India, no questions asked |
| Best Used For | Local or state-level document corrections | Passport, PAN, Aadhaar, bank records, job documents |
| How the Process Works | Different rules in every state | One standard process — same across all states |
| Address Proof Needed | Often required to be local | Broader eligibility — less restrictive |
| Approx Cost | ₹1,500 – ₹5,000+ (varies by state) | ₹1,100 – ₹3,500 (more predictable) |
The Story Behind the Central Gazette
Central Gazette has been the official journal of record of the Government of India for many years, starting from the British era. In history, it came into existence to officially publish notifications, legal changes, appointments, regulations, and other public announcements.
Eventually, it was also the most popular medium for publishing the name change officially. As it was published under the authorisation of the Central Government, it had more credibility among banks, passport departments, education boards, and other government bodies. The Central Gazette publication has become one of the most recognised mediums of publishing a name change officially in India as it gives validity to the new names of the people.
📅 Central Gazette — Key Milestones
1837 — First India GazetteThe first official Gazette was published under the India Press Act, 1835, by the government of British India.
1950 — Post-Independence TakeoverThe Gazette officially continued under the Government of independent India.
1961 — Four-Part Structure FormalisedThe gazette was divided into 4 parts. Each part deals with different things.
2000 — IT Act Enables e-PublicationElectronic publication of the official gazette was made legally valid by the IT Act, 2000. and Increased use for passport, PAN, and identity document updates
2011 — eGazette Portal LaunchedAn online archive was launched named the eGazette portal.
2024 — Online Submission EnabledOnline submission of name change and other public notices was enabled via eGazette portal.
Where is the Central Gazette Office?
The Central Gazette publication process is handled by the Department of Publication under the Government of India. The office is located in New Delhi and manages official Gazette notifications for various public purposes, including name changes.
Address: Department of Publication, Civil Lines, Delhi – 110054 Government of India
Applicants may submit documents directly or through authorised service providers assisting with Gazette publication formalities.
What Kinds of Cases Get Published in the Gazette?
Most people think the Gazette is only for name changes — but it covers a much wider range of legal and personal matters. Here's what actually gets published.
🏛️ State Gazette
Common publications at state level🇮🇳 Central Gazette
Common publications at national levelFrequently Asked Questions
No. eDrafter.in is a private document preparation service and has no affiliation with the Government of India or any government department. We help individuals prepare their name change documents correctly. Gazette publication fees are paid separately and directly by the customer to the Department of Publication via Bharatkosh.
Applicant is not eligible to declare the Affidavit or any sort of Legal Document with the New name until the Gazette Certificate for Name Change is published.
The stamp value should be used as prescribed by the concerned State government however most of the Affidavits get executed on a 10-value stamp paper and considered Legally valid.
Points to be Remembered :
- 1. Newspaper should be submitted in Original, Photocopy of the Newspaper or the Print shall be not accepted.
- 2. At least 1 Newspaper needs to be submitted along with the other Name Change Documents of the Name Change Application.
- 3. The Advertisement should not be cut off from the Newspaper, The Applicant needs to submit the First Main Page of the Newspaper and that particular page on which the Advertisement has been published while highlighting the Ad Text.
- 4. In the case of the Name Change of a Minor, mentioning the Age of the Minor as well as using the word “Minor” is mandatory; for reference please check the below sample.
- 5. In the case of the Name Change after Marriage, mentioning the Father as well as the Husband’s name is mandatory.
- 6. If the Applicant is holding different names then mentioning all the Names while using “alias” is mandatory.
Before publishing the name change advertisement in a newspaper, always check the content of the advertisement and ensure that the above-mentioned points are correct and accurate.
Gazette accepts only Government ID proof like Aadhaar, PAN Card, Driving License, and others; Bank Passbooks, LIC Documents, and school Documents shall not be accepted as proof of Old Name.
The fees below are Government of India fees, payable directly by you to the Department of Publication via the Bharatkosh portal. These are NOT paid to eDrafter.
- Name Change for Minor Child — ₹1,700 (Govt. fee, paid to Bharatkosh)
- Name Change for Adult / Govt. Employee — ₹1,100 (Govt. fee, paid to Bharatkosh)
- For Indian Living Abroad — ₹3,500 (Govt. fee, paid to Bharatkosh)
eDrafter charges a separate professional service fee for document preparation. See our packages for eDrafter pricing.
Kindly refer this video to know how to pay the Central Gazette Fee — Watch Video
The Notification gets published on each Working Saturday, Kindly download it and also take multiple printouts, and provide them to the Department where you want to change your name. Then, you can easily change your name in all the Documents.
You may refer to our Blog to learn How to Download Name Change Notification
There are Two Modes of submitting the application, The First one is while visiting personally to the Gazette Office, Visiting Hours are: 10 am to 1 pm & 2 pm – 4 pm (Operational: Mon-Sat) and the Second one is to Post/Courier the Documents at their Address; you can use any normal courier service to courier the Name Change Documents.
If the Notification is urgent for you then we suggest opting for the First method i.e. while visiting personally as in this method Gazette takes less time for the publication as compared to the second method.
Points that an applicant should keep in mind to get the Name Change process done in Central Gazette –
- Name Change Documents that the applicant is enclosing should be at max One Year. Otherwise, they will not be acceptable to the Department of Publication.
- The Documents should be in a prescribed proforma provided by the Department of Publication. The Signatures in those documents should be from Old Name Only.
- Gazette do not accept the Applications pertaining Name Change/Correction in LIC Documents, Share Certificates & Property Documents.
- Pay the Publication Fee appropriately as fixed by the Department and make sure to take a Clear Print-out of the Payment receipt.
- Publish the Notification in the Central Gazette. It holds more power and better recognition as compared to the Notification of State Gazette.
State-wise Name Change Services
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