Update your personal information with the CRA - Change your name
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If you change your name, tell the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) as soon as possible. How you tell us about your new name depends on how many parts of your name you are changing.
We do not accept name changes online.
On this page
- Ways to change either your first name or last name
- Change both your first name and last name
- Change your name with other government departments
- Update other information
Ways to change either your first name or last name
By phone
Processing time: Immediate
You can change your name by phone if you haven't already changed one of your names. For example, if you previously changed your first name, you cannot change your last name by phone.
Exception: Changing back to your birth name
If you’re changing back to your birth name, and we have that name on file, you can do it by phone (documentation not required).
- Before you call
- Have all of the following information ready to verify your identity:
- Social insurance number (SIN)
- Full name and date of birth
- Complete address
- Assessed tax return, notice of assessment or reassessment, or other tax document
You can also be signed in to My Account to access your tax information.
Make a change for someone else
You can only call on behalf of someone else in the following 2 situations:
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The person is present on the call to verify their identity in English or French and provides verbal authorization for you to speak for them
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You are the person's legal representative with full legal authority to act as them
For details: Authorize a representative
- Telephone numbers
- 1-800-959-8281
- Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut:
1-866-426-1527 (toll free) - Outside Canada and the United States (operates in Eastern Time):
1-613-940-8495 (collect)The CRA only accepts collect calls made through a telephone operator. After your call is accepted by an automated response, you may hear a beep and notice a normal connection delay. This service operates in Eastern Standard Time.
- Teletypewriter (TTY) or Canada VRS
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Teletypewriter (TTY):
1-800-665-0354
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Canada VRS (Video Relay Service):
Register with Canada VRS to download the app and call the VRS line
If you use any other operator-assisted relay service, call our regular telephone numbers on this page instead of the TTY or Canada VRS numbers.
- Hours
-
CRA’s Business Enquiries line hours Day Hours Mon to Fri 6:30 am to 11:00 pm ET Sat 7:30 am to 8:00 pm ET Sun Closed Closed on public holidays
By mail or fax
Processing time: 4 to 6 weeks after we receive your documents
You must provide documentation if you have already changed your name.
Send or fax a letter to your tax centre with the following information:
- An original or certified true copy of one of the following documents:
- A name change certificate from a provincial or territorial vital statistics department
- A court order issued under an act on change of name
- Your old and new names
- Your social insurance number
- Your signature
Change both your first name and last name
Changes to both a first and last name must be done by mail or fax.
- By mail or fax:
-
Processing time: 4 to 6 weeks after we receive your documents
Send a letter to your tax centre with the following information:
- An original or certified true copy of one of the following documents:
- A name change certificate from a provincial or territorial vital statistics department
- A court order issued under an act on change of name
- Your old and new names
- Your social insurance number
- Your signature
- An original or certified true copy of one of the following documents:
Change your name with other government departments
The CRA will not share your name change with other government departments. You must do this separately. The only exception to this is if you allowed CRA to share this information with Elections Canada on your tax return.
Contact another Government of Canada department or agency
Update other information
Change your other personal details with the CRA, including your address, phone number or email address.
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