Changing your name by deed poll in Punggol starts with a lawyer executing the deed poll. Next, update your NRIC online with ICA using Singpass, uploading the deed poll and a recent photo, then collect the new IC by appointment. Your passport, driving licence, bank and school records follow from the new NRIC.
A new name can be a fresh start, and the paperwork is more manageable than it looks. Do it in the right order and each step makes the next one easier.
This page is part of eduKate Punggol’s When You Need Help in Punggol, our practical guides for life’s occasions, big and small. It covers the deed poll itself, then updating your NRIC, passport, driving licence, CPF, bank and your child’s school records, with the fees we could verify.
Quick answer
- The deed poll: a lawyer (an Advocate and Solicitor) executes it. For anyone under 21, the parents execute it.
- NRIC first: apply through ICA’s e-Service with Singpass, uploading the deed poll and a colour passport-sized photo taken within the last three months. ICA’s change-of-particulars page lists a S$60 fee; check with ICA.
- Collect the new IC by appointment within three months of approval. Processing takes up to seven working days, longer at peak times.
- Then the rest: passport (ask ICA whether you need a new one), driving licence at Traffic Police Headquarters ($25), and your bank. CPF updates itself for Citizens and PRs.
- Baby under 1? Alter the name on the birth certificate instead, for S$33 plus S$18 for a new digital certificate.
How to Change Your Name by Deed Poll, Step by Step
The order matters. Your bank can pull your new name from Myinfo, and CPF updates Citizens’ and PRs’ particulars automatically, so update your NRIC first.
- Have the deed poll executed by a lawyer. ICA describes a deed poll as “a legal document executed by Advocates or Solicitors to effect a change in name”. Lawyers’ fees are not published officially, so ask for the fee before you start.
- Apply to update your NRIC. Log in to ICA’s change-of-particulars e-Service with Singpass. Citizens upload digital images of the deed poll and a recent colour passport-sized photo taken within the last three months.
- Wait for approval, then book your collection. ICA sends an SMS and email when the application is approved. Make an appointment to collect your IC within three months.
- Sort out your passport. ICA notes that processing can take longer when an application involves a change to your principal name or surname. Its pages do not say whether your current passport must be replaced, so ask ICA before you next travel.
- Update your driving licence. Book an appointment through BookingSG and go to Traffic Police Headquarters with your NRIC, your valid driving licence, one recent passport-size photo with a white background, and a way to pay. SPF says incomplete applications will not be considered.
- Update your bank. DBS and POSB, for example, let you update your name by retrieving your details from Myinfo with Singpass. Check your own bank’s page.
- Leave CPF alone. CPF says that for Citizens and PRs, “your latest particulars will automatically be updated in our records”.
- Tell everyone else. Let your employer, insurers, your child’s school and any other organisations know, with a copy of your new IC.
Where to Go and Who to Contact
| Who | Address or how to apply | Hours | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| A lawyer (Advocate and Solicitor) | Any law practice | By appointment | Executing the deed poll. |
| ICA e-Service: change of particulars on IC | Online with Singpass, via ICA’s change-of-particulars page | Online; IC collection by appointment | Updating your NRIC with your new name. |
| ICA: alteration of child’s name | Online at go.gov.sg/ica-acn | Online; processed in 3 working days | A baby under 1, born in Singapore. |
| Traffic Police Headquarters (outside Punggol) | 10 Ubi Avenue 3, Singapore 408865. Book through BookingSG. | By appointment | Updating the name on your driving licence. |
| ServiceSG Centre One Punggol | 1 Punggol Drive, #01-01, Singapore 828629. Near Punggol MRT (NE17) and Sam Kee LRT (PW1). | Mon–Sat 9am–6pm, closed Sun and public holidays (check live) | Walk-in help with Singpass and government e-services. |
Checked October 2026 — confirm on the official page before you go: ICA change of particulars (updated 13 March 2026), ICA passport applications (updated 30 June 2026) and SPF driving licence particulars (updated 28 July 2026).
Which Situation Fits You
You are an adult changing your own name
Follow the steps above in order. Keep the original deed poll somewhere safe and scan it, as you may be asked for copies along the way.
You are changing a child’s name
For anyone under 21, ICA says the deed poll should be executed by the parents, ideally both. If only one parent signs, either parent must be present at the registration to declare that both consented. For the IC itself, both birth parents’ consent is needed; if only one parent or guardian consents, an Order of Court is required. Once the new documents are out, tell the school; our guide to updating your child’s school records shows how to reach the right office.
Your baby is under one year old
There is a separate, simpler route. ICA lets a parent or legal guardian alter the name on the birth certificate if the child is under 1, was born in Singapore and has not had a previous name change. You need both parents’ NRICs and a consent letter from the other parent named on the certificate, or a court order. Apply online; it is processed in 3 working days.
You are adding a married or religious name
ICA’s upload list asks for your marriage certificate when you add a married name, and a baptism or religious certificate when you add a religious name. Check with ICA which documents apply to your case. Our marriage registration explainer covers the certificate.
You are a Permanent Resident
ICA asks PRs to update the name on their own passport first, then submit the passport page showing the new name with the IC application.
What a Deed Poll Name Change Costs
- Deed poll: set by the lawyer; there is no official fee table. Ask for a quote.
- NRIC change of particulars: ICA’s page lists a S$60 fee, payable by Visa, MasterCard, AMEX, Internet Direct Debit or PayNow. The page lists it generally rather than for name changes alone, so check with ICA.
- Passport: S$70 online or S$80 at the counter. ICA says it takes around one to two weeks locally, and possibly longer with a change of name.
- Driving licence: $25, including GST.
- Baby’s name on the birth certificate: S$33 (non-refundable), plus S$18 for a new digital birth certificate.
- CPF: nothing to do and nothing to pay for Citizens and PRs.
If a CPF nominee of yours changes their name, CPF says you do not need to update the nomination when the nominee is a Citizen or PR. For a foreign nominee, CPF says to make a new nomination with their latest particulars.
Neighbour’s Tips
- Do the NRIC first. Banks such as DBS pull your name from Myinfo, and CPF updates automatically, so the rest flows from it.
- Get your photo taken the week you apply. ICA wants one taken within the last three months.
- Book your IC collection as soon as the SMS arrives. You have three months, so do not let it slide.
- Bring a white-background photo to Traffic Police. It is on SPF’s list, and incomplete applications are not considered.
- Write a list of everywhere your name appears: bank accounts, insurance, utilities, your employer, the school, clinics. Tick them off as you go.
- Changing a baby’s name? Do it before the first birthday. The birth certificate route is simpler and cheaper.
- Check your passport before booking a holiday. Ask ICA well ahead whether you need a new one.
If You Get Stuck
A name change is never an emergency, but it can stall. If you are struggling with Singpass or an online form, the ServiceSG Centre at One Punggol offers walk-in help with government e-services; hours were Mon–Sat 9am–6pm at the time of checking in October 2026, so check live before you go. If ICA’s processing is taking longer than seven working days, remember it says peak periods take longer, and contact ICA through its website.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can make a deed poll in Singapore?
ICA says a deed poll is executed by Advocates or Solicitors, so you need a lawyer. For anyone under 21, the parents execute it.
Is there a deadline to update my NRIC after a deed poll?
ICA’s change-of-particulars page, as checked in October 2026, does not state one. Ask ICA if you are unsure, and do it early, because your other records depend on it.
Do I need a new passport after changing my name?
The ICA pages we checked do not say, so ask ICA directly. If you do apply, the fee is S$70 online.
Do I need to tell CPF about my new name?
Not if you are a Citizen or PR. CPF updates your particulars automatically.
How long does the new IC take?
ICA processes the application within seven working days, longer at peak times. You then collect the IC by appointment within three months of approval.
Can one parent change a child’s name alone?
For the IC, ICA needs both birth parents’ consent. If only one parent or guardian consents, an Order of Court is required.
More Help on eduKate Punggol
- ICA passports, NRIC and travel documents explained.
- Updating your child’s school records
- Moving house: updating your address with ICA
- Updating your property tax mailing address
- NRIC re-registration at 15 and 30
- Birth registration and Baby Bonus explained.
- Official: ICA change of particulars · ICA alteration of a child’s name · SPF licence particulars
Your New Name, Sorted
Once the new IC is in your hand, the rest is a list to work through at your own pace. Tick off one record each week if that is easier, and keep a few copies of the deed poll in a folder. Before long, your new name will simply be your name.
And if your family is also looking for calm, small-group English, Mathematics or Science, eduKate Punggol teaches classes of three in Punggol. Come find out more: Book a consultation · Chat on WhatsApp
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Checked October 2026. Addresses, opening hours, fees and rules change, so please confirm with the official source before you go.
