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Signing guide

Who can witness a deed poll?

Almost any adult can witness your deed poll. The trick is choosing two who won’t give an organisation a reason to say no: people aged 18 or over who aren’t close relatives and don’t live with you.

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Two adult witnesses
Friends, neighbours and colleagues
No solicitor needed
The rules, from the people who set them

GOV.UK, HM Passport Office and the law on deeds all say slightly different things. This guide shows you how to satisfy all three.

Updated: 30 October 2026
On this pageQuick answerThe rulesWho to askWhat witnesses doEnrolled deed pollsIf it’s gone wrongFAQs

The quick answer

Your witnesses must be adults aged 18 or over who watch you sign. GOV.UK asks for two, and warns that some organisations won’t accept a witness who is a close relative or lives at your address. Friends, neighbours and colleagues are ideal.

Your witnesses don’t need to be solicitors or have any particular job, and they don’t need to know why you’re changing your name. They just need to be there, watch you sign and add their own details.

The official position

What the rules actually say

GOV.UK says you need two witnesses to sign your deed poll, and they must be 18 or over. It adds that some organisations won’t accept a deed poll if a witness lives at the same address or is a close relative. GOV.UK: make an unenrolled deed poll

HM Passport Office tells its staff to accept a deed poll signed by at least one witness, and says the witness doesn’t need to be a solicitor or a commissioner for oaths. HM Passport Office: evidence to change a name

The law on deeds needs one witness who sees you sign and signs to confirm it. That’s why some websites say one witness and others say two. Use two independent adults and your deed poll meets every one of these rules at once. legislation.gov.uk: Law of Property (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1989, section 1

Choosing your witnesses

Who to ask, and who to avoid

Possible witnessOur advice
A friend who lives elsewhereIdeal
A neighbourIdeal
A colleague or your managerIdeal
A doctor, teacher or other professionalFine, but not needed
Your mum, dad, brother, sister or grown-up childAvoid. Some organisations refuse close relatives
Your husband, wife or partnerAvoid. A close relative, and usually at your address
A housemate or lodgerAvoid. Some organisations refuse anyone at your address
Anyone under 18Can’t. GOV.UK says witnesses must be 18 or over

GOV.UK doesn’t set any rule about how long your witnesses have known you for an ordinary deed poll. Someone who knows you is still the easiest choice, because they’re happy to help and easy to find again if an organisation ever has a question. Our guide to whether a family member can witness covers relatives in more detail.

On the day

What your witnesses do

They watch you sign

Both witnesses need to be with you in person and see you sign in your old and new names. A video call doesn’t count.

They sign straight after you

Each witness signs in their own space on the deed poll, in ink.

They add their details

Each prints their name and adds their address, plus anything else your deed poll asks for, such as their occupation.

They do the same on every original

If you have extra original copies, you and your witnesses sign each one separately. Never photocopy a signed copy.

That’s all. Your witnesses aren’t vouching for your new name or taking on any responsibility. They’re confirming they saw you sign.

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A different process

Witnesses for an enrolled deed poll

Enrolling a deed poll at the High Court has stricter paperwork. GOV.UK says form LOC020 is signed in front of two witnesses, while the statutory declaration and the other form are signed in front of a solicitor or another authorised witness. Enrolment costs £53.05 and can take several months. GOV.UK: enrol a deed poll with the courts

Most people never need it. An unenrolled deed poll, signed in front of two independent adults, is what the Passport Office and the DVLA accept every day. Our guide to enrolled and unenrolled deed polls explains when enrolment is worth it.

Fixing a problem

If a relative has already witnessed yours

It isn’t automatically invalid, and plenty of organisations will still accept it. If one refuses, the quickest fix is a fresh deed poll signed in front of two independent witnesses. Don’t add a witness who wasn’t there, and don’t backdate a new signature.

If you ordered from us, you can order extra copies from your original order and sign one with new witnesses. If your deed poll came from somewhere else, a new printed deed poll from us is £14.95.

Your questions answered

Frequently asked questions

It’s best not to. GOV.UK warns that some organisations won’t accept a deed poll witnessed by a close relative, so ask a friend, neighbour or colleague instead.

Use two. The law on deeds needs one witness and HM Passport Office accepts one, but GOV.UK asks for two, and with two independent witnesses no organisation can turn your deed poll down on that point.

Not for an ordinary deed poll. GOV.UK doesn’t set any rule about how long your witnesses have known you. They need to be 18 or over and watch you sign.

No. They need to be with you and watch you sign in ink. HM Passport Office only accepts real ink signatures, and GOV.UK’s wording says the deed poll is signed in the presence of your witnesses.

Yes. You and your witnesses sign each original copy separately, so it’s easiest to sign them all in one sitting.

No. HM Passport Office says the witness doesn’t need to be a solicitor or a commissioner for oaths. You only need a solicitor or authorised witness for the statutory declaration that goes with an enrolled deed poll.

Check the detail

Sources for this guide

Guidance and reference pages

The official rules this guide is based on, checked in October 2026.

Continue your name change

Related guides

How to sign a deed poll

Both signatures, the date and the mistakes to avoid.

Can a family member witness my deed poll?

Relatives, partners and housemates, explained.

What is a deed poll?

What it says, who accepts it and what it costs.

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