No—your name does not change automatically after marriage in Australia.

If you choose to take your partner’s surname (or a variation), there is no legal requirement to register the name change. Instead, you can simply start using your new married name—but you’ll need your official marriage certificate to update your records with various organisations.

Here’s how it works:

In Australia, you can adopt your spouse’s surname through usage, not through a formal legal name change. You can:

  • Take your partner’s surname

  • Hyphenate both surnames (e.g. Smith-Jones)

  • Create a combined surname (in some cases)

To update your name with services like:

  • Medicare

  • Your bank

  • Your driver’s licence

  • Passport, ATO, Super, etc.

You’ll need to provide your official marriage certificate (not the decorative one from your ceremony) as proof.

If you want to create an entirely new surname (not based on either of your names), you’ll need to apply for a legal name change through your state or territory’s Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages.