Maharashtra Gazette Name Change – Online Application for Gazette Notification
If you’re a Maharashtrian and want to change your name, you must follow the legal process. You can change your name in the Gazette online and offline, which is an easy process. Maharashtra Gazette Name Change is explained in this article.
What is Name Change in Gazette?
A gazette is a government document that helps people rectify any errors they want to make in their legal documents. Name changes can be requested for various reasons, including misspellings, mistakes in dates of birth, political reasons, astrological factors, marriages, and religion changes.

Reasons to name change in Maharashtra Gazette
- Change of name due to marriage: Sometimes people change their surname and take their spouse’s surname or add their spouse’s surname to their legal documents.
- Name change due to divorce: This is also one of the main reasons that people opt for Maharashtra Gazette Name change.
- Change of name due to Numerological and Astrological reasons: People in Maharashtra change their name due to many numerological reasons advised by their religion.
- Name change due to misspelling or errors in the document: Sometimes, people’s names have certain errors due to which they have to make corrections in their names.
- Name change due to adoption
- Name change in Gazette to avoid complications
- Name change due to dislike of their name or change in their gender.

Gazette name change Procedure In Maharashtra
Everyone who wishes to change their name in Maharashtra legally must follow the steps below:-
Name change affidavit
Name change requires a person to fill out an affidavit and specify the reason for the change. The local notary must make an affidavit that contains all the information required, such as old name, new name, reason for name change, address, contact information, etc.
Advertisement in Newspaper
Following the above step, the individual must publish two articles about their name change in two different newspapers, one in English and one in their native language. The article should include the following announcements:-
- The person’s new name
- Person’s old name
- Date of affidavit
- Age
- Full address of the person
- The name of the notary who attested the affidavit
Notification in the Government Gazette
At last, the person must publish a notice in the Gazette of India by writing an application and submitting the necessary documents. Here are the documents that must be submitted:-
- Affidavit of name change
- Newspaper publication
- A demand draft
- Two passport-size photos
- A letter describing that all the documents are attached to the envelope.
Once you have undergone all the above steps in a few days, you will get notified about the completion of your application, and your new name will proceed legally.
Read More:- Apply For Online Name Change Process in India Rs 999
Restrictions on name change in Maharashtra
The changing of a person’s name is subject to certain rules and restrictions.
- You cannot change your name to be saved from any fraud or illegal activities.
- A person cannot change their change to hide their identity
- The applicant cannot use a vulgar or offensive name
- The person cannot add punctuation to their name.

Documents Required for Maharashtra Gazette Name Change
Here is a complete list of documents that are needed for Maharashtra Gazette Name Change:-
- Any document that can work as a proof of address (Aadhaar card, voter card & Driving Licence)
- Passport-size photo
- The name the applicant wishes
- Age proof
- Marriage Certificate, If the name change due to marriage
- In the case of a minor, a birth certificate is needed
- If a person is married or divorced, then their marriage and divorce certificate is needed.
- The hard copy of the article was published in newspapers
- A hard copy of the affidavit, which is notarized.
Eligibility criteria for Maharashtra Gazette Name Change
If you are a citizen living in Maharashtra and wish to change your name, then the below-mentioned steps should be followed:-
- In order to apply, the applicant must be an Indian citizen
- An applicant should have a valid government ID
- Name changes should be justified by a valid reason
- If the applicant is a minor, then their parents must go to the government office with their child and follow the procedure.
Affidavit format for Maharashtra Gazette Notification Name Change
I(old name) son/daughter of ____ residence in ___, seriously declare and confirm the following:
I am a citizen of Maharashtra and currently staying at (full address). My previous name was ____, which is confirmed by my legal documents like AADHAR card, PAN card, and also an affidavit from the Magistrate.
I have changed my name to ____ for the entire world and my gender is ____( male/female)
Newspaper Maharashtra Gazette Name Change
I ___ ( old name) have officially changed my name to ___ (new name) forever.
The applicant should write their full address, with the date of the affidavit when it was issued.
Therefore we hope that now all the people of Maharashtra know how to legally change their name through the Gazette Notification. Name changing process is a very crucial process, and everyone should be very careful while filling in all the details.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many days does it take for Maharashtra Gazette to change the name of an applicant?
Ans. The name change process online will take 15-20 days to complete the whole procedure, and the government will send the applicant their new name document through email and the hard copy through courier.
How can a person check the Gazette status?
Ans. Once the applicant goes through the payment procedure, the gazette website will send the applicant the link to check their application status.
Is Gazette publication for name change mandatory?
Ans. Gazette publication for name change will help the applicant very much to change their names in other documents like AADHAR card or PAN card, so it is recommended to publish the name change in Gazette. Gazette publication could also help in changing the name of the bank and in LIC policies.
What are the name change fees in Maharashtra?
Ans. The Indian government charges around Rs. 1300 to 1500 for the name change process. In this amount, the process might be a bit slow, and if a person wants to make their application rapid, then they have to pay an additional Rs. 1000.
Why would I need a Gazette notification for a name change in Maharashtra?
Ans. If a person wants to be recognized legally in Maharashtra or the world, then they have to make a gazette notification. Sometimes, this notification helps a person to update their various documents like AADHAR card, PAN card, Passport, Driver’s license, or any other legal documents. It is also possible that without gazette notification, the government might reject you and not recognize you with your new name. So it is very important to go through the proper procedure and follow every step.
Can I change my name multiple times using a gazette notification in Maharashtra?
Ans. Yes in Maharashtra, you can change your name many times using gazette notification, but keep one thing in mind: if you often change your name, then it may raise suspicions regarding your legitimacy and intentions. So it is advised to keep the name you are satisfied with for a long time and be saved from any suspicions.