Canada 🇨🇦 · British Columbia
Name change after marriage in British Columbia
The exact British Columbia sequence: which office, which document, in the order that avoids doing anything twice.
1. Order the government marriage certificate
From British Columbia's Vital Statistics office — the ceremony 'record of solemnization' is not enough. Get 2–3 copies.
2. Service Canada — your SIN record (free)
In person at any Service Canada Centre with your marriage certificate and photo ID. Payroll and CRA check against this, so it comes first. Your number never changes.
3. Driver's licence — ICBC driver licensing office
In person with your current licence and marriage certificate. This becomes your everyday photo ID in the new name, so do it early.
4. Health card — Health Insurance BC (MSP)
Update with the marriage certificate; in several provinces this happens in the same visit as the licence.
5. CRA
By phone (1-800-959-8281) or CRA My Account — it does not update automatically.
6. Passport — new application
A name change means a new adult passport application (PPTC 153) with your marriage certificate, not an amendment.
7. Banks, employer, and the long tail
After your new licence arrives: banks (letter each), HR/payroll, insurance and beneficiaries, subscriptions, airline profiles.
Does my SIN or health number change in British Columbia?
No — only the name attached to them changes. Never give those numbers to a website; add them with a pen on printed forms.
How long does it all take?
The certificate order is the long pole (1–3 weeks). The Service Canada visit takes minutes; licence and health card are same-day in person; the passport takes standard processing times.
Want it all done for you?
The Canada Name Change Kit builds your personalized British Columbia checklist and writes a signed-and-ready letter for every bank and your employer — one PDF, instantly.
All provinces · document-preparation aid, not legal advice.