Deed poll

A deed poll is a legal document binding only to a single person or several persons acting jointly to express an active intention. It is strictly speaking not a contract because it only binds one party and expresses an intention instead of a promise.

The most common use is a name change through a Deed of Change of Name (often simply referred to as a Deed Poll). Deed polls are used for this purpose in countries including England and Wales, the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, New Zealand, some States and territories of Australia, Hong Kong and Singapore.

Another common use is to partition land into different sections. For example, a piece of land may be partitioned (or carved out), by a Deed Poll, into Section A and the Remaining Portion thereof. This form of Deed Poll is commonly used in Hong Kong, where the development and redevelopment of land is rapid and flourishing.

It should be noted that citizens of Scotland whose births are registered there are not required to undergo deed poll to change their name - they need only inform people of their new name. After two years the person can apply to the Registrar General for Scotland to have their birth certificate amended to show the new name. This is in addition to changes of surname by marriage. Scots law only requires that no one change his or her name with the intent to defraud. Unfortunately for the Scots, the Registrar requires proof that someone has been living using their new name before an updated birth certificate can be issued. The easiest way to prove that is to have a passport or driving licence issued in the new name. Often, the only way to obtain those documents is with a Deed Poll.