Change your name or address

Learn how to change your name or address on a driver’s licence or ID card.

Change your address on a driver’s licence or BCID

Change address

You must change the address on your driver’s licence or BCID within 10 days of moving. 

You can change your address on your driver’s licence three ways-either by phone, in-person or online. The address on your BCID must be updated either over the phone or in person at a​ driver licensing office. 

For enhanced driver licences or ID cards you will need to have a new card issued. See changing your address on an EDL or EIC.

Remember to change your address on your insurance policy too.

Online

Online

Use the B.C. government’s online address change service.

If you have not received your address change sticker within two weeks, please call us or visit a driver licensing office.

By phone

Phone

Call our driver licensing information line.

In person

In person

Visit any ICBC driver licensing office.

Changing your address on your insurance

Visit your ICBC Autoplan broker. You’ll need to go in person to sign the documents.If your policy isn’t up-to-date, your insurance might not cover you in a claim.

Updating your BC Services Card or BCID when not a driver

If you want to update your address on your photo BC Services Card or BC Identification Card but are not a driver, please call us. 

If you have a non-photo BC Services Card and want to update your address, please call Health Insurance B.C.

Change your name on a driver’s licence, BC Services Card or BCID

If you’ve changed your name, you’ll need to get a new licence, BC Services Card or BCID card. Updating your driver’s licence when you change your name is a legal requirement in B.C.

How to change your name

Name changes must be done in-person, by visiting any ICBC driver licensing office. 

You’ll need to pay the fee for your new licence or ID, and bring proof of your name change. 

Changing your name on your BC Services Card

If you are changing your name on your BC Services Card or combined Driver’s Licence/BC Services Card, the first step is to contact Health Insurance BC to make sure they have your new name on file. Once you know your name is up-to-date on their records, then visit us.

You can contact Health Insurance BC for any name change (or for issues with matching the name on your driver’s licence) at (604) 683-7151 or 1 (800) 663-7100.

Proof of your name change

For changes to a Surname due to a marriage or divorce, you’ll need to bring either:

  • your marriage certificate issued by a Vital Statistics agency, a religious organization or a marriage commissioner (please note the BC Marriage Commissioner’s Statement of Marriage is not accepted), or,
  • your divorce certificate or decree issued by the courts that has both the married and previous names listed (document must have a court stamp/seal to be acceptable).

You may combine your birth surname with a current and/or previous married surname(s). Surnames may be combined in any order with a hyphen (-) or a space. You’ll also need to bring supporting documents that show the link from your birth surname(s) to the surnames you wish to use.

For changes to a Given, Middle and/or Surname outside of marriage or divorce, please bring a legal change of name certificate issued by a Vital Statistics agency or Court order.

If your name has changed more than once

You’ll need to provide all name change documents for every instance that your name has changed. We call these linking documents as they trace your birth name through to your current legal name.

Acceptable linking documents:

  • Marriage certificate
  • Legal name-change certificate
  • Divorce certificate that includes both your married name and your previous name
  • Court order, stamped by the court registry

Passports

Passports cannot be used to change your name or be used as a linking document.

Photocopies

We accept a photocopy only when it is certified (stamped) as a true copy of the original document by the government agency that issued it.

Change your name or address on an EDL or EIC

Changing your name or address means reapplying for a new EDL or EIC.

You must visit one of the designated Driver Licensing Offices in person to change your address. We recommend that you book an EDL appointment before you visit to avoid waiting in the office. If you attend a designated office without an appointment you may have to wait for service.  

Book your appointment

What to bring to your appointment

Change your name

Change your address

When reapplying for an EDL or EIC, a passport is not accepted as proof of Canadian citizenship.

Certificate of Canadian Citizenship

Due to a Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) change, a Certificate of Canadian Citizenship issued on or after Feb. 1, 2012 as ID must be accompanied with a valid Canadian passport to apply for or renew an EDL or EIC.

The Certificate of Canadian Citizenship and passport must show your full legal name and match each other.

Interim driver’s licences

We’ll issue you an interim driver’s licence while you’re waiting for your new EDL to arrive by mail. The interim driver’s licence can’t be used for cross-border travel into the U.S.

Changing gender

​If you are updating the gender on your BC driver’s licence, BCID or BC services card, you can do so at any driver licensing office. As of November 1, 2018, customers who do not identify as either male or female or those whose foundation ID document does not indicate gender may request to have an “X” printed in the sex field on their card. A wallet sized card is also available to support you in conducting transactions when using your new ID. 

Before visiting a licensing office, go to the BC Services Card page first for detailed information, forms, and the quickest steps to update all of your records.

When you visit a driver licensing office, ensure you have:

If you’re under 19 there are additional parent/guardian requirements.

If you are applying for or currently hold an enhanced driver’s licence (EDL) or enhanced ID card (EIC) , please contact us before coming in. Please note that the gender “X” option is not currently available on EDLs or EICs.