Service introduction

Type of service: G2C

Average service time: up to 1 week

Service hours: office hours and outside office hours

Number of face-to-face visits: 1 time

How to submit the application: in person

Service ID

Service link in government services management system

According to the Article 20 of NOCR Law:

-      It is prohibited to select names which denigrate Islamic sanctities as well as repulsive and obscene titles, nicknames and names or unsuitable with the gender.

-      Recognition of the fact that the chosen name is prohibited or not is at the discretion of NOCR Supreme Council and this council shall prepare a list of acceptable and non-prohibited names and furnish to the Organization.

- Selection of name concerning religious minorities approved by Constitutional Law shall be subject to their religious language and culture.

-      It is mandatory to mention the word "Seyyed or Sadat" to the name of Seyyeds or Sadat whose descendance of the Prophet has been mentioned in ID Card of their father or paternal grandfather, or their descendance of the Prophet has been proved by religious reasons; except for those who do not deem themselves as "Seyyed or Sadat" or lack of this familial relationship will be religiously proved.

Modifiable names are as follows:

According to Article 20 of NOCR Law and its notes, selection of the following names is forbidden and holders of such names can change their name by observance of the relevant regulations.

1- Names which denigrate Islamic sanctities, such as " Abd-al-Lat, Abd-al- Ozza " 

(Lat and Ozza are the names of two idols worshiped in Holy Mecca before Islam)

2- Compound names which are not commonly considered as a single name (unusual compound names) such as: "Saeed Behzad, Shohreh Fatemeh, Hossein known as Kambiz and …."   

3- Titles, either civil or military or a combination of name and title, such as "Sarvan, Sartip, Doctor, Shahrdar or Sarvan Mohammad and Shahrdar Ali" 

4- Nicknames, either simple or compound, such as: “Malek-al-Dolah, Khan, or Shokat-al-Molouk, and Hajieh Sultan and Soltan Ali"

5- Repulsive and obscene names: repulsive and obscene names are the names which are repulsive and obscene for the holders in terms of time, location or the following reasons and aspects and and selection of them shall be verified by Supreme Council.

       The names indicate disagreeable qualities and contradictory to human exalted values, “like Gorg (wolf),  Qouchi (mouflon) and ….”

 Names which are contradictory to people’s dominant norm and culture and religious sanctities, e.g.: Lat (hooligan), Khoonriz (vampire), Changiz etc. =      The names which humiliate and degrade people or their literal meaning are not

 acceptable by the society, such as "Sad Tomani, Gotagha, Kaniz, Geda and …"

6- Inappropriate names to gender. Like selection of Mashallah for female and/ or Ashraf and or Akram for male people.

7- Deletion of extra and non-essential words in persons’ names. Like: Gholi, Gholam, Gorg, Zolf and Qouch. 

8- Correction of the dictation misspellings in individuals' name due to unfamiliarity of the officer of civil registration department with local and native accents and terms and meanings or due to pronunciation, such as Zahrab to Sohrab or Manigeh to Manijeh and or … 

9- Having similar name with father or mother in a family.

10- Having similar name with brothers or sisters in a family.

11- Amendment of names from Arabic writing form to Persian writing form such as رحمن to رحمان, اسمعیل to اسماعیل, اسحق to   اسحاقand …

12- Changing the names of peoples who converted to Islam upon confirmation of competent authorities.

13- Changing the name of persons whose names are the name of weekdays.

14- Changing the name of persons who changed their sex and the competent court has ordered the change of their gender in identity documents and ID Card.

Since prefix “Abd“ is specific to God’s names and existent intuitive characters, the applicants can request for its deletion in other cases. 

Qualified persons

The following persons may refer to the departments of NOCR and request for change or amendment of their names as mentioned above.

1- Persons aged over 18

2- Persons aged lower 18 by presenting Growth Award

3- Father or paternal grandfather while submitting identity card, for children below 18 years old

4- Legal guardian (guardian, trustee, and administrator) of minors and incapacitated persons, while submitting the relevant documents in which his/her position has been ascertained.

Necessary Documents

1-    Original and two copies of ID Card

2- Completion of Application Form for Name Change (Form No.5)

3- Payment of relevant fees as per current tariff.

How to Refer

1-    For modification or amendment of name, all departments of National Organization for Civil Registration may receive the above mentioned documents within office hours and days.

Meanwhile, submission of request for changing a name in a place other than issuance place of the ID Card is of no restriction; in this case, after receiving the request and sending to the relevant department (issuance place of the ID Card) and being discussed at Conciliation Board (Form No. 6), the necessary measure shall be taken and the result to be notified to the sending department for the applicant's information. 

2-    Since the request for name change must be investigated and decided by Dispute Settlement Board of the relevant department (issuance place of ID card) by observing the relevant rules and regulations; therefore, agreement with the request shall be subject to the verdict issued by Dispute Settlement Board.

3-    The following measures shall be taken after notification of the verdict issued by Dispute Settlement Board:  

a)     If the verdict is in agreement with the applicant's relief, the ID card shall be issued with the new name after notification of applicant and application for execution of verdict. 

b)    If the verdict is against the applicant's relief,  he/she may refer to the court of his/her place of residence and submit his/or objection within the specified moratorium (10 days of notification) based on article 4 of National Organization for Civil Registration Law. 

Necessary Recommendations

Tradition descended from the Prophet: Parents are bound to select good name for their children.

Steps to change surname service