4. Get signatures

You need a person living in Ontario to confirm that you have lived in the province for at least the last 12 months. This person is called a guarantor.

Your guarantor must be someone who knows you and will sign a statement saying that you have lived in Ontario for at least the past 12 months. They sign the Guarantor's Statement. This is Form 8: Change of Name Act in Part 4 of the application package.

There's a list of people who can be a guarantor on page 11 of the application package. The list includes, for example:

• licensed medical doctors
• elementary and secondary school principals
• lawyers and paralegals

If you do not know anyone with a job from the list to be your guarantor, you can ask an adult who:

• is not your relative,
• has known you for at least 5 years, and
• knows that you have lived in Ontario for at least the past 12 months.

You fill out the top part of the form, and the guarantor fills out and signs the bottom part in blue or black ink.

Make sure that the guarantor confirms that you've been living in Ontario for the same amount of time as you said in your application.

Submit the original copy, not a photocopy.

Consent for minors 

If you're 16 or 17 years old and not married, everyone who has legal custody or decision-making responsibility over you must consent to you changing your name. This means giving their permission.

They show that they consent by signing the consent form. This is Form 7: Change of Name Act in Part 3 of the application package. If you fill out the online questionnaire, the top of this form is automatically filled in.

Submit one original signed consent form for every person who has legal custody over you. Print out as many copies of this page as you need.

If you cannot get consent, contact a legal clinic like Justice for Children and Youth to learn about your options. You may, for example, have to get a court order saying that you do not need to get consent.