Open ProvincesDocuments and ID in Manitoba: birth certificate and change of name
Who issues birth certificates in Manitoba, how to order one, how a legal change of name works and what to update afterwards.
Who issues your documents
Birth, marriage and death certificates and legal changes of name in Manitoba are handled by Vital Statistics Branch. It can only issue documents for events registered in Manitoba: for a birth, marriage or death elsewhere, order from the province or territory where it happened.
Order a birth certificate
Order online, by mail, by fax or in person. Since November 2025, adults applying for a legal change of name must provide a certified criminal record check, which is requested after the application is approved.
- Ask for the long form (it shows your parents) if the certificate is for a passport, immigration or citizenship file: the short form is often not enough.
- Order well before you travel or apply: processing times vary and can be long. Rush options exist in some provinces.
- Have the person's full name, date and place of birth, and their parents' names ready, exactly as they were registered.
- You will need to prove who you are; only certain people can apply (the person, a parent, a guardian or an authorized representative).
Official page: birth certificates ↗
Change your name
- Marriage or divorce: in most provinces you can start using your spouse's surname, or go back to your birth surname, without a legal change of name: you show the marriage certificate or divorce papers. Check your province's page.
- Any other change is a legal change of name made through the province's vital statistics office. Many provinces now require a criminal record check, often with fingerprints, and some publish the change in a government gazette.
- Residency rules, minimum ages, consent for children and fees are set by each province: use the official page and plan for several weeks or months.
Official page: change of name ↗
After a name change: update the rest
- Social insurance number record, then the CRA and Service Canada (see our SIN guide).
- Passport (see our passport guide), health card and driver's licence.
- Bank, employer, insurers, landlord and online accounts (see government online accounts).
Moving to Manitoba from another province? See our moving checklist and the moving page for Manitoba.
Procedures only: fees, forms and waiting times change, so each official page above is the authority. Quebec has its own rules: see AtlasQuébec.
Guides for this province
- Renting in Manitoba: rights, rent increases and average rents
- Working in Manitoba: minimum wage, standards and wages
- Moving to Manitoba: health card, driver's licence and taxes
- Cost of living in Manitoba: prices, rent, wages and taxes
- Buying a home in Manitoba: land transfer tax, rebates and first-time buyer help
- Health care in Manitoba: health card, drug plans and dental help
- Studying in Manitoba: tuition, student aid and grants
- Seniors in Manitoba: pensions, supplements and programs
- Taxes in Manitoba: income tax rates, sales tax and take-home pay (2026)
- Families in Manitoba: child benefits and family programs
- Documents and ID in Manitoba: birth certificate and change of name
- Starting a business in Manitoba: register a name, GST/HST and licences
- Problems and disputes in Manitoba: consumer complaints, small claims, workplace injury and legal aid
- Driving and vehicles in Manitoba: switching your licence and what is required
- Photo ID card in Manitoba without a driver's licence: who can apply, documents and fee
- Getting married in Manitoba: marriage licence, fees and documents
- Health card in Manitoba: who qualifies, waiting period and how to register
- When someone dies in Manitoba: death certificate, estate and probate
- Registering a child for school in Manitoba: age, documents and where to sign up
- Child care in Manitoba: fees, finding a space and subsidies
- Immigrating to Manitoba: nominee program, steps and processing times
- Accessible parking permit in Manitoba: how to apply
- Alcohol rules in Manitoba: legal age and where to buy
- Car insurance in Manitoba: what is compulsory and where to buy it
- Cannabis rules in Manitoba: legal age, where to buy and where to use
- Disability income and supports in Manitoba: how to apply
- Prescription drug coverage in Manitoba: public plans and how to enrol
- Emergency preparedness in Manitoba: alerts, evacuation and your 72-hour kit
- Separation, parenting and child support in Manitoba: free help and enforcement
- Help for family violence and victims of crime in Manitoba
- Fishing and hunting licences in Manitoba: where to buy and what you need
- Health advice line (811) in Manitoba: speak to a nurse any time
- Indigenous relations and services in Manitoba: who does what
- Marriage licence fee in Manitoba
- New drivers in Manitoba: graduated licensing stages and minimum ages
- Provincial parks and camping reservations in Manitoba
- Probate fees in Manitoba: what an estate pays
- Social assistance in Manitoba: how to apply for income support
- Social housing and rent help in Manitoba: how to apply
- Student loans and grants in Manitoba: where to apply
- Voting in Manitoba: register, check your status and find your election office
- Wills, powers of attorney and health care directives in Manitoba