Documents and ID in Saskatchewan: birth certificate and change of name
Who issues birth certificates in Saskatchewan, 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 Saskatchewan are handled by eHealth Saskatchewan, Vital Statistics. It can only issue documents for events registered in Saskatchewan: for a birth, marriage or death elsewhere, order from the province or territory where it happened.
Order a birth certificate
Vital statistics are handled by eHealth Saskatchewan. A legal change of name requires a Saskatchewan health card as proof of residency and a certified fingerprint-based criminal record check; marriage-related surname changes do not need a legal change.
- 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 Saskatchewan from another province? See our moving checklist and the moving page for Saskatchewan.
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 Saskatchewan: rights, rent increases and average rents
- Working in Saskatchewan: minimum wage, standards and wages
- Moving to Saskatchewan: health card, driver's licence and taxes
- Cost of living in Saskatchewan: prices, rent, wages and taxes
- Buying a home in Saskatchewan: land transfer tax, rebates and first-time buyer help
- Health care in Saskatchewan: health card, drug plans and dental help
- Studying in Saskatchewan: tuition, student aid and grants
- Seniors in Saskatchewan: pensions, supplements and programs
- Taxes in Saskatchewan: income tax rates, sales tax and take-home pay (2026)
- Families in Saskatchewan: child benefits and family programs
- Documents and ID in Saskatchewan: birth certificate and change of name
- Starting a business in Saskatchewan: register a name, GST/HST and licences
- Problems and disputes in Saskatchewan: consumer complaints, small claims, workplace injury and legal aid
- Driving and vehicles in Saskatchewan: switching your licence and what is required
- Photo ID card in Saskatchewan without a driver's licence: who can apply, documents and fee
- Getting married in Saskatchewan: marriage licence, fees and documents
- Health card in Saskatchewan: who qualifies, waiting period and how to register
- When someone dies in Saskatchewan: death certificate, estate and probate
- Registering a child for school in Saskatchewan: age, documents and where to sign up
- Child care in Saskatchewan: fees, finding a space and subsidies
- Immigrating to Saskatchewan: nominee program, steps and processing times
- Accessible parking permit in Saskatchewan: how to apply
- Alcohol rules in Saskatchewan: legal age and where to buy
- Car insurance in Saskatchewan: what is compulsory and where to buy it
- Cannabis rules in Saskatchewan: legal age, where to buy and where to use
- Disability income and supports in Saskatchewan: how to apply
- Prescription drug coverage in Saskatchewan: public plans and how to enrol
- Emergency preparedness in Saskatchewan: alerts, evacuation and your 72-hour kit
- Separation, parenting and child support in Saskatchewan: free help and enforcement
- Help for family violence and victims of crime in Saskatchewan
- Fishing and hunting licences in Saskatchewan: where to buy and what you need
- Health advice line (811) in Saskatchewan: speak to a nurse any time
- Indigenous relations and services in Saskatchewan: who does what
- Marriage licence fee in Saskatchewan
- New drivers in Saskatchewan: graduated licensing stages and minimum ages
- Provincial parks and camping reservations in Saskatchewan
- Probate fees in Saskatchewan: what an estate pays
- Social assistance in Saskatchewan: how to apply for income support
- Social housing and rent help in Saskatchewan: how to apply
- Student loans and grants in Saskatchewan: where to apply
- Voting in Saskatchewan: register, check your status and find your election office
- Wills, powers of attorney and health care directives in Saskatchewan