How to Change Your Name After Divorce in Saskatchewan

Most people assume changing their name after divorce in Saskatchewan means filling out a stack of government forms and paying hundreds of dollars. It doesn't. Saskatchewan law offers a free shortcut called "Name Change by Election" that bypasses the formal legal name change process entirely — no fingerprinting, no criminal record check, no publication in the Saskatchewan Gazette.

Here's exactly how to do it, step by step.

Name Change by Election vs. Formal Legal Name Change

Under The Change of Name Act, 1995, Saskatchewan distinguishes between two paths:

Name Change by Election lets you resume your birth name, the surname you used immediately before the marriage, or the surname you were using when the relationship ended. You simply present your Certificate of Divorce as a linking document to each government agency. No application fee to eHealth. No new birth certificate issued. The election path is only available to people who were legally married — common-law partners must use the formal process.

Formal Legal Name Change is required if you want an entirely new name or a hyphenated variation you never previously used. This route costs approximately $125 for the provincial application, plus $50–$100 for fingerprinting and a criminal record check, and requires publication in the Saskatchewan Gazette. Processing takes 8–12 weeks through eHealth Vital Statistics.

For the vast majority of divorcing spouses, election is the right path.

Step 1: Get Your Certificate of Divorce

You cannot start name changes until you hold the actual Certificate of Divorce — not the Divorce Judgment (Form 15-76A) signed by the judge. The certificate is issued by the Court of King's Bench Local Registrar after the mandatory 31-day appeal period expires.

Request it by writing to the judicial centre that handled your divorce, quoting your file number. The fee is $10 (plus $20 if the search goes back more than five years or crosses judicial centres).

Federal agencies like Passport Canada require the certificate specifically — the judgment alone will be rejected.

Step 2: Update Your SGI Driver's Licence

Saskatchewan Government Insurance (SGI) requires you to report a name change within 15 days under The Traffic Safety Act. This must be done in person at a motor licence issuer — MySGI does not support name changes online because staff must physically verify your original Certificate of Divorce.

Bring your existing licence, Certificate of Divorce, and birth certificate. The admin fee is $15 ($30 if you request a new photo). If you're only changing your address, there's no charge.

Your updated SGI licence becomes your primary photo ID for all subsequent name changes, so do this first.

Step 3: Update Your Saskatchewan Health Card

eHealth Saskatchewan processes name changes at no cost. You can update your health card through the Saskatchewan Account online portal or by mailing the Health Card Change of Information Form along with copies of your SGI licence and divorce certificate.

The key distinction: an election-based name change through eHealth is free. The formal legal name change route costs $135.70 through eHealth Vital Statistics — a fee many people pay unnecessarily because they don't know about the election pathway.

Step 4: Update Your Canadian Passport

Passport Canada (IRCC) requires a complete new adult passport application (Form PPTC 153) to change a surname. You'll need proof of Canadian citizenship, your updated SGI licence, and your Certificate of Divorce.

The fee is $120–$163.50 depending on validity period and processing speed. If you have upcoming international travel under your married name, you can travel on your current passport and file the name change application afterward — there's no deadline.

Step 5: Notify the CRA

Update your marital status with the Canada Revenue Agency using Form RC65 or through your My Account online portal. This affects your Canada Child Benefit (CCB) calculations, GST/HST credit, and income tax filing status.

Note that the CRA operates independently from provincial registries — updating your name with SGI does not automatically propagate to the CRA. You need to file separately.

What the Guide Covers

The Saskatchewan After-Divorce Checklist walks you through every name change and ID update in sequence, with exact forms, fees, and deadlines for SGI, eHealth, Passport Canada, the CRA, and your workplace — plus the retirement account and property transfer steps that come after.

See more Saskatchewan guides →