The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has issued a revised Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for updating names in Aadhaar.
The new rules, which came into effect on September 18, 2026, replace the process introduced in 2021 and set different document requirements for different types of name changes.
The revised SOP covers minor spelling corrections, data-entry errors, surname changes after marriage or divorce, regional-language errors and major name changes. UIDAI said documents, affidavits and Gazette notifications submitted for name updates will undergo stricter verification to prevent misuse and identity-related fraud.
Basic Rules For Aadhaar Name Changes
Under the revised SOP, the name entered in Aadhaar must be written in block letters. Titles and prefixes such as Shri, Smt, Ms, Dr and Prof are not allowed. Aliases, ranks and special characters are also prohibited.
Name updates are governed by Regulation 19 of the Aadhaar (Enrolment & Update) Regulations, 2016. Any change must be supported by documents listed under Schedule II. The name will be updated exactly as it appears on the submitted document, including its spelling, sequence and abbreviations.
Minor Corrections Require Standard Documents
UIDAI has classified several routine changes as minor name updates. These can generally be made using a standard Proof of Identity (PoI). For children below 18 years, a Proof of Relationship (PoR) may also be used.
Minor changes include expanding or shortening initials, such as changing T R D Prasad to Tadi Rama Durga Prasad. Adding or removing a middle or last name, changing the order of an existing name, and making minor spelling corrections are also covered.
For example, Divakar Anand can be changed to Anand Divakar, while Ram can be corrected to Rama. The new name must match a PoI or PoR document that has previously been submitted to UIDAI.
Special Rules For Regional And Other Changes
A separate process has been introduced for errors in regional-language versions of names. If the English name is correct but the regional-language spelling is wrong, the correction can be made using a standard PoI document.
The SOP also specifies separate requirements for common situations. Surname changes following marriage or divorce require an affidavit in Annexure D along with PoI. Name updates following gender transition require applicable PoI documents.
A child’s name can be changed from “Baby of _” to an actual name through the Head-of-Family process with applicable PoR. Removing ranks, designations, prefixes, random capital letters or dots does not require supporting documents. However, removing an “urf” or alias requires an affidavit along with PoI or PoR.
Major Name Changes Need Gazette Notification
A complete change of name, such as changing Ram Gupta to Shyam Gupta, falls under the strictest category. In such cases, UIDAI will accept only a Gazette Notification along with standard identity documents. Other documents will not be considered sufficient.
UIDAI will also check the proposed name against names previously recorded for the Aadhaar holder. The authority will verify the authenticity of the Gazette Notification and any affidavits submitted as part of the request.
Under the existing framework, an Aadhaar holder can generally update their name twice. Further requests after reaching this limit have to be handled through a separate exception process. Gender can generally be updated once, while the date of birth can also be changed once under separate UIDAI procedures.
To update a name, applicants must visit an Aadhaar Seva Kendra or Aadhaar Enrolment/Update Centre. They need to fill out the Aadhaar Enrolment/Update form in block letters and submit documents based on the category of change.
Applicants must also complete identity verification and biometric authentication at the centre. UIDAI currently charges Rs 75 for a standalone demographic update. After the process, applicants receive an acknowledgement containing an Update Request Number (URN), which can be used to track the request online.