Annotated Republic of China Laws/Name Act/2001

←1953

Name Act Republic of China (Taiwan) Law 2001

2015→

Articles 1, 2, 6, 10, 12, and 14 have been amended.

Article 1

(later amended)

Article 2

(later amended)

Article 3

In all the law-related or formal matters, all citizens of　the ROC shall use their real/legal name (as the one entered　in the household registration).

Article 4

Real/legal name shall be used in diplomas, work experience documents, licenses/permits, etc.; otherwise, such diplomas, documents, etc. will be deemed as invalid.

Article 5

Real/legal names shall be used in the registrations relating to the acquisition, loss, change, deposit of assets; otherwise, transactions will not be processed.

Article 6

(later amended)

Article 7

1. A person who meets one of the following requirements may apply for a change of his first name.
2. A person works in an entity or organization or goes to a　school and there is another person in such entity or school who has the same surname and first name.
3. A person’ s full name is the same with his relative who is closer than “ a third class kinship”.
4. A person lives in a city or county for more than 6 months and there is another person who lives in such city or county and has the same surname and first name.
5. A person takes a qualification-screening of civil servants and he is notified by the authority of the civil service that there is another person who has the same full name.
6. A person’ s surname and first name are the same with those of a person who is wanted by the police.
7. A person’ s first name contains a vulgar or an unrefined meaning or there is a special reason.

In case a person applies for a change of his first name according to in sub-paragraph6 of the preceding paragraph (or the 6th subparagraph), such changes may be granted for two times; but if , the second time of such first name change that the minor applies for shall be applied for after the person reaches the full age.

Article 8

A person who meets one of the following requirements may applies for a change of his surname and first name.

1. The existing name which was a direct translation from another language is too long or incorrectly translated
2. To live as a monk/nun returns to secular life
3. It is necessary for a person to change his name in order to do his job as a government official

Article 9

A person doesn’t use his/her real/legal name pursuant to Article 4 or Article 5 before the Acts enforced, he may apply to the originally　competent authority for a change of real/legal the name. In case such person doesn’ t use his/her real/legal name pursuant to Article 4, he may apply to the corresponding household registration office for a change of his name via diploma, work experience document, licenses or other evidence document; such change will be granted for one time only.

Article 10

(later amended)

Article 11

For the persons who apply for surname change, the attaching surname, the resumption of their former surname, the change of first name or a correction of name, unless otherwise stipulated by other laws or regulations, such changes or corrections will become effective from the date such changes or corrections are entered in the household registration.

Article 12

(later amended)

Article 13

Regulations for the enforcement of this Acts shall be prescribe by the Ministry of the Interior.

Article 14

(later amended)