The complete guide to the name change procedure in Thane, from Ghodbunder Road and Naupada to Kalwa and Mumbra. Maharashtra's fully online DGPS gazette, the real government fee most agents hide, the Marathi-and-English newspaper rule, and doorstep service.
A quick walkthrough of the newspaper ad, the online DGPS gazette application, and how our name change agent handles it in Thane.
In this video, the YourDoorstep team explains the name change procedure in Thane and how we handle the whole process at your doorstep.
Changing your name in Thane is a defined legal process, and Maharashtra makes it easier than most states. The whole thing is online, run by the Directorate of Government Printing, Stationery & Publications (DGPS), and the official fee is surprisingly low. The catch is that many guides overcomplicate it and quote inflated prices. This guide covers the real process, the real cost, and the Maharashtra-specific rules, including when you do not even need an affidavit, for anyone living in Thane.
To change your name legally in Thane, publish the change in one Marathi and one English newspaper, then apply through Maharashtra's online DGPS gazette (dgps.maharashtra.gov.in via Aaple Sarkar) under Gazette Part II Change of Name. The real government fee is about Rs 523 plus GST (lower for the backward category), and the total time is about 2 to 4 weeks. An affidavit is needed for the Central route and for Maharashtra middle-name changes.
Definition: A gazette notification is an official notice published in the Gazette (the Maharashtra Government Gazette Part II, or Part IV of the Gazette of India) that turns your name change into a public, legally recognised record, accepted by the passport office, banks, UIDAI and government departments.
A legal name change in Maharashtra has these core parts. The state route is built around the newspaper notice and the online DGPS application.
Publish the notice in two papers, one Marathi and one English. This is mandatory, and DGPS rejects applications without valid clippings.
Always for the Central route; for the Maharashtra gazette, specifically for a middle-name change. Notarise on stamp paper.
Apply on Aaple Sarkar under Gazette Part II Change of Name, upload documents, pay online, and download the published gazette.
You publish a short name-change notice in one Marathi and one English newspaper. This is a mandatory step for the Maharashtra gazette, so keep the full original clippings, you will upload them to the portal.
For the Central Gazette, a notarised affidavit is mandatory. For the Maharashtra state gazette, an affidavit is specifically required when a middle name is added, removed or altered, for example correcting a father's-name spelling. For many straightforward state cases you may not need one, so check before paying a notary.
Register on the Aaple Sarkar portal (aaplesarkar.mahaonline.gov.in) with your mobile and OTP, go to the Industries, Energy & Labour Department, choose the Directorate of Government Printing & Stationery, and select Gazette Part II Change of Name. Fill the form, choose your caste category (open or backward), upload clear scans, pay the fee online, and note your reference number. The published gazette PDF is emailed to you and available on dgps.maharashtra.gov.in.
This is where most Thane and Mumbai pages mislead you. The number you see advertised is usually an agent package, not the government fee.
You will see the Maharashtra gazette name change advertised at Rs 1,195, Rs 1,470 or more. Those are agent packages, usually bundling the newspaper ads and service charges, not the government fee. The actual DGPS application fee is modest: around Rs 523 plus GST for the open category, and lower, roughly Rs 273 plus GST, for the backward category (SC/ST), plus a small MahaOnline charge. Add your newspaper ads, and a notary only if your case needs an affidavit, and a self-done Maharashtra gazette name change costs far less than the agent quotes.
| Item | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Notary / affidavit (only where required) | Rs 100 to Rs 500 |
| Newspaper ads (Marathi + English) | Rs 400 to Rs 3,000 (depends on the papers) |
| DGPS gazette fee (open category) | ~Rs 523 + GST |
| DGPS gazette fee (backward category) | ~Rs 273 + GST |
| MahaOnline charge | Small (around Rs 20) |
| Self-done total | Often Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,500 |
A point most guides get wrong: for the Maharashtra state gazette, an affidavit is not required in the same blanket way it is for the Central Gazette. The Directorate of Government Printing & Stationery centres the state application on your ID proof, address proof, photo, application form and the newspaper notices. An affidavit is specifically needed when you are adding, removing or altering a middle name, for example changing "Amit Rishikesh Sharma" to "Amit Hrishikesh Sharma", and, of course, always for the Central Gazette route.
Both are legally valid. For most Thane residents the state gazette is the practical choice, but there are cases where the Central Gazette is safer.
| Point | Maharashtra Gazette (DGPS) | Central Gazette of India |
|---|---|---|
| Run by | DGPS, via Aaple Sarkar (Charni Road, Mumbai) | Department of Publication, Delhi |
| How to apply | Fully online at dgps.maharashtra.gov.in | File to Delhi by post, courier or a service |
| Published in | Gazette Part II Change of Name | Part IV, Gazette of India |
| Fee | ~Rs 523 + GST (open), lower for backward | Rs 1,100 adult / Rs 1,700 minor (BharatKosh); Rs 250 per extra alias, Rs 3,500 abroad |
| Speed | About 2 to 4 weeks | About 30 to 45 days |
| Best for | Records staying inside Maharashtra | Passport, visa, PAN, central jobs, embassies |
For most Thane residents, the Maharashtra gazette is convenient, cheap and widely accepted, including by Aadhaar, PAN, passport and banks. Choose the Central Gazette when you specifically need it for a passport, visa, embassy or central government job, or when your records will travel widely outside Maharashtra. It is the universally accepted option, and it is mandatory for central government employees.
Filing from elsewhere in Maharashtra, or moving for work? The gazette routes are identical across the state. See the full Maharashtra name change guide for the parent state, the Delhi guide for where the central files land, and the Gandhinagar guide if your paperwork crosses into Gujarat.
Get the pairing right, because a wrong mix is a common reason files get bounced, and for Maharashtra the ad is mandatory.
North-India guides tell you to publish in Hindi, which is wrong for Thane. Here you use one Marathi newspaper and one English newspaper. Widely read Marathi options include Loksatta, Maharashtra Times, Sakal and Lokmat, and for English you can use The Times of India, Hindustan Times or Mumbai Mirror. Both must carry the same old name, new name and address, and you keep the clippings to upload to the DGPS portal.
The pages ranking for this topic copy each other, and the same errors travel from site to site. Here is what they say, against the verified position, so your file is not built on a myth.
| What many websites say | The verified fact |
|---|---|
| "Update your documents within 6 months, some institutions reject a gazette older than a year as dated" | A published gazette notification never expires. It is a permanent government record, and no institution can lawfully call it stale. The one-year freshness rule applies to your affidavit and newspaper ads before filing, not to the published gazette. |
| "Visit the Gazette Office at Charni Road to submit your application" | The manual counter at Charni Road closed in May 2014. The Maharashtra Gazette route runs fully online through Aaple Sarkar and DGPS, and you track and download everything from the portals. |
| "Send your application along with a DD of the fee" | Demand drafts are not accepted on the central route at all. The Central Gazette fee is paid online through BharatKosh (NTRP) only, and the fee is non-refundable. The Maharashtra fee is paid online on Aaple Sarkar. |
| "Draw a Demand Draft in favour of the Controller of Publications, Thane" | There is no Controller of Publications in Thane, and demand drafts are not accepted anyway. The Department of Publication sits at Civil Lines, Delhi-110054, and the Central Gazette fee is paid only online through BharatKosh. |
| "With a gazette notification you can easily change your name and DOB" | A gazette name change notification changes your name, not your date of birth. A DOB correction is a separate matter that runs through the birth Registrar, and in disputed cases the courts, never through the name change gazette. |
| "You must be at least 18 years of age to apply" | A minor's name is changed by the parents through the same gazette route at Rs 1,700 on the central side, and the Maharashtra route also takes minor applications through a parent or guardian. Age changes who signs, not whether it can be done. |
| "Gazette fees are Rs 1,195 or Rs 1,470 including free newspaper ads" | Those are service bundle prices, not the government fee. The Central Gazette fee is Rs 1,100 for an adult and Rs 1,700 for a minor on BharatKosh, and the Maharashtra Gazette has its own separate fee on Aaple Sarkar. Newspaper ads are always a separate cost. |
| "The fee depends on the type of change: correction, marriage or religion" | The Central Gazette fee is fixed by age, not by type: Rs 1,100 for an adult and Rs 1,700 for a minor, whether it is a spelling correction, a post-marriage change or a full new name. Extra alias names add Rs 250 each. |
| "Your printed gazette copy will arrive by post" | Printed Central Gazette copies stopped from 1 October 2015. You download the PDF from egazette.gov.in (Part IV, published every Saturday), and the Maharashtra e-gazette from the DGPS portal. Neither needs certification. |
| "Any old affidavit and newspaper ad will work" | The Department of Publication does not accept documents older than one year, and documents once submitted are not returned. The state route also expects a recent affidavit and ads. |
| "Fix your birth certificate spelling through the gazette" | A birth certificate correction is a Registrar matter under Section 15 of the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969, through Thane Municipal Corporation or your local Registrar, not the gazette. |
Have these ready before you start. Scan everything in colour, within the portal's file-size limit.
| Document | Needed? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Newspaper notices (Marathi + English) | Yes | Mandatory; keep valid full clippings |
| Photo identity proof | Yes | Aadhaar, PAN, passport, licence or voter ID |
| Address proof (Maharashtra) | Yes | Aadhaar, ration card, electricity bill or passport |
| Recent passport-size photo | Yes | Colour |
| Completed gazette form (Part II) | Yes | Filled and signed, then scanned |
| Notarised affidavit | Conditional | Central route, and Maharashtra middle-name changes |
| Government fee | Yes | Online via DGPS/MahaOnline (state) or BharatKosh (Central) |
| Marriage certificate | For marriage | Spouse's ID may support the application |
| Divorce decree | For divorce | Restoring your maiden name |
| Parents' ID + consent + child's birth certificate | For minors | Both parents' consent unless single parent or court order |
| Departmental NOC / MHA deed route | For government staff | NOC (state) or MHA Office Memorandum (Central) |
Close to it. On the Maharashtra DGPS and Aaple Sarkar route, you register, apply, pay, track and download entirely online, and the gazette PDF is emailed to you. The only physical step is notarising the affidavit in cases that require one. For the Central route, a physical file reaches Delhi. So Maharashtra is one of the most genuinely online states for this, and that one notary step is exactly the part we can arrange for you.
Plan for about 2 to 4 weeks for the Maharashtra route: the newspaper publication takes a few days to a week, the affidavit (if needed) a day, and DGPS processing and publication commonly around 15 to 30 working days after a clean application. The Central Gazette route is longer, usually 30 to 45 days. Updating your individual documents afterward, such as Aadhaar, PAN and passport, is a separate timeline on top of this.
Getting the gazette is the milestone, not the finish line. You carry it into each record, in order, starting with Aadhaar.
| Order | Document | How to update |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aadhaar | Update at an Aadhaar Seva Kendra in Thane with the gazette; it is the base ID others reference |
| 2 | PAN | Apply for name correction with your updated Aadhaar and the gazette copy |
| 3 | Passport | Re-issue at the Thane or Mumbai Passport Seva Kendra with the Central Gazette |
| 4 | Bank & KYC | Update once your core IDs reflect the new name |
| 5 | Voter ID, licence, ration card | Submit the respective correction forms |
| 6 | School, board (Maharashtra Board/CBSE) & university | Boards accept the gazette for name corrections |
| 7 | Employer, PF, insurance, property | Update as needed with the gazette |
Tip: update within about six months, since some institutions treat a gazette older than a year as dated. For each update, submit the newspaper ad and the gazette notification, and the affidavit where you used one.
Here is a point most Thane name-change pages get flat wrong: they push a gazette notification to fix a spelling mistake in a birth certificate. That is the wrong route. A clerical or spelling error in a birth certificate, a wrong letter or a registrar's typo, is corrected by the Registrar of Births and Deaths under Section 15 of the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969, through the local municipal body, which in the city is the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC). It is not a gazette job. The gazette route is for an actual change of name.
A woman changing her surname applies through the Maharashtra gazette; in some Maharashtra cases the spouse's ID supports the application alongside the marriage certificate. Taking a spouse's surname is optional.
Reverting to a maiden name uses the same route with your divorce decree as proof. An affidavit alone is not accepted without the decree.
A parent or guardian applies with the child's birth certificate. Maharashtra generally needs both parents' consent unless there is a single parent or a court order.
Changing your name after divorce in Thane, explained. Reverting to your maiden name uses the gazette route with your divorce decree.
Maharashtra state government employees typically need a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from their department for a gazette name change. Central government employees do not file the standard self-application gazette. They follow the Ministry of Home Affairs Office Memorandum No. 190016/1/87-Estt.(A) dated 12/03/1987, which involves executing a deed and publishing the change through the proper departmental channel.
Short, practical guides for changing your name on each specific document, from Aadhaar and PAN to education records and minors.
Need help with any of these in Thane? Call 9540005026 or WhatsApp us and we handle it end to end.
A gazette on its own is only useful once your other records match it. We help you update your new name across all the documents that matter.
Name change or spelling correction with the gazette as proof.
Name update through the NSDL or UTIITSL route.
Name correction on the electoral roll via Form 8.
Re-issue with your new name using the Central Gazette.
Name update at the RTO with the gazette copy.
Update your name across bank accounts and KYC records.
Records for the Maharashtra Board, CBSE and universities.
Correction through the Thane Municipal Corporation under the RBD Act, not the gazette.
Name change on policies and insurance records.
Tell us which documents you need updated. Call 9540005026 and we guide you through each one after the gazette.
We handle name change work for people all across Thane and the wider district, with doorstep pickup and delivery.
From Naupada, Ghodbunder Road and Kolshet to Manpada, Wagle Estate and across the creek in Kalwa and Mumbra, the legal steps are identical, because a name change runs on paperwork, not on which part of Thane you live in. The same file works across Maharashtra and everywhere in India, and birth certificate corrections stay with Thane Municipal Corporation or your local Registrar.
Do not see your area? We still cover it. Call 9540005026 and we will confirm.
Most rejections come down to avoidable mismatches. Fix any "Reverted / Action Required" status promptly, since the application waits on your correction.
| Reason | What to do instead |
|---|---|
| Name mismatch across form, ads and ID | Fix one exact spelling and use it everywhere, even initials |
| Missing or invalid newspaper clippings | Publish both ads and keep clear full-page copies |
| Blurry, incomplete or cut-off scans | Upload clear colour scans within the size limit |
| Wrong newspaper mix (two English or two Marathi) | Use one Marathi and one English paper |
| Missing affidavit where required | Attach it for a middle-name change or the Central route |
| Wrong caste category selected | Choose open or backward correctly for the right fee |
| Reference number not saved | Record the ARN and download the fee receipt at once |
| Documents more than one year old | The Department of Publication does not accept documents older than one year on the central route, and the state route also expects fresh papers; documents once submitted are not returned |
Doing it yourself is very worthwhile in Thane, given the low official fee and the fully online DGPS system. You publish the two ads, register on Aaple Sarkar, upload your documents, and pay. The trade-off is the rejection risk from a name mismatch or a bad scan, which means a fresh application and delay.
A Thane name-change agent handles the newspaper booking, the online application and the tracking, and can spot document errors before submission. It is the sensible choice if your time is tight, if there is a deadline such as a passport appointment or a visa interview, or if your case has a wrinkle: a minor, a divorce, a gender change, a service record, or a document already carrying a spelling error.
We handle the Aaple Sarkar application end to end, choosing the right service and category, uploading clean scans that clear DGPS scrutiny, plus the Central Gazette when you need it.
We tell you the true government fee and never dress it up as many times higher, so you know exactly what you are paying for.
We book both newspaper ads in the correct languages and format, in the dailies that circulate in Thane.
We review the full file before filing, so there are fewer rejections, and we handle Aadhaar, PAN and passport after.
How much does the Central Gazette cost for Thane residents? Rs 1,100 for adults and Rs 1,700 for minors, paid on BharatKosh (NTRP). Each extra alias name adds Rs 250, applicants living abroad pay Rs 3,500, and the fee is non-refundable. The Maharashtra Gazette has its own separate fee on Aaple Sarkar.
How fresh do my documents need to be? The Department of Publication does not accept documents older than one year, so complete the affidavit, newspaper ads and gazette filing without a long gap. Documents once submitted are not returned.
What does a name change actually cost in Thane? The DGPS fee is about Rs 523 plus GST (open) or lower for the backward category, plus a small MahaOnline charge and your newspaper ads. Ignore the Rs 1,200 to Rs 1,500 agent quotes.
Do I need an affidavit for the Maharashtra gazette? Not always. For the state gazette it is specifically required for a middle-name change; the Central Gazette always needs one.
Which newspapers do I use in Thane? One Marathi and one English, not Hindi. Marathi options include Loksatta, Maharashtra Times, Sakal or Lokmat.
Is a birth certificate name change done through the gazette? No. It is a Registrar correction under Section 15 of the RBD Act, 1969, through the Thane Municipal Corporation.
We advise the right route, tell you the real fee, book the Marathi and English newspaper ads, file the online DGPS or Central Gazette, then guide you on updating Aadhaar, PAN and passport. Doorstep service across Thane, honest pricing.
These are the searches people run right after this one. Here is the short, verified answer to each, so you do not have to open ten more tabs.
Maharashtra route: the DGPS application fee is modest (around Rs 523 plus GST open category, lower for backward category), plus newspaper ads. Central route: Rs 1,100 adult, Rs 1,700 minor on BharatKosh, plus Rs 250 per extra alias and Rs 3,500 if you live abroad. The Rs 1,195 to Rs 1,470 figures you see advertised are agent bundles.
Register on aaplesarkar.mahaonline.gov.in, choose the DGPS Gazette Part II Change of Name service, upload your notarised affidavit, ID proof and newspaper clippings, pay online and track with the reference number. No office visit needed since the Charni Road counter closed in May 2014.
Maharashtra: once published, download your notification from the DGPS e-gazette portal using your application reference. Central: search your name on egazette.gov.in under Weekly Gazette, Part IV, published every Saturday. Neither PDF needs certification.
Entirely optional, nothing in law requires it. If you choose to change, the same steps apply with your marriage certificate added, on either the Maharashtra or the Central route. No court appearance is needed.
There is no gazette counter in Thane. The Maharashtra Gazette runs online through Aaple Sarkar (DGPS sits at Charni Road, Mumbai, but the manual counter closed in May 2014), and Central Gazette files go to the Department of Publication, Civil Lines, Delhi-110054, public dealing 10 AM to 1 PM and 2 PM to 4 PM.
Maharashtra State Board and universities update records against the gazette notification, so complete the gazette first. Board-specific forms and timelines then apply on top of it.
Legally you can file yourself, since the process is paperwork, not court. An agent mainly saves you from format rejections and portal errors, and one bounced file costs more than most assistance. Call 9540005026.
Explore our other verified guides: our national hub Name Change Service in India, How to Change Name Legally in India, and the full Maharashtra name change guide for the parent state. Same verified facts, local routes.
People also search for: Name change agent in Thane, Maharashtra gazette name change online, DGPS name change fee, name change in birth certificate Thane, surname change after marriage, passport name change Thane, dgps.maharashtra.gov.in.
The fees, portals and process on this page are checked against official Government sources, not copied from other blogs.
Government fees and timelines can change from time to time. Always confirm current details on the official portals above before you apply.
Changing your name in Thane is refreshingly straightforward: publish in a Marathi and an English newspaper, then apply online through Maharashtra's DGPS gazette (Part II Change of Name) via Aaple Sarkar. The official fee is low, around Rs 523 plus GST for the open category and lower for the backward category, so do not overpay agents who quote it many times higher, and remember that for the state gazette an affidavit is specifically required only for middle-name changes. For a passport, visa or central government job, the Central Gazette is the safer, nationally accepted route. Either way, match your name exactly, keep your newspaper clippings, scan cleanly, and update your records in the right order, starting with Aadhaar. Expect about 2 to 4 weeks for the state route. If there is a deadline, a minor, a divorce, a gender change or a spelling error in the mix, we can handle it end to end at your doorstep.
The online Maharashtra DGPS gazette or the Central Gazette. We tell you the real fee, file it, and update your Aadhaar, PAN and passport.
