Quick answer
If you want to officially change or correct your name in Himachal Pradesh, the first decision is which Gazette route applies to your case: the Himachal Pradesh State Gazette (Rajpatra) or the Gazette of India.
Himachal Pradesh has an official digital eGazette/Rajpatra operated through the Department of Printing and Stationery. The official Himachal Pradesh citizen-services portal also lists services for publication of correction/change of name and publication of court notices in the e-Gazette.
For the Gazette of India route, the Department of Publication publishes separate official guidelines for adult/major name changes, including the required newspaper notice, undertaking, prescribed proforma, photographs, ID proof and other documents.
The correct route depends on what you are changing, which authority needs the Gazette publication, and whether the receiving organisation specifically asks for a State Gazette or Gazette of India.
Quick Answer: How do you change your name through Gazette in Himachal Pradesh?
A Gazette name-change process normally involves these stages:
- Finalise the exact old and new name spelling.
- Determine whether your case should use the Himachal Pradesh Rajpatra or Gazette of India.
- Prepare the documents required for the selected route.
- Complete any required affidavit, undertaking or public-notice step.
- Submit the application and supporting documents to the applicable publication authority.
- Wait for publication.
- Download or obtain the published Gazette notice.
- Use the Gazette publication to approach Aadhaar, PAN, passport, bank, education, employment or other record-keeping authorities separately.
Important: Gazette publication and updating your other identity records are separate steps. Publishing the name in a Gazette does not automatically change the name in Aadhaar, PAN, passport, bank accounts or educational records.
What is a Gazette name change in Himachal Pradesh?
A Gazette name change is the publication of a name-change or name-correction notice in an official government Gazette.
In Himachal Pradesh, the relevant State Gazette is the Rajpatra of Himachal Pradesh, published through the state’s Department of Printing and Stationery. The official eGazette portal provides searchable Gazette notifications and digital Gazette publications.
A Gazette publication creates an official publication record of the declared change or correction. The exact effect of that publication depends on the requirements of the organisation where you later submit it.
Published 2026 issues of the Himachal Pradesh Rajpatra contain both change-of-name notices, in which a person declares that they will be known by a new name, and correction-of-name notices, in which a person declares the correct form of a name that was recorded wrongly.
Does Himachal Pradesh have its own State Gazette?
Yes. Himachal Pradesh has its own official State Gazette, commonly referred to as Rajpatra, and it is available through the official eGazette portal.
The Himachal Pradesh eGazette is managed through the Department of Printing and Stationery, with the Controller of Gazette listed by the official portal. The current official portal provides searchable notifications, Gazette searches and full-text search functionality.
The official portal currently states that thousands of Gazettes and notifications have been digitally published and that the Gazettes are digitally signed and searchable.
Himachal Pradesh eGazette / Rajpatra
Himachal Pradesh State Gazette vs Gazette of India: Which one should you choose?
The Himachal Pradesh State Gazette and the Gazette of India are different publication routes.
| Point | Himachal Pradesh State Gazette | Gazette of India |
|---|---|---|
| Gazette | Rajpatra of Himachal Pradesh | Gazette of India |
| Publication authority | Himachal Pradesh Department of Printing & Stationery | Department of Publication, Government of India |
| Main relevance | State-level publication route | Central Government publication route |
| Official online source | HP eGazette | Gazette of India eGazette |
| Name-change publication | Available in HP Gazette records | Available through Gazette of India Part-IV |
| Requirements | Confirm current HP-specific requirements with the department | Official adult guidelines specify required documents and procedure |
| Best route | When the relevant authority accepts/requests HP Rajpatra | When the receiving authority requires or accepts Gazette of India |
Do not select the Gazette only because one route is cheaper or because a private service provider recommends it. First check which Gazette your receiving authority accepts. For a wider comparison, see Central Gazette vs State Gazette.
How to choose between HP Rajpatra and Gazette of India
Use this simple decision process.
Choose the Himachal Pradesh State Gazette when:
- Your case is being handled through the Himachal Pradesh State Gazette route.
- The relevant authority specifically asks for an HP Gazette/Rajpatra publication.
- You have confirmed that the receiving organisation accepts the Himachal Pradesh Gazette for your intended document update.
The official HP citizen-services portal specifically lists “Publication of correction / Change of name on applications received from citizens” under the Printing & Stationery Department.
Consider the Gazette of India when:
- The receiving authority specifically asks for a Gazette of India publication.
- Your case falls under the Central Gazette process.
- You need to follow the Department of Publication’s Part-IV name-change procedure.
The Department of Publication provides a dedicated Guidelines for Change of Name – Adult/Major document for Gazette of India Part-IV publication.
Best practice
Before preparing documents, ask the organisation where you will use the Gazette: “Do you require Himachal Pradesh State Gazette/Rajpatra or Gazette of India Part-IV?”
That one question can prevent you from completing the wrong publication route.
What is the process for Gazette name change in Himachal Pradesh?
The exact document checklist depends on the route and case type. The safest process is to separate the common preparation stage from the official publication stage.
Step 1: Finalise your new name
Decide the exact spelling, spacing, surname and order of your new name before preparing documents.
For example:
Old name: Raju Kumar
New name: Rajender Kumar
Do not use different spellings in your affidavit, newspaper notice, application, ID documents or Gazette text.
Step 2: Decide whether it is a name change or name correction
A name change means you are adopting a different name.
A name correction means an existing record contains an incorrect spelling, spacing or other mistake and you are declaring the correct name.
Himachal Pradesh Gazette records contain both types of notices, titled “CHANGE OF NAME” and “CORRECTION OF NAME.”
This distinction matters because the supporting documents and wording may differ according to the circumstances.
Step 3: Prepare the applicable supporting documents
For the Himachal Pradesh State Gazette route, the official citizen-services portal confirms that the Printing & Stationery Department handles applications for publication of correction/change of name. However, the publicly accessible service listing does not provide a complete universal document checklist.
Therefore, do not rely on an unofficial website for a supposedly mandatory HP document list without confirming it with the department.
Depending on your case, documents may include:
- Identity proof
- Address proof
- Existing document showing the old name
- Name-change declaration/affidavit where applicable
- Newspaper publication where applicable
- Photographs where required
- Application/request documents
- Supporting documents for marriage, minor cases or corrections where relevant
The exact checklist should be confirmed for the route and case before submission.
What documents are required for Gazette of India name change?
The Department of Publication’s official adult/major guidelines provide a much more specific document list for Gazette of India Part-IV name-change publication. The guidelines state that the application requires documents including:
- A signed undertaking
- Original newspaper
- Prescribed proforma in duplicate, signed by the applicant and two witnesses
- A CD containing the print matter in MS Word
- Two self-attested passport-size photographs
- Self-attested photocopy of ID proof
- A certificate confirming that the hard-copy and soft-copy contents are identical
- Request letter with the applicable fee
The official guidelines also state that an adult applicant must advertise the name change in one daily local leading newspaper, mentioning the father’s/husband’s name and residential address, and submit the original newspaper to the department.
This is an important distinction: the Central Gazette requirement is not the universal procedure for the Himachal Pradesh State Gazette. For the Central route in detail, see our Gazette name change process guide.
Not sure your documents are right?
Tell us your case and we will reply with the documents and next steps that fit it. One mismatch in a name or address can send an application back.
Private documentation help. Not a government office.
Is an affidavit required for Gazette name change in Himachal Pradesh?
An affidavit or declaration may form part of the name-change preparation, but you should not treat a particular affidavit format as a universally confirmed Himachal Pradesh Gazette requirement without checking the applicable route.
Private name-change guides commonly recommend an affidavit before newspaper and Gazette publication, but those are secondary sources rather than the official HP service specification.
For the Gazette of India adult route, the official Department of Publication guidelines refer to an undertaking containing the applicant’s old and new name and personal details.
The practical rule is simple:
Use the document format required by the authority handling your selected Gazette route.
Is newspaper advertisement required for Gazette name change?
The answer depends on the Gazette route.
For the Gazette of India adult/major process, the official Department of Publication guidelines expressly require the change of name to be advertised in one daily local leading newspaper before publication.
For the Himachal Pradesh State Gazette, the official online citizen-service listing confirms the name-change publication service but does not, on that page, provide a complete universal newspaper requirement.
Be wary of statements such as “everyone in Himachal Pradesh must publish the name change in exactly two newspapers.” That claim is frequently repeated by private websites but is not an official universal HP requirement unless the applicable department confirms it.
How much does Gazette name change cost in Himachal Pradesh?
We could not confirm a single current HP State Gazette fee that applies to every name-change case. Confirm it with the relevant department.
Private websites publish different estimates for affidavits, newspapers, professional assistance and Gazette publication. Those prices are not the same as an official government fee schedule.
For the Gazette of India route, the Department of Publication’s rate order dated 19 September 2023 lists ₹1,100 for each adult/major change-of-name notice and ₹1,700 for a minor’s; payment is made through the government receipt/payment system. See the Department’s Gazette rates page.
Your actual cost can include:
| Cost component | What determines the cost? |
|---|---|
| Government Gazette fee | Applicable publication route and current government fee |
| Affidavit/declaration | Notary/stamp/document requirements |
| Newspaper | Publication, edition and advertisement size |
| Document preparation | Self-prepared or professional assistance |
| Courier/post | Whether physical submission is required |
| Record updates | Separate charges, if any, from the receiving authority |
Best practice: verify the current government fee directly with the applicable publication authority before paying a private service provider.
How long does Gazette name change take in Himachal Pradesh?
There is no safe universal processing-time promise for every Himachal Pradesh Gazette name-change case.
Processing time can depend on the route, document completeness, scrutiny, publication schedule and whether the application requires clarification.
Private websites quote different estimates, ranging from a few weeks to several weeks, which is why no single figure should be treated as an official fact.
For the Gazette of India route, the official guidelines specifically state that after a completed application is received, the request is sent for notification to the respective Government of India Press and that the Department of Publication is not responsible for delays in printing by the concerned Press.
Practical expectation
Plan for processing rather than a guaranteed number of days and avoid booking travel, document deadlines or other commitments around an unverified publication date.
Can you apply for Gazette name change online in Himachal Pradesh?
Himachal Pradesh has an online eGazette system, but “online Gazette search/publication” should not automatically be interpreted as “the entire citizen name-change application can be completed online.”
The official HP portal provides:
- Search Notifications
- Search eGazettes
- Advanced full-text search
- Digitally published Gazettes
- Gazette notification records
The official Himachal Pradesh citizen-services portal separately lists publication of correction/change of name as a Printing & Stationery Department service.
Therefore, confirm the current submission method for your specific name-change case before assuming that the complete process can be completed online.
How can you check a published Himachal Pradesh Gazette name change?
The official Himachal Pradesh eGazette provides a Search Notifications facility where users can search by department, notification number, subject/keywords, date range, language and category.
The portal also provides an Advanced Free Text Search for Gazette content.
Recommended search method
- Open the official Himachal Pradesh eGazette.
- Use Search Notifications.
- Search using your old name or new name.
- Add a date range if known.
- Check the relevant notification.
- Open the Gazette publication.
- Verify the spelling, old name, new name and personal details.
What does a Himachal Pradesh Gazette name-change notice cover?
Published 2026 issues of the Himachal Pradesh Rajpatra show that name notices can cover:
- Complete name changes
- Spelling corrections
- Name changes involving minors
- Corrections in identity records
- Corrections in birth-related records
You can read real notices by searching the official eGazette portal.
What should you do after Gazette publication?
Gazette publication is not the final document-update step.
After receiving or downloading the Gazette publication, identify every record where the old name appears.
Common records include:
- Aadhaar
- PAN
- Passport
- Bank account
- Driving licence
- Voter ID
- Insurance records
- School or university records
- Employment records
- Property or legal records
Each authority can have its own rules for accepting Gazette publication and additional supporting documents.
You should not assume that Aadhaar, PAN and passport will automatically change to the new name. You must separately approach the relevant authorities using the documents they require.
Name correction vs name change: What is the difference?
| Situation | Meaning | Illustrative example |
|---|---|---|
| Name correction | Existing record contains an error | “Rahul Kumr” → “Rahul Kumar” |
| Name change | Person adopts a different name | “Raju Kumar” → “Rajender Kumar” |
| Spelling change | Name remains substantially the same but spelling changes | “Shakuntala” → “Shakuntla” |
| Surname change | Surname is added, removed or changed | Existing surname → new surname |
The Himachal Pradesh Rajpatra publishes these under separate CHANGE OF NAME and CORRECTION OF NAME headings.
Common mistakes in Gazette name change applications
1. Choosing the wrong Gazette
The most important mistake is selecting the State Gazette or Central Gazette without checking which publication the receiving authority requires.
Fix: Ask the receiving authority before submitting the application.
2. Using different spellings
A different spelling in the affidavit, newspaper, application and Gazette text can create document-matching problems.
Fix: Finalise the exact spelling before preparing the paperwork.
3. Treating private fee estimates as government fees
Private websites often combine government charges, newspaper costs and professional fees.
Fix: Separate government charges from service-provider charges.
4. Assuming Gazette publication updates every document
A Gazette publication is evidence of the published change; it does not automatically rewrite every government or private database.
Fix: Prepare a separate update list for Aadhaar, PAN, passport, bank, education and employment records.
5. Assuming “online” means the entire process is online
The HP eGazette provides digital publication and search facilities, but the citizen application route should be confirmed separately.
Fix: Verify the current submission method with the applicable department.
6. Trusting an old fee figure
Government fees and procedures can change.
Fix: Verify the current fee before payment.
Where is the Himachal Pradesh Gazette office?
The official eGazette contact page lists:
Controller of Gazette
Printing and Stationery Department
Ghora Chowki, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh – 171005
Phone: 0177-2830373, 2830402
The official portal also carries a disclaimer that online Gazette notices are provided for information/reference and that, in case of discrepancy or dispute, the official copy available in the office of the Controller of Printing and Stationery is treated as the correct copy.
View official HP eGazette contact details
Frequently Asked Questions
Final Checklist for Gazette Name Change in Himachal Pradesh
Before submitting your application, check:
- Old name is written consistently.
- New name is written consistently.
- You have confirmed whether you need HP Rajpatra or Gazette of India.
- You have checked the receiving authority’s requirements.
- Required identity/address documents are ready.
- Required affidavit/undertaking/declaration is prepared.
- Newspaper publication has been completed if required for your route.
- Application/proforma has been completed correctly.
- Digital/soft-copy requirements have been checked where applicable.
- Current government fee has been verified.
- You have kept copies of all submitted documents.
- You know how you will verify the published Gazette notice.
- You have listed all records that need to be updated after publication.
Final Takeaway
Gazette name change in Himachal Pradesh is not simply a matter of publishing your new name online. The critical first step is choosing the correct publication route and following the requirements applicable to that route.
For Himachal Pradesh, the official Rajpatra/eGazette is operated through the Department of Printing and Stationery and provides searchable digital Gazette records. The official HP citizen-services portal also recognises publication of correction/change of name as a service.
For the Gazette of India, the Department of Publication provides a separate official Part-IV procedure for adult name changes with defined documentation requirements.
The safest approach is therefore:
Identify the required Gazette → confirm the current document checklist → prepare the name-change information consistently → submit through the applicable route → verify publication → update each identity/official record separately.
Because government procedures, fees and submission requirements can change, verify the current requirements with the applicable government publication authority before submitting or paying for a Gazette name-change application.
Official sources
- Himachal Pradesh eGazette / Rajpatra
- Department of Publication, Government of India — Change of Name guidelines
- Gazette of India eGazette
Not sure which process applies to you?
Tell us about your case and we’ll reply with the documents and steps that apply to you.
This article is general information, not legal advice. NameChangeDesk is a private service and is not affiliated with the Government of India or any state authority.