Changing the Name on Registered SIM Cards in the Philippines: A Complete Legal Guide

Last updated based on laws and rules in force up to mid-2025. This is general information, not legal advice.

1) Legal Foundations

a) SIM Registration Act (Republic Act No. 11934) and its IRR

Coverage. All end-users of SIMs—prepaid and postpaid, physical and eSIM—must register their identity with their Public Telecommunications Entity (PTE) (e.g., Globe, Smart, DITO).
Duty to keep records accurate. The law and its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) require subscriber information in the PTE’s registry to be true, accurate, and up to date. If your legal name changes, you must update the PTE’s records.
Consequences of inaction. Providing false information or failing to maintain accurate records can lead to SIM deactivation and potential administrative or criminal penalties under RA 11934 and related issuances.

b) Data Privacy Act (Republic Act No. 10173)

Lawful processing. PTEs are personal information controllers. They must process your identification data lawfully, transparently, and for legitimate purposes (i.e., SIM registration and network security).
Your rights. You retain the rights to access, rectification, erasure/blocking (when applicable), data portability, and to be informed. A name-change request is typically processed as a rectification request.

c) Name-Change in Civil Registry Law (for your source documents)

Clerical errors / first name or nickname: RA 9048, as amended by RA 10172 (also covers corrections to day/month of birth and sex if clerical/typographical).
Substantial changes: Rule 103 (petition for change of name) and Rule 108 (cancellation/correction of entries) of the Rules of Court, when changes are not clerical and require a court order.
Marital status–related changes: Marriage, annulment/void marriage decrees, or judicial recognition of foreign divorce (for qualified Filipinos) may result in a change in your surname as reflected in your PSA-issued civil registry documents.

Bottom line: PTEs will rely on valid, government-issued ID and supporting civil registry/court documents that show your new legal name. You cannot change your SIM name record unless your source identity documents already reflect the change (or you submit the dispositive order that authorizes it).

2) When You Must Update Your SIM Registration Name

Marriage or change of surname after marriage (or electing to retain maiden name if applicable).
Annulment, nullity of marriage, legal separation (name reversion where legally permitted).
Court-ordered change of name under Rule 103 or 108.
Clerical corrections (RA 9048/10172) resulting in an officially corrected name.
Recognition of foreign judgment (e.g., recognition of foreign divorce, if applicable to a Filipino under current jurisprudence).
Naturalization or change of citizenship leading to change in legal name.
Adoption (amended birth certificate).
Gender marker/name changes where the civil registry record has been lawfully updated (e.g., via Rule 108, as applicable under prevailing jurisprudence).

Update as soon as practicable after your legal name changes. Check your PTE’s customer terms and any NTC guidance for specific timelines that may apply.

3) Who Can Request the Change

Individual subscribers (prepaid/postpaid). The owner whose identity was used for the registration.
Parents/guardians for minors, with the minor’s and guardian’s IDs and proof of filiation/guardianship.
Authorized representatives holding a Special Power of Attorney (SPA), plus the account holder’s and representative’s valid IDs.
Corporate/Institutional accounts: Duly authorized company officer with board resolution/Secretary’s Certificate, company ID, and registry of assigned numbers.

4) What PTEs Typically Require

Requirements vary by carrier, but the following are standard:

Accomplished request form (in-store, online portal, or app).
Valid government-issued ID showing the new legal name (e.g., PhilID/PhilSys, passport, UMID, driver’s license, PRC ID).
Supporting proof of name change, such as:
- PSA Marriage Certificate or Report of Marriage (for marriage abroad).
- Court Order/Decision (Rule 103/108) with certificate of finality.
- PSA Birth Certificate (annotated) reflecting the change.
- Local Civil Registrar or PSA certification under RA 9048/10172 confirming correction.
- Judicial recognition of foreign judgment, if applicable.
- Adoption decree and amended birth certificate.
For foreigners: Passport and ACR-I Card, and any legal instrument proving the name change.
For representatives: SPA/Board Resolution, authorized signatory’s ID, and account holder’s ID (if not personally present).
SIM details (MSISDN/mobile number, SIM ICCID/eSIM EID if requested).
Selfie/live verification (for some online or app-based update flows).

Fees: PTEs generally do not charge for rectification, but store processing or replacement SIM fees (if a SIM swap is required) may apply.

5) Step-by-Step Process

Path A: In-App/Online (if your carrier supports it)

Log in to your carrier app or web portal.
Navigate to Profile → SIM Registration/KYC → Update Details.
Upload: front/back of new ID, plus supporting legal document (PDF/JPEG), and fill out details exactly as they appear on the ID.
Complete liveness/selfie and OTP checks.
Submit and save acknowledgments (reference number, email/SMS confirmation).

Path B: In-Store/Service Center

Bring original IDs and original/certified true copies of supporting documents.
Fill out the request form and consent to data processing.
The officer updates the name field in the SIM registry; a SIM replacement may be issued if required (e.g., old SIM form factor issues or security).
Receive transaction proof (acknowledgment receipt or reference number). Keep it.

6) Special Scenarios

a) Postpaid vs Prepaid

Postpaid: Name is part of the service contract; the PTE may require a contract addendum or account profile update. Outstanding balances must remain settled by the same account even if the name changes.
Prepaid: Name exists in the registration database; updates are simpler but still require proper IDs/documents.

b) Mobile Number Portability (RA 11202)

If you ported your number between carriers, your current PTE maintains your KYC record. Submit the name-change request to the recipient network with which you currently have service.
A name change does not, by itself, cancel or reset your MNP eligibility; standard MNP rules still apply for future ports.

c) Deceased Subscriber / Estate Transfers

Numbers do not automatically pass to heirs. To transfer and re-register:
- Present Death Certificate, proof of heirship (e.g., extrajudicial settlement/court order), valid ID of the heir, and compliance with the PTE’s transfer policies.
- The heir registers in their own name; the “name change” is not a mere correction but a subscriber transfer.

d) Corporate Lines

Use a Secretary’s Certificate/Board Resolution and updated General Information Sheet (GIS) if the entity’s name changed (e.g., due to merger or amendment of articles).
For reassignment to an employee with a different legal name, process an internal reassignment or transfer per the PTE’s enterprise contract, then update the KYC.

e) eSIM and SIM-Swap Fraud Safeguards

PTEs may insist on in-person verification or additional checks for name changes paired with SIM swaps/eSIM activations.
If your request is urgent due to identity theft, file an incident report with the PTE and consider a police blotter and N件 (network) fraud flags.

7) Data Privacy & Record-Keeping

Retention: PTEs retain registration data for as long as necessary to meet RA 11934 purposes and other lawful bases (e.g., fraud prevention, dispute resolution).
Security: Expect encryption, access controls, and audit logs. You may request information on how your data is processed via the PTE’s Privacy Notice.
Rectification response: PTEs should act on your rectification within a reasonable period and inform you of the outcome. Keep receipts, screenshots, and reference numbers.

8) Denials, Appeals, and Remedies

Common reasons for denial:
- ID does not yet reflect the new legal name.
- Inconsistent spellings across documents.
- Uncertified or illegible court/LCR/PSA documents.
- Representative lacks authority (no SPA/Secretary’s Certificate).
What to do:
- Correct deficiencies (e.g., secure a PSA-issued annotated certificate; obtain certificate of finality).
- Elevate to the PTE’s Data Protection Officer or Customer Care escalation.
- For unresolved privacy/rectification issues, you may lodge a complaint with the National Privacy Commission (NPC). For telecom service issues (e.g., deactivation), you may seek assistance from the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC).

9) Practical Checklists

Personal Subscriber (Marriage-Related Name Change)

Government-issued ID with new surname
PSA Marriage Certificate / Report of Marriage
Old ID (optional, for cross-reference)
Your SIM details and carrier app access
If by representative: SPA + rep’s valid ID

Court-Ordered Name Change

Court Decision/Order + Certificate of Finality
PSA-issued annotated Birth Certificate
Updated government-issued ID
PTE form; consider in-person verification

Corporate Account (Entity Name Changed)

Secretary’s Certificate/Board Resolution
Amended Articles/Certificates from SEC (if applicable)
Corporate and signatory IDs
List of affected numbers; enterprise account details

10) Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: Can I update my SIM name while my civil registry correction is still pending? A: Usually no. PTEs require final proof (updated ID or court/LCR/PSA documents). Some may accept a final court order with certificate of finality even before PSA annotation—ask your PTE if they will.

Q2: Will my service be interrupted during the change? A: Typically no for simple record rectification. If a SIM replacement or eSIM re-provisioning is needed, there may be a short service interruption.

Q3: Does a name change affect my number or plan? A: No. The number and plan remain the same; only the account identity is updated.

Q4: Can I switch my SIM to another person under the guise of a “name change”? A: No. That is a transfer of ownership, which has a different process and stricter requirements.

Q5: What if my valid ID lags behind my court order? A: Update your PhilID/PhilSys or other IDs first (or obtain certified true copies of the decision and finality). Then request the SIM name update.

11) Model Templates (Fill-In-the-Blanks)

A. Special Power of Attorney (for Representative)

Purpose: To authorize someone to process your SIM registration name rectification.

SPECIAL POWER OF ATTORNEY

I, [Full Name], of legal age, [civil status], with address at [Address], holder of [ID Type and Number],
do hereby appoint [Representative’s Full Name], of legal age, with address at [Address], holder of [ID Type and Number],
as my true and lawful attorney-in-fact, to represent me before [PTE Name] for the purpose of updating my
SIM registration records to reflect my legal name [New Legal Name], including the submission and receipt of
documents, signing of forms, and performance of all acts necessary for this purpose.

This SPA is effective upon signing and shall remain valid until [Date/Event].

Signed this [Date] at [City], Philippines.

[Principal’s Signature over Printed Name]
With my conformity:
[Representative’s Signature over Printed Name]

B. Data Rectification Request (to PTE)

[Date]

Customer Care / Data Protection Officer
[PTE Name]
Subject: Request for Rectification – SIM Registration Name

I am the registered owner of mobile number [09XXXXXXXXX]. My legal name has changed to [New Legal Name]
as evidenced by the attached [ID/PSA/Court Order]. Kindly update your SIM registration records and confirm
completion of the change.

Attached: [List of IDs and documents]
Contact Email/Mobile: [Contact]

Sincerely,
[Signature over Printed Name]

12) Key Takeaways

You must keep your SIM registration accurate and current under RA 11934.
You cannot change your SIM record unless your legal identity documents show the new name (or you provide a final court/LCR/PSA document authorizing the change).
Use your carrier’s app/portal or visit a service center with complete, final documentation.
Preserve receipts and confirmations; invoke your Data Privacy Act rectification rights if needed.
For transfers (not just name changes), follow the carrier’s ownership transfer procedure.

If you’d like, tell me your carrier and scenario (e.g., marriage, court-ordered change), and I’ll tailor a document checklist and a step-by-step playbook for that exact case.