State Gazette vs Central Gazette: Which One Do You Actually Need?
Both are official government records — but they differ in process, acceptance, and scope. This guide explains the difference, shows which states run their own gazette, and helps you pick the right route before you apply.
View Name Change Packages →Ready to start? Go to the Name Change service page — eDrafter handles your affidavit, newspaper ad & Central Gazette publication end-to-end.
Quick answer
For most people changing their name for a passport, PAN, Aadhaar, bank, or job record, the Central Gazette is the right choice — it's accepted across all states and departments without question. The State Gazette is mainly useful for local, state-level corrections and varies widely in rules from one state to another.
State Gazette vs Central Gazette
The core difference is who publishes it and where it's accepted.
State Gazette
- Conducted by each State Government individually
- Guidelines differ from one state to another
- Generally recognised for regional identification
- Processing time varies by state authority
- Some states publish only for their own residents
Central Gazette
- Officially published under the Government of India
- Accepted across all states and departments
- Used for passport, PAN, Aadhaar & bank updates
- Recognised even for applications made from abroad
- One standard process — same everywhere
Side-by-side comparison
| What to compare | State Gazette | Central Gazette |
|---|---|---|
| Who publishes it | Your State Government | Government of India (Dept. of Publication) |
| Where it's accepted | Depends on department — not universal | Accepted all across India |
| Best used for | Local / state-level corrections | Passport, PAN, Aadhaar, bank, job documents |
| How the process works | Different rules in every state | One standard process nationwide |
| Address proof needed | Often required to be local | Broader eligibility — less restrictive |
| Approx. cost | ₹1,500 – ₹5,000+ (varies by state) | ₹1,100 – ₹3,500 (more predictable) |
Cost figures are government publication fees, paid directly to the authority — separate from eDrafter's service fee. See eDrafter package pricing →
States that offer State Gazette publication
Not every state runs its own gazette name change process — many rely on the Central Gazette. Availability, procedures, and requirements differ by state. Search your state below.
| State / UT | Gazette Name | Start name change |
|---|---|---|
| Andhra Pradesh | The Andhra Pradesh Gazette | Change name → |
| Arunachal Pradesh | The Arunachal Pradesh Gazette | Change name → |
| Assam | The Assam Gazette | Change name → |
| Bihar | Bihar Rajpatra | Change name → |
| Chhattisgarh | Chhattisgarh Gazette | Change name → |
| Goa | Official Gazette of the Government of Goa | Change name → |
| Gujarat | The Gujarat Government Gazette | Change name → |
| Haryana | Haryana Government Gazette | Change name → |
| Himachal Pradesh | Himachal Pradesh Rajpatra | Change name → |
| Jharkhand | The Jharkhand Gazette | Change name → |
| Karnataka | Karnataka Rajya Patra | Change name → |
| Kerala | The Kerala Gazette | Change name → |
| Madhya Pradesh | Madhya Pradesh Rajpatra | Change name → |
| Maharashtra | Maharashtra Shasan Rajpatra | Change name → |
| Manipur | The Manipur Gazette | Change name → |
| Meghalaya | The Gazette of Meghalaya | Change name → |
| Mizoram | The Mizoram Gazette | Change name → |
| Nagaland | The Nagaland Gazette | Change name → |
| Odisha | The Odisha Gazette | Change name → |
| Punjab | Punjab Government Gazette | Change name → |
| Rajasthan | Rajasthan Rajpatra | Change name → |
| Sikkim | The Sikkim Government Gazette | Change name → |
| Tamil Nadu | Tamil Nadu Government Gazette | Change name → |
| Telangana | The Telangana Gazette | Change name → |
| Tripura | The Tripura Gazette | Change name → |
| Uttar Pradesh | UP Rajpatra | Change name → |
| Uttarakhand | The Uttarakhand Gazette | Change name → |
| West Bengal | The Kolkata Gazette | Change name → |
| Delhi (NCT) | Delhi Gazette | Change name → |
| Chandigarh (UT) | UT Chandigarh Digital Gazette | Change name → |
| Jammu & Kashmir (UT) | J&K Government Gazette | Change name → |
| Ladakh (UT) | The Ladakh Gazette | Change name → |
| Puducherry (UT) | The Gazette of Puducherry | Change name → |
Found your state? Now get your exact next steps
Tell Name Change Guru your state and situation — it gives you the right process, documents, and the package that fits, in plain language.
🪪 Ask Name Change Guru →The story behind the Central Gazette
The Central Gazette has been the official journal of record of the Government of India since the British era. It came into existence to officially publish notifications, legal changes, appointments, and public announcements — and over time became the most recognised medium for publishing a name change, trusted by banks, passport offices, and education boards.
Where is the Central Gazette office?
The Central Gazette publication process is handled by the Department of Publication under the Government of India. The office is in New Delhi and manages official Gazette notifications for various public purposes, including name changes.
What kinds of cases get published in the Gazette?
Most people think the Gazette is only for name changes — but it covers a much wider range of legal and personal matters.
State Gazette
- Adoption notices for legal public record
- Property transfers & succession matters
- Personal name change for state-level documents
- Land acquisition & local authority orders
- Electoral notifications & voter list corrections
Central Gazette
- Company closure & strike-off notices
- Insolvency & liquidation notices
- Name change recognised nationwide
- Government service appointments & transfers
- Legal declarations & lost document notices
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