Fee Waiver (Name Change)

Court filing fees for name changes typically range from $150 to $400 depending on your state and county — a meaningful expense for people with limited incomes. Most courts have a process to waive these fees for petitioners who cannot afford them. The fee waiver is sometimes called an 'In Forma Pauperis' request, which is Latin for 'in the form of a pauper' — essentially a formal request to proceed without payment because of financial hardship.

To request a fee waiver, you typically complete a separate form alongside your name change petition, disclosing your income, assets, household size, and monthly expenses. The court uses income guidelines — often based on the federal poverty level — to determine eligibility. If approved, the filing fee is waived entirely, and in some cases the publication requirement fee may also be reduced or waived.

The fee waiver form is usually available at the court clerk's office or on the court's website. Submitting it at the same time as your name change petition simplifies the process — the clerk reviews both together, and if the waiver is approved, your petition is accepted without payment.

Filing fees shouldn't be a barrier to a legal name change. Courts routinely grant fee waivers to eligible petitioners — it's a standard process, not a special exception. If cost is a concern, ask the court clerk about the fee waiver form before assuming you can't afford to file.

Even if the court filing fee is waived, publication fees (if required in your state) may still apply. Some states allow publication fees to be waived for low-income petitioners as well, or the court may waive the publication requirement entirely for fee-waiver petitioners. Ask the clerk specifically about the publication component.