Petition for Name Change

The petition for name change is the starting document for the entire process — it's your formal request to the court asking for permission to use a new legal name. Like a petition in any court case, it includes identifying information about you, your current legal name, the new name you want, and the reason for the change.

Courts generally have specific forms for name change petitions. You fill out the form, attach any required supporting documents, pay the filing fee, and submit it to the clerk's office. Once filed, the court assigns a case number and schedules a hearing. In some states with a publication requirement, you'll also need to publish a notice in a local newspaper before the hearing.

The petition must be accurate and complete. Courts can deny name change petitions if the new name could be used to defraud creditors, evade legal obligations, or cause confusion. Most routine petitions — for personal, post-divorce, or gender-affirmation reasons — are approved without complication.

The petition is the foundation of your name change case. Everything that follows — the hearing, the decree, the updates to your ID — depends on getting the petition right. Filing in the correct county court and using the proper forms for your state ensures the process moves forward without delays.

Filing fees typically range from $150 to $400 depending on the state and county. If cost is a barrier, most courts have a fee waiver process for low-income petitioners. The fee waiver application is usually filed at the same time as the petition.