A legal name change can include changing the order or spelling of your given name/s, adding or dropping a name, changing your only your surname or making changes to all your names. The process is managed at your local court. Some states have the same forms, fees and process no matter what change you make, where other states may have a different process and fee for changes only involving surnames.

Court fees vary significantly between states and can be anywhere from $60 to over $500. Your state may require fingerprinting and background checks, which can be between $50 and $100, or require newspaper publishing, which can vary considerably and can’t be reduced with a fee waiver. Once approved the court may charge a small fee for issuing the order.

This cost will significantly increase if you hire a legal professional to assist. People with a reasonable understanding of the court process should be able to manage their own application. If you are time poor or need assistance in working through the application process there are some good quality legal name change packages available online or you may be able to get legal assistance for a fixed price. 

Check our legal name change cost page for a more detailed breakdown of all the charges that you can expect when legally changing your name.

Complete and file the legal name change petition for your county. This may be available through the court website or call the court and ask. Once completed, file with the court clerk and pay the filing fee. Check if you are required to attend the hearing and when it is scheduled. You may be required to submit to a background check and/or publish a notice in a newspaper before your hearing.

Getting a court order with your new name is only half the work. It’s your responsibility to ensure all your identification, accounts, memberships and records are changed over to your new legal name. Easy Name Change saves weeks of research and paperwork with our ready to send name change notifications. Simply select the organizations you need to update and we provide detailed filing instructions and all corresponding paperwork. Just attach your court order and send!

Start with the SSA, then wait 2-3 working days and visit your state DMV in person. The DMV should be notified within 14 days of your name change. Companies generally don’t charge to update your account unless a new credential is needed. Eg: driver’s license, passport, professional license.

Yes, your name change can be refused by the court. You need to provide a sound reason as to why you are changing names. If the judge does not believe your reason is satisfactory it may be rejected. You can’t change names to avoid convictions, bad debts or creditors. You cannot infringe on copyrighted names or celebrity names (eg: Coca Cola or Bruce Springsteen). You can’t have an offensive name. If you have a compelling reason for taking a new name, then it is more likely to be approved. Eg: Springsteen is your mother’s maiden name.