50-State Surveys › Adult Legal Name Change Requirements by State
Adult Legal Name Change Requirements by State
How does an adult legally change their name in this state: which court, what must the petition contain, and what publication, background-check, hearing, fee, and safety-confidentiality rules apply?
51 of 51 jurisdictions verified
every entry statute-checked, oldest 2026-07-26
What this survey covers
This survey covers the stand-alone court petition an adult uses to obtain a legal name-change order. It does not cover restoring a former name in a divorce, changing a name through marriage, adoption, or naturalization, changing a gender marker, or updating each agency and account after the decree.
Courts and petition architecture vary
Most states use a county-level trial or probate court, but the labels and petition duties differ. California uses superior court and asks for birth, residence, current-name, proposed-name, and reason facts. Virginia uses circuit court and adds parent, prior-name, felony, registry, incarceration, and probation disclosures. Rhode Island uses the probate court of the resident city or town. Hawaii is the structural outlier: the ordinary adult petition goes to the Lieutenant Governor rather than a court. Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 1276; Va. Code § 8.01-217; R.I. Gen. Laws § 33-22-28; Haw. Rev. Stat. § 574-5.
Background screening is not uniform
Texas demonstrates the strongest fingerprint architecture in the spot-checks. Its verified adult petition must include a complete set of fingerprints in a format acceptable to the Department of Public Safety and FBI, detailed criminal identifiers, and charges above a Class C misdemeanor. California does not make the adult supply a fingerprint card, but the court uses CLETS/CJIS to determine whether the petitioner must register as a sex offender. Virginia relies on sworn criminal and registry disclosures and a heightened prosecutor-notice and hearing process for probationers, incarcerated people, and registry-listed petitioners. Tex. Fam. Code §§ 45.102-.103; Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 1279.5; Va. Code § 8.01-217.
The finished table also contains disclosure-only and no-screening systems. Wyoming's current NCA-06, for example, requires no fingerprints, conviction question, registry disclosure, or corrections clearance. South Dakota's current petition likewise uses sworn good-faith statements rather than a background report. These are different from a court's internal database check and from a fingerprint package the petitioner must obtain. Wyoming NCA adult packet; South Dakota UJS adult packet.
Publication, confidentiality, and hearings interact
California's ordinary route uses an order to show cause published once a week for four weeks. If no qualifying objection is filed, the court may grant the ordinary petition without a hearing. The State's confidential route exempts a qualifying Address Confidentiality Program participant seeking to avoid domestic violence, stalking, sexual assault, or human trafficking from publication and keeps the current name confidential. Since July 1, 2026, a separate adult petition to conform a name to gender identity is exempt from publication and must be granted without a hearing within six weeks, subject to the sex-offender provisions of § 1279.5. Cal. Code Civ. Proc. §§ 1277-1278; 2025 Cal. Stat. ch. 723, § 2.
The completed survey shows every major notice model. Rhode Island prohibits public notice or publication. Wyoming uses four weekly publications and a 30-day objection window, but a domestic-abuse order protects residence-identifying information and removes publication. South Dakota ordinarily combines four publications with an open-court hearing, while its victim-safety route can remove both. Alaska instead uses court-run online notice and allows additional notice when ordered. R.I. Gen. Laws § 33-22-28; Wyo. Stat. §§ 1-25-101 to -103; SDCL ch. 21-37; Alaska CIV-699.
Criminal records usually create a heightened track, not one universal bar
Texas permits a court to grant a petition by a person with a final felony conviction after a pardon or after discharge or completion of supervision plus two years, and it requires proof of law-enforcement notice for a person subject to sex-offender registration. Virginia requires good cause before accepting a petition from a probationer, incarcerated person, or registry-listed person, then prosecutor notice, a hearing, and express law-enforcement, fraud, and rights findings. California requires denial for a registry-listed petitioner unless the court finds the change is in the interest of justice and will not adversely affect public safety. The table reports these exact architectures rather than flattening them into “criminal record allowed” or “not allowed.”
Other states use different controls. North Dakota applies a rebuttable presumption against a change for specified felony convictions and requires criminal-history disclosures, while Delaware uses a separate Department of Correction notice-and-opposition track for supervised petitioners. Rhode Island's statewide denial rule is fraudulent purpose, not a categorical criminal-record bar. N.D.C.C. ch. 32-28; Del. Code tit. 10, ch. 59; R.I. Gen. Laws § 33-22-28.
How to use the table
Start with the court and residency rule, then identify the exact facts and oath the petition requires. Check the background-screening and publication columns before filing: those steps often control timing and privacy. Read the safety and special-track column before putting a home address or proposed name into a public record. Finally, compare the hearing and grant standard with the criminal- record restrictions, fee, waiver, and post-order transmission duties.
Get this answered for your state
This survey compares every state side by side. Ezel applies your state's law to your specific situation and answers with citations to the statutes.
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| State | Governing law and court | Who may petition and residency | Petition contents and oath | Criminal background check | Publication or notice | Safety, confidentiality, and special tracks | Hearing and grant standard | Grounds for denial or restriction | Fee and post-order effect |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama verified 2026-07-26 | Ala. Code § 12-13-1(b)(10); probate court in the county where the adult resides |
An adult resident of the filing county; no minimum residence duration appears in § 12-13-1(b)(10). Current court packets treat age 19 as adulthood and require county-residency proof when ID does not show a local address |
Statutory floor: signed written declaration stating current and requested names (§ 12-13-1(b)(10)). Current AOC/county packets add birth certificate, photo ID, address, birth facts, reason, and a notarized declaration; county fields vary |
No statewide fingerprint or report mandate in § 12-13-1. County practice varies: Madison uses a sheriff criminal-history release; Montgomery requires certified ABI and FBI fingerprint-based reports |
No statewide newspaper publication, posting, objection, or ordinary third-party-notice rule in § 12-13-1 or the statewide adult form; confirm the filing county's packet |
No express safety-sealing, confidential-name, publication-waiver, or gender-identity track in § 12-13-1. Ask the probate court about protecting sensitive information before filing |
Section 12-13-1 states no mandatory hearing, waiting period, objection process, or substantive grant standard. Hearing and order procedure must be confirmed with the county probate court |
Sex offender: change allowed only when incident to marital-status change or necessary for religious exercise; immediate local-law-enforcement reporting required, and knowing violation is a Class C felony (§ 15-20A-36). No general felony bar appears in § 12-13-1, though county packets require criminal disclosures or checks |
County-set: Madison lists $37; Montgomery $33 plus recording costs; Walker $73. Ask the county about waiver. Probate orders receive the validity and presumptions of other general-jurisdiction court orders (§ 12-13-1(d)); agency records require separate updates |
| Alaska verified 2026-07-26 | AS 09.55.010 and Civil Rule 84; Alaska superior court |
A person may bring the action; current statute and CIV-700 state no minimum Alaska residence period (AS 09.55.010(a)) |
CIV-700 asks exact current/former/proposed names, birth-certificate amendment option, reasons, no-debt/fraud/law-enforcement/rights interference, guardian/conservator, pending charge, incarceration, supervised felony probation/parole, and registry status; sworn/notarized or TF-835 self-certification |
No fingerprint or criminal-history report required by AS 09.55.010 or current packet; petition instead discloses pending charge, incarceration, supervised felony probation/parole, and sex-offender/child-kidnapper registration |
Court website posts petition notice 4 consecutive weeks and judgment 1 week; court may order additional person/agency, newspaper, online, or public-place notice. Hearing at least 40 days after CIV-701; judgment service completed within 20 days if ordered (CIV-699) |
CIV-708 allows personal-safety request to waive posting, make file confidential/sealed, and substitute 'Not Published' in CourtView; filing it at initiation keeps case nonpublic pending decision. Denial triggers at least 10 days to withdraw before publicity |
Hearing required; court grants for sufficient reasons consistent with public interest and no reasonable objection. Petitioner testifies under oath; judgment is not effective immediately (AS 09.55.010(a); CIV-699) |
General public-interest standard. For DOC custody, probation/parole, registry, or pending-charge petitioner, court must also find no fraud, no law-enforcement obstruction, and no interference with others' rights; specified agency/officer notice required (AS 09.55.010(b)-(c)) |
$200 filing fee; TF-920 fee-exemption request available. Certificate effective date is at least 30 days after judgment distribution; 2 copies include 1 free certified copy. Optional birth-certificate order; new name begins on certificate date (CIV-699) |
| Arizona verified 2026-07-26 | A.R.S. § 12-601. Superior court in the county of the applicant's residence |
Adult seeking own name change; county residence required, but § 12-601 states no minimum residence duration. Maricopa adult form is for applicants age 18+ who reside in that county |
Requested name and reason, plus felony conviction; specified pending identity/fraud charges; no other person's name for listed crimes; sole best interest; and no release of obligations or harm to property/action rights, all under penalty of perjury. Maricopa CVNC11f also asks birth/current/prior-name facts and uses a notarized oath |
No universal fingerprints or separate state/FBI report in current § 12-601 or adult CVNC11f. The application itself requires felony and specified pending-charge disclosures |
No statewide newspaper publication. Current § 12-601 gives a victim or prosecutor contest standing before judgment and for 1 year after. Maricopa locally requires notice to affected parties and prosecutor notice for pending charges or convictions, ordinarily by certified mail at least 30 days before hearing |
On request, court may seal application and judgment only for a person protected by an order of protection/injunction against harassment or a stalking victim under § 13-2923 or an equivalent out-of-state offense; sealed information is nonpublic. No express gender-identity track (§ 12-601(F)) |
Court may grant and must consider the sworn § 12-601(C) criteria. Maricopa requires a hearing, ordinarily virtual, with the adult applicant present; its order form finds good cause |
Felony history is disclosed but not a categorical bar. Court may deny a pending case or set aside a judgment upon a conviction for listed identity/fraud/false-statement offenses; a victim or prosecutor may contest through 1 year after judgment (§ 12-601(D)-(E)) |
Fees vary locally; Maricopa currently charges $367 and permits a statutory-eligibility application for deferral or waiver. Judgment substitutes the adopted name for the original; a registered person must notify the sheriff in person and writing within 72 hours, excluding weekends/legal holidays (§§ 12-601(A), 13-3822(A)) |
| Arkansas verified 2026-07-26 | Ark. Code §§ 9-2-101 to -102; circuit court with jurisdiction over the petitioner. Section 9-2-101 does not assign a named division or county |
Any person within the court's jurisdiction may apply; no adult minimum-residence period or fixed county-venue formula appears in § 9-2-101 |
Verified written petition embodying the reasons. The statute gives no additional statewide petition checklist; prior name, birth date, court-selected identifier, and new name are required in the order (§ 9-2-101(b)-(c)) |
No applicant-supplied fingerprints, criminal-history report, registry check, or conviction disclosure in § 9-2-101. After an order, the clerk sends the unredacted order to the Arkansas Crime Information Center |
No statewide newspaper publication, posting, prosecutor notice, service, waiting period, or objection procedure in § 9-2-101; confirm any local court procedure |
All filers redact confidential information; clerk redacts identifiers except old and new names. Court must seal the file on clear and convincing evidence the petitioner would otherwise be endangered. No separate gender-identity track (§ 9-2-101(c)(2)-(3)) |
No mandatory hearing or waiting period; judge may act in vacation. Grant requires good reasons and a determination that cause has been shown (§ 9-2-101(a), (c)) |
No express felony, incarceration, supervision, registry, debt, or fraud category bar in §§ 9-2-101 to -102; petitioner must show good reasons/cause. Division of Correction records keep the committed name (§ 9-2-102) |
Current Greene County schedule: $165 to open a circuit case; exact local amount should be confirmed. Arkansas Judiciary provides an in-forma-pauperis affidavit. Clerk sends the unredacted order to ACIC and Driver Control, and to Vital Records on request; caption is indexed under both names (§§ 9-2-101(c), 9-2-102) |
| California verified 2026-07-26 | Cal. Code Civ. Proc. §§ 1275-1279.6; petition in the superior court of the county where the adult resides (§§ 1275-1276) |
An adult may petition in the county of residence; no minimum residence period is stated. A narrow nonresident route exists in the California county tied to a California birth certificate or marriage record that the petitioner seeks to change (§ 1276(a), (g)). Section 1279.5 preserves the common-law name-use right, subject to its listed restrictions |
State place of birth and residence, present name, proposed name, and reason (§ 1276(a)(2)). Mandatory forms NC-100/NC-110 add date of birth, current address, sex shown on the birth certificate for a federal database search, and penalty-of-perjury declarations about correctional jurisdiction and Penal Code § 290 registration |
No petitioner-supplied fingerprint card or general FBI report. The court checks CLETS/CJIS (or asks local law enforcement) to determine Penal Code § 290 sex-offender-registration status (§ 1279.5(f); NC-110) |
Ordinary petition: publish the order to show cause in a county newspaper of general circulation once weekly for four weeks; if no such newspaper exists, the clerk posts it in three public places. The order usually sets the matter 6-12 weeks out, and proof is made to the court (§ 1277(a)(1)-(3)). Incarcerated or jailed petitioners must give the petition to CDCR or the sheriff (§ 1279.5(c)) |
A qualifying active Safe at Home participant seeking to avoid domestic violence, stalking, sexual assault, or human trafficking is exempt from publication; current and proposed-name information receives statutory confidentiality protections, and sealing may be requested (§ 1277(b)). An adult petition to conform a name to gender identity is exempt from publication and, since July 1, 2026, must be granted without hearing within six weeks, subject to § 1279.5 (current § 1277.5) |
Ordinary route: a hearing occurs only if an objection is filed that shows good cause; if none is filed at least two court days before the scheduled date, the court may grant without hearing (§ 1278(a)). At a hearing the court may examine witnesses under oath and make the order or dismiss as right and proper. Current adult gender-identity route: grant without hearing within six weeks (§ 1277.5(a)) |
A Penal Code § 290 registrant's petition must be denied unless the court finds granting it is in the interest of justice and will not adversely affect public safety; a successful registrant must notify specified local law enforcement within five working days (§ 1279.5(e)). People in CDCR custody or county jail may petition but must provide the required agency copy (§ 1279.5(b)-(c)) |
$435-$450 court filing fee; ordinary fee waiver available, but it does not cover newspaper cost. A certified decree currently costs $40 unless waived; records are not updated automatically, so the petitioner uses certified copies with each agency (California Courts Self-Help) |
| Colorado verified 2026-07-26 | C.R.S. §§ 13-15-101 to -102. File in the county or district court of the county of residence; current JDF 432 directs ordinary adults to county court as the most common choice |
Adult age 18 or older seeking to change their own name; must reside in the filing county. No minimum residence duration is stated (§ 13-15-101(1)(a)(I); JDF 432/433) |
JDF 433 states current and requested names, birth date, adult status, county residence, no felony/felony-equivalent juvenile adjudication, attached FBI/CBI checks, reason, proper-and-not-detrimental certification, and publication request or exemption; sign under oath before clerk or notary |
Certified fingerprint-based CBI and FBI checks, including arrests, convictions, and dispositions, dated within 90 days; petitioner supplies fingerprints, pays costs, and provides missing dispositions (§ 13-15-101(1)(a)(II), (b)-(c)). Narrow age-70 ID route permits name-based checks only after unreadable/inconclusive fingerprints |
Unless waived, publish at least 3 times within 21 days after the publication order in a county legal newspaper and file proof (§§ 13-15-101(1.5), 13-15-102(1); JDF 426/427). Good-cause waiver is discretionary; listed victim, gender-identity, and age-70 ID routes are exempt |
Publication not required for specified domestic-violence crime victims, child-abuse victims, domestic-abuse victims, or a name conforming to gender identity (§ 13-15-102(2), (4)). The adult gender exemption does not automatically suppress the court file; 2026 automatic record suppression applies only to petitioners under 18 |
Most courts do not hold a hearing, but some counties require one. After proof of publication or a waiver, grant if the change is proper and not detrimental to another person's interests (§ 13-15-101(2)(a); JDF 432/448) |
Ordinary route bars a prior felony or felony-equivalent juvenile adjudication. Narrow § 13-15-101(3) route is available only when needed for a Colorado license/ID and requires alias addition, district-attorney and possible victim notice, supervision notice, and findings against fraud, conviction avoidance, or criminal facilitation; gender identity is good cause for a different name |
$98 county-court filing or $268 district-court filing; certified decree $20, plus fingerprint, CBI/FBI, and newspaper costs. JDF 205/206 or qualifying-benefit JDF 209 can waive court fees, not outside-provider costs. Court sends the decree after proof or waiver; petitioner separately supplies copies to agencies and businesses (JDF 432) |
| Connecticut verified 2026-07-27 | Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 45a-99 and 52-11; Probate Court and Superior Court have concurrent jurisdiction. Ordinary Probate filing goes to the district where the adult resides |
Individual age 18+ files in Probate district of residence; no minimum residence duration stated. Superior Court complaint goes in resident's judicial district (§§ 45a-99, 52-11; Rule 47.1(a)) |
PC-901: current/proposed names, address/phone, birth date/place, birth-certificate name, spouse, reason, no deceit/fraud/criminal-evasion declaration, penalty-of-false-statement signature. Sworn PC-910 adds residence length, real estate, arrears/creditor notice, charges, convictions, registry status, prior petitions |
Court must search sex-offender and deadly-weapon-offender registries for every adult. Full criminal check required if court has reason to believe a charge/conviction/record exists and permitted for any applicant; no petitioner fingerprint card stated (Rule 47.4; PC-901) |
No newspaper publication. Court sends hearing notice to petitioner and spouse; spouse notice may be excused for safety. Registry-listed applicant must notify DESPP before filing; court/official guidance also uses DESPP registry review (§§ 45a-99(b), 52-11(b); Rule 47.1(c)) |
Court may excuse spouse notice if it might jeopardize petitioner's safety; Social Security number goes on separately filed confidential PC-901CI. Current adult statute/rules state no separate publication, general sealing, or gender-identity name track (Rule 47.1(c); PC-901/PC-901CI) |
Unless court directs otherwise, petitioner appears with two IDs, testifies under oath, and receives a hearing. Court confirms no unlawful purpose; statute permits decree and form declares no deceit, fraud, misleading purpose, or conviction-evasion (§ 52-11(a); Rule 47.1(d); court guide) |
No categorical criminal-record bar. Sex/deadly-weapon registrant must notify DESPP and swear no conviction-evasion purpose; Commissioner may challenge through AG, and court may deny on preponderance finding of conviction-evasion (§§ 45a-99(b), 52-11(b)). PC-910 discloses pending charges and all convictions |
Current Probate fee page lists $250 for other petitions; indigent petitioner may obtain fee/necessary-expense waiver (§ 45a-111(c)). Decree makes petitioner thereafter known by ordered name; registry/known-criminal-record decrees go to DESPP and police (§ 52-11(a), (c); Rule 47.4(c)) |
| Delaware verified 2026-07-26 | 10 Del. C. ch. 59; Court of Common Pleas in resident county. Family Court handles divorce, parentage, and minors (§ 5901(a)-(b)) |
Any person seeking a court order petitions in county of residence; current mandatory packet requires residence in that Delaware county for more than 6 months (§ 5901(a); court packet) |
Current/proposed names, address, phone, birth facts, reason, no-creditor-fraud certification, pending charges, DOC-supervision status, and conditional charge/probation/parole details; separate affidavit sworn before notary (§ 5901(a); court packet) |
No fingerprints or criminal-history report required by Chapter 59 or the current packet; petition discloses pending charges and DOC supervision, with details if applicable |
No newspaper publication for an ordinary adult; former § 5903 publication rule was repealed effective April 28, 2022. DOC-supervised petitioner receives agency notice and opportunity to oppose (§§ 5901(c)(2), 5903) |
No express general safety-sealing or confidential-name route in Chapter 59 or the packet. DOC-supervised person may obtain change only for sincerely held religious belief or gender identity (§ 5901(c)) |
Current packet assigns a hearing and requires attendance. Court may grant after full chapter compliance when no reason appears not to grant (§ 5904(a); court packet) |
Petition certifies no creditor or other person will be defrauded/adversely affected. DOC-supervised people cannot otherwise adopt another name; Department receives notice and may oppose (§ 5901(c); court packet) |
$85 filing fee includes original signed order plus 8 certified copies; extra certified copies $10. Statute places proceeding costs on petitioner; packet identifies no fee-waiver procedure (§ 5905; court packet) |
| District of Columbia verified 2026-07-26 | D.C. Code §§ 16-2501, -2503 and Super. Ct. Civ. R. 205; Superior Court. Civil Actions Branch handles applicants 21+; ages 18-20 use Family Court Central Intake (court page) |
D.C. resident age 18+; no minimum residence duration. Current proof may include lease or specified bills/statements with recency windows; court may request more proof (§ 16-2501; Rule 205(a); application) |
Current/proposed/other names, SSN, birth/residence/parents/occupation, prior changes, child-support and other cases/proceedings, bankruptcy, felony, supervision, sex/gun registry, judgments, and every current creditor; no-fraud/no-rights-infringement certification under penalty of perjury (Rule 205(b)(1); form) |
No fingerprints or criminal-history report required by Chapter 25, Rule 205, or current form; detailed felony, probation/parole/supervised-release, sex-offender, gun-offender, and affected-case disclosures instead |
No newspaper publication; former § 16-2502 repealed and former Rule 205(c) deleted. Personally serve or registered/certified-mail application and hearing order to all creditors and court-designated parties; proof of delivery before hearing (Rule 205(b)(3); form) |
No name-change-specific safety sealing or confidential-name track in Chapter 25, Rule 205, or current application. Separate statutory gender-designation declaration exists but is outside stand-alone name-change procedure (§ 16-2503(b)) |
Final hearing mandatory. After proof of notice and inquiry that interested persons received it, court may grant on a satisfactory showing; objections due 5 business days before hearing or made by appearance (§ 16-2503(a); Rule 205(b)(4); form) |
Fraudulent/undisclosed purpose and infringement of others' rights are barred; missing notice or hearing may cause without-prejudice dismissal. Felony, supervision, incarceration, bankruptcy, immigration and other affected proceedings trigger additional notice (Rule 205; form) |
$60 filing fee; Application to Waive Court Costs and Fees available. Granted applicant receives at least 5 certified orders; clerk may send order to MPD, DOC, CSOSA, or another designated recipient (current application) |
| Florida verified 2026-07-26 | Fla. Stat. § 68.07; file Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Form 12.982(a) with the clerk of the circuit court in the county of residence/domicile |
A person residing in Florida who is a bona fide resident of and domiciled in the filing county; no minimum duration is stated (§ 68.07(1), (3)(a)) |
Verified petition with birth and parent facts, residence history since birth, spouse/children, prior changes, occupation and five-year employment/business/professional history, other names, bankruptcy, every arrest/charge/plea/offense finding regardless of adjudication, predator/offender status, money judgments and satisfaction, no illegal purpose/property-right invasion, and civil-rights suspension/restoration (§ 68.07(3)) |
Before the hearing, electronically submit FDLE-approved fingerprints for state and FBI checks; FDLE sends the results, including sexual-predator/offender status, to the clerk. The petitioner pays the processing costs. Restoring a former name is exempt (§ 68.07(2)) |
No newspaper publication or general third-party notice for an adult self-petition under § 68.07. The publication rule in subsection (8) concerns a minor petition involving a nonresident other parent, outside this survey |
Section 68.07 creates no adult name-change-specific publication waiver, confidential-address track, sealing rule, or separate gender-identity procedure. Because ordinary adult publication is not required, there is no newspaper waiver to request under this section |
A hearing is contemplated. A former-name-restoration hearing may occur immediately after filing; another adult hearing may occur as soon as the clerk receives the background results (§ 68.07(4)). Form 12.982(a) directs the petitioner to obtain a hearing date and says local practice determines whether attendance is required. The judgment finds bona fide county residence, no ulterior/illegal purpose, and no invasion of others' property rights |
The verified petition must establish no ulterior or illegal purpose, no invasion of partnership, patent, goodwill, privacy, trademark, or other property rights, and full restoration if civil rights were suspended (§ 68.07(3)(k)-(l)). Criminal and registry history is disclosed and considered, but § 68.07 states no categorical felony or registry bar |
Local clerk fee rather than a § 68.07 amount: current official examples are $400 in Lee County and $401 in Miami-Dade; fingerprint/background costs are separate. A qualifying civil-indigence application waives filing and summons fees, not other costs. For a Florida birth, the clerk reports the judgment to Vital Statistics; the clerk also reports to FDLE within 5 business days, or electronically within 2 business days for a predator/offender (§ 68.07(5)-(6)) |
| Georgia verified 2026-07-26 | O.C.G.A. §§ 19-12-1 to -4; file in the superior court of the county where the adult resides (§ 19-12-1(b)) |
Any individual may petition in the county of residence; Chapter 12 states no minimum residence period (§ 19-12-1(b)) |
State fully and particularly why the change is requested; petition must be verified (§ 19-12-1(b)). Current DeKalb forms also request resident county, birth year/place, current and proposed names, address, and contact information |
No fingerprint, FBI/state record report, or general criminal-history disclosure is required by Chapter 12 or the current DeKalb adult packet |
Within 7 days after filing, publish notice once weekly for 4 consecutive weeks in the county legal organ; notice gives current/proposed names, court, filing date, and objection right (§ 19-12-1(d)). File proof before the final determination |
A petitioner alleging family violence or human trafficking may ask to file under seal; if the court finds qualifying victim status, it may waive publication and proceed under seal (§ 19-12-1(c)). No separate statutory gender-identity track |
After proof of publication and at least 30 days from filing, court proceeds at chambers on its chosen date to hear and determine the adult petition; written objections are heard at chambers (§§ 19-12-1(h), 19-12-2) |
Chapter 12 creates no categorical felony, incarceration, supervision, or registry bar, but it does not authorize a change intended to deprive another person fraudulently of a legal right (§ 19-12-4) |
County-set fees. DeKalb's currently linked schedule lists $213 filing plus $60 publication; its current packet offers a poverty-affidavit filing-fee waiver but says publication is not waived. After judgment, clerk issues a sealed certificate on request and payment; it is evidence of the change (§ 19-12-3) |
| Hawaii verified 2026-07-26 | Haw. Rev. Stat. §§ 574-5 to -6 and Haw. Admin. R. ch. 2-2; ordinary stand-alone change is by Lieutenant Governor order, not court. Covered offender needs a court determination |
Lieutenant Governor describes the process as for Hawaii residents; rules require state of residency and residence address. No minimum residence duration is stated |
Current/form-rule data include present/prior names and changes, birth, marriages/divorces, parents, children, residence, felony details, no creditor fraud, reasons, requested name, and record-name data. Hawaii-notarized petition due within 30 days; newly issued birth certificate generally ≤90 days |
No applicant-supplied fingerprints or state/FBI report in the statute, rules, or current instructions; felony conviction, sentence, supervision, discharge, delayed-plea, and pardon details are disclosed (Haw. Admin. R. § 2-2-2(a)(7)) |
Publish the Lieutenant Governor-signed notice once in a statewide general-circulation newspaper within 60 days; affidavit and clipping must be properly received by the office within that period or petition is void (§ 574-5(d); Haw. Admin. R. § 2-2-5) |
Ordinary petitions on file are confidential, but notice is published and order recorded. A Hawaii prosecutor's protection affidavit removes both steps and makes petition, affidavit, and order confidential. No express gender-identity track (§ 574-5(e); Haw. Admin. R. § 2-2-6.1) |
No hearing required for ordinary approval. After intent to deny, petitioner has 10 days to request a confidential hearing; hearing within 20 days and decision within 7 days. Covered offender needs best-interest-of-justice and no-adverse-public-safety court findings |
Rules reject noncompliant petitions; petition must deny creditor fraud and disclose felony history. Covered offender cannot use ordinary route without court findings. No categorical general felony bar appears (§ 574-5(a); Haw. Admin. R. §§ 2-2-2, -5.1, -6) |
$56 online ($50 statutory filing + $1 archive + $5 service), plus publication and $41 recording; no ordinary waiver identified. Ordinary change is effective on publication; record signed order with Bureau of Conveyances within 60 days (§§ 574-5(c), 574-6) |
| Idaho verified 2026-07-26 | Idaho Code §§ 7-801 to -805; district court in county of residence, with name-change filings listed in the magistrate division fee schedule |
Adult or emancipated minor signs; emancipated minor means married or in active military service. File in county of residence; no minimum duration (§ 7-802(1), (3)) |
Place of birth and residence, current and proposed names, and reason. Current form adds no-creditor/debt avoidance and nonregistration certifications, designated newspaper, contact information, and penalty-of-perjury signature; not notarized |
No fingerprints or state/FBI report. Current petition requires sex-offender-registration status; hearing instructions anticipate conviction testimony or explanation. Registered petitioners need a nonstandard filing consistent with § 7-805 |
Clerk-issued hearing notice published for 4 successive weeks in the court-designated county newspaper; proof must be filed before consideration. Any person may object with good reason (§§ 7-803(1), 7-804) |
No name-change-specific danger waiver, publication exception, automatic sealing, confidential-name route, or gender-identity track. Official redacted petition masks exact birth date, but notice still publishes identifying case facts |
Petitioner must attend; court may examine petitioner and objectors under oath or sign without testimony if no objection. Court may grant or dismiss as right and proper; objections require good reason (§ 7-804; current instructions) |
No debt avoidance under current form. Section 7-805 bars intent to avoid sex-offender registration or an effect relieving registration, but not every registered petitioner; no categorical felony, incarceration, or supervision bar |
Current name-change filing fee: $166 in magistrate division; fee-waiver motion available. Judgment changes the name. If petitioner must register as a sex offender, court sends old/new names, SSN, DOB, and last address to ISP (§ 7-805(2)) |
| Illinois verified 2026-07-26 | 735 ILCS 5/21-101 through 21-105. File in the circuit court of the county where the petitioner resides (§ 21-101(a)) |
Illinois resident; must have resided in the State for three months by the name-change hearing or entry of the order. No separate minimum county-residence period stated (§ 21-101(a)) |
Use the Illinois Supreme Court statewide standardized form. State current and requested names, residence, Illinois-residence duration, nativity, and the required adult conviction, arrest, and pending-charge disclosures verified under § 1-109 (§ 21-102(a)) |
No universal fingerprint package. If the petition discloses an unpardoned conviction, an uncharged arrest, or a pending charge, the State's Attorney may request—or the court may order—an Illinois State Police Access and Review transcript update; confirmation is filed under seal (§ 21-102(b)) |
No newspaper publication for adult petitions: former § 21-103 was repealed effective March 1, 2025. The clerk serves the State's Attorney and Illinois State Police when specified criminal-history disclosures are present (§ 21-102.5(a)) |
Verified motion may seek impoundment when public disclosure would cause hardship and negatively affect health or safety; the nonexclusive examples include transgender status, abuse or trafficking survival, refugee/asylum status, and conversion-therapy survival. Self-attestation suffices; a risk statement permits omission of the home or shelter address (§ 21-103.8) |
No universal hearing command for an ordinary adult petition; the statute measures residency at the hearing or entry of an order. Court may grant after Article XXI's conditions are met and no reason appears to deny relief (§ 21-101(a), (d)) |
An unpardoned person currently required to register may not file unless the request is based on marriage, religious belief, trafficking-victim status, or gender-related identity; an unpardoned felony petitioner may not file until the sentence is completed, terminated, or discharged (§ 21-101(b), (b-1)). Prosecutor objection is possible under § 21-102.5 |
Confirm the local circuit-clerk total; Cook County's official County Division schedule lists $388 to file a name-change petition. Statewide civil fee-waiver forms are available. Orders involving specified criminal histories go to State Police for transcript or registration updates (§ 21-101(d)); post-2010 common-law changes are invalid (§ 21-105) |
| Indiana verified 2026-07-26 | Ind. Code ch. 34-28-2. File in a circuit, superior, or probate court of the county where the petitioner resides (§§ 34-28-2-1, -2(a)(3)) |
Adult natural person residing in the filing county; no minimum residence period stated. A person confined in a Department of Correction facility may not petition (§§ 34-28-2-1, -1.5(b), -2) |
Sworn before notary/authorized officer and under perjury penalties. State birth date, residence/mailing addresses, Indiana license/ID number, all prior names, U.S.-citizenship proof, valid-passport status, and every felony conviction (§§ 34-28-2-2(a), -2.5) |
Conditional. Felony within 10 years: notify resident-county sheriff and prosecutor plus state criminal-history repository at least 30 days before hearing; repository notice includes full fingerprints and the repository sends records to court (§ 34-28-2-3(c)-(e)) |
Three weekly publications in a county newspaper, or nearest adjoining-county newspaper if none; last publication at least 30 days before hearing. File published notice plus disinterested-person affidavit (§§ 34-28-2-3(a), -4(a)) |
Verified A.C.R. Rule 6 request may seek exclusion and publication relief when access creates significant risk of harm; public notice/hearing and clear-and-convincing findings are required if not summarily denied. No separate statutory gender-identity track |
Hearing follows proof of publication; court enters the order it determines just and reasonable (§ 34-28-2-4(a)). Last publication must precede hearing by at least 30 days (§ 34-28-2-3(a)(3)) |
DOC confinement bars petition. Lifetime sex/violent offender generally barred; a sincerely held religious-belief exception applies only when not currently required to register, with notice to law enforcement in conviction and residence counties (§ 34-28-2-1.5) |
2026 statewide manual lists $157 total civil fees, plus newspaper cost; indigent civil filer may obtain fee/cost relief under § 33-37-3-2. Certified decree proves the name; court sends adult decree to resident county circuit clerk/registration board; other agency updates are separate (§ 34-28-2-5) |
| Iowa verified 2026-07-26 | Iowa Code ch. 674; district court of county where applicant resides (§ 674.2) |
Person at age of majority with no civil disabilities; file in county of current residence. No minimum residence duration, but disclose current and all prior residences for five years (§§ 674.1-.2) |
Verified/perjury petition: current/requested names; county; height, weight, hair/eye color, race, sex, birth date/place; five-year addresses; reason; legal descriptions of Iowa realty; certified birth certificate or explanation plus substitute ID (§ 674.2) |
No fingerprints, registry clearance, criminal-history report, or conviction disclosure in Chapter 674 or current adult form |
No adult newspaper publication. If married, serve spouse with legal notice in manner of original notice; clerk files petition copy with state registrar (§§ 674.3, 674.6(1)) |
Current petition warns that protected information requires a separate Protected Information Form. Chapter 674 has no name-change-specific safety waiver, sealed track, or separate gender-identity procedure |
No mandatory adult hearing stated; decree may be granted any time after 30 days from filing. A later Chapter 674 name change requires just cause (§§ 674.4, 674.13) |
Must be age of majority and free of civil disabilities; incomplete/unverified petition cannot satisfy chapter. More than one Chapter 674 change barred unless just cause shown; no express felony, supervision, registry, or fraud bar |
$195 filing fee; Application and Affidavit to Defer Payment of Costs available. Clerk gives certified decree, sends birth-record abstract, and sends decree to each Iowa county where petitioner owns realty (§§ 674.7-.10, 674.14) |
| Kansas verified 2026-07-26 | K.S.A. §§ 60-1401 to -1402; district court in the county where the petitioner resides |
Any person may seek a change; petition in county of residence after at least 60 days as a Kansas resident (§§ 60-1401, 60-1402(a)) |
Current KSJC form: county/state residence, birth year and place, birth-certificate/present/prior names, proposed name and reason, no debt/legal-process avoidance, fraud, misleading purpose, or prejudice, and best interests; affirmed under penalty of perjury, not notarized |
No fingerprints, state/FBI report, registry check, or criminal-conviction disclosure in § 60-1402 or the current statewide Judicial Council petition |
Court directs publication, registered/certified mail, both, or waiver if no interested party. Publication is once weekly for 3 consecutive weeks; proof must be approved and filed before judgment (§§ 60-1402(b), 60-307(d), (f)) |
No name-change-specific safety sealing, confidential-name route, publication waiver based on danger, or gender-identity track in §§ 60-1401 to -1402 or the current KSJC packet |
Hearing required; petitioner appears and presents testimony/evidence. Judge grants if petition allegations are true and reasonable cause exists (§ 60-1402(c); current KSJC order) |
Reasonable-cause and truth standard; current form/order tests debt or legal-process avoidance, misleading or fraudulent purpose, prejudice, and best interests. No categorical felony, incarceration, supervision, or registry bar in §§ 60-1401 to -1402 |
Current FY 2026-27 Chapter 60 total: $195; poverty affidavit may replace prepayment. Costs are assessed to petitioner. Certified order legally changes the name; birth-certificate amendment is optional on petitioner's request, with no automatic agency transmission (§§ 60-1401, 60-2001(b), 65-2422a) |
| Kentucky verified 2026-07-26 | KRS Chapter 401; District Court of residence county. Resident of a U.S. Army post, military reservation, or fort may file in an adjacent county (KRS 401.010) |
Person age 18+ residing in filing county; no minimum residence duration. Special adjacent-county venue for resident of U.S. Army post, military reservation, or fort (KRS 401.010) |
AOC-295: current/requested names, birth date/location, county residence and address, purpose, and no-obligation-evasion/prosecution-evasion affirmation; sign under oath before notary |
No fingerprints, applicant-supplied report, or general conviction disclosure required by Chapter 401 or AOC-295. Form warns identity theft is a Class D felony and requires anti-evasion affirmation (KRS 514.160) |
No adult newspaper publication, posting, ordinary third-party service, or objection period in Chapter 401 or AOC-295; form distributes hearing notice to petitioner or counsel |
No express safety standard, confidential-name process, publication waiver, or gender-identity track. KRS 401.040 recognizes a court order sealing or otherwise restricting the record and then excepts county-clerk certification |
Current AOC-295 schedules a hearing and AOC-296 recites that one was held. Chapter 401 sets no adult waiting period, objection period, or substantive grant standard |
No categorical felony, incarceration, supervision, or registry bar in Chapter 401. AOC-295 requires purpose plus affirmation that request is not to avoid a legal obligation or evade prosecution; identity theft is a Class D felony (KRS 514.160) |
$50 base District Court fee plus $20 technology and other required fees; AOC-026 IFP route. Separate $33 county-clerk recording fee. Clerk certifies order for recording unless sealed/restricted; court-clerk fee collection starts Jan. 1, 2028 (KRS 64.012; 401.040) |
| Louisiana verified 2026-07-26 | La. R.S. §§ 13:4751-4755; district court of parish of residence, parish of birth, or Vital Records Registry venue; incarcerated petitioner uses sentencing parish (§ 13:4751(B)) |
Person age 18+; no minimum residence duration. Venue may rest on residence, birth, or Vital Records Registry parish rather than residence alone (Civ. Code art. 29; § 13:4751(B)) |
State the reason for the requested change (§ 13:4751(B)). Current LSBA self-represented form adds current/proposed name, birth date, Social Security number, domicile parish, address, and requested judgment; it is signed but contains no notary block |
No applicant-supplied fingerprints or criminal report required by §§ 13:4751-4755. District attorney must be served and checks felony prohibitions; Orleans DA currently runs a criminal-history/background check (§ 13:4752) |
No newspaper publication. Serve the parish district attorney or district attorney pro tem with the petition and citation to answer; the DA represents the state (§ 13:4752) |
No express safety-sealing, confidential-name, publication-waiver, address-confidentiality, or gender-identity track in §§ 13:4751-4755; ask the court before filing sensitive identifiers |
Judge may hear and determine the case in open court or chambers and render the judgment justified by the relief, law, and evidence (§ 13:4753). No statutory waiting period; DA may answer, waive trial/appearance, or object |
Any felony: cannot petition until sentence is satisfied, including imprisonment, probation, or parole. Any felony enumerated in R.S. 14:2(B): permanent bar (§ 13:4751(D)) |
Applicant pays proceeding costs (§ 13:4755); parish amount varies (Calcasieu currently $265). Non-inmate may request IFP using District Court Appendix 8.0. New name becomes true/lawful after judgment is recorded in parish miscellaneous records; Louisiana birth registrant separately sends certified judgment to Vital Records (§ 13:4754) |
| Maine verified 2026-07-26 | 18-C M.R.S. § 1-701; petition the Probate Court in the county where the adult resides (§ 1-701(1)(A)) |
An adult may petition in the county of residence; no minimum residence duration is stated (§ 1-701(1)(A)) |
Current full name, address/contact information, date of birth, every prior known name, proposed full name, reasons, background-check acknowledgment, and optional confidentiality/nontransmission requests. Sign before a notary, register of probate, or attorney (CN-1) |
Criminal-history record check is mandatory. Court may also order motor-vehicle or credit checks and may charge their cost; check information is confidential and destroyed after decision (§ 1-701(5); CN-1) |
Court may not require public notice before approving an adult change; no newspaper-publication step (§ 1-701(2)) |
On request, court may make the order confidential when the adult's confidentiality interest outweighs disclosure, considering abuse, reasonable safety fear, Address Confidentiality Program status, checks, and other factors. Recent crimes create a rebuttable disclosure presumption; current supervision/registration bars confidentiality. No separate gender-identity track (§ 1-701(3-A)) |
No mandatory adult hearing stated. Court may change the name after receiving the petition, subject to the improper-purpose rule; adult statute uses discretionary 'may' language (§ 1-701(2), (6)) |
Must deny when court has reason to believe the purpose is fraud or otherwise contrary to public interest. Current probation, parole, supervised release, or sex-offender registration creates a rebuttable contrary-public-interest presumption (§ 1-701(6)) |
$75 filing fee; probate financial affidavit supports a waiver request. Orders issued since Jan. 1, 2025 are ordinarily transmitted to the State Bureau of Identification; even a confidential order is withheld only on request and extraordinary circumstances (§ 1-701(3-B), (4)) |
| Maryland verified 2026-07-26 | Md. Rules 15-901 and 15-902; file an adult petition in circuit court in a county or Baltimore City connected to residence, regular business, employment, habitual vocation, or birth (Rule 15-901(b)(1)) |
An adult may use the stand-alone Rule 15-901 process. No minimum residence duration is stated, and residence is not mandatory when venue rests on regular business, work, habitual vocation, or Maryland birthplace |
CC-DR-060 requires current/contact and birth facts, venue basis, birth and later names with reasons, requested name/reason, current or prior sex-offender-registration names/states, no-illegal-or-fraudulent-purpose certification, and a perjury affirmation; attach a birth certificate or other current-name document |
No applicant-supplied fingerprints, FBI/State Police report, or general criminal-history schedule in Rule 15-901 or CC-DR-060. The petition discloses only current or prior sex-offender-registration names and states |
No newspaper publication, courthouse posting, or other ordinary public notice for an adult petition. Anyone may object within 30 days after filing; the petitioner may respond within 15 days after service of an objection (Rule 15-901(e); CC-DR-115) |
Ordinary record is not automatically confidential; file CC-DC-053 and show a special and compelling reason to limit inspection. A Rule 15-902 adult gender-identity declaration may include a name change and is automatically confidential |
Court may hold a hearing or rule on the papers after the 30-day objection period; it may not deny without a hearing if the petitioner requested one, and no order may enter earlier than 30 days after filing (Rule 15-901(f)(1)). Request must not be illegal or fraudulent or interfere with others' rights |
Illegal or fraudulent purpose or interference with others' rights defeats the request. Rule 15-901/CC-DR-060 states no categorical felony, incarceration, supervision, or registration bar; a registrant who obtains an order must notify each applicable local law-enforcement unit within 3 days (§ 11-705(g)) |
$165 filing fee; CC-DC-089/Rule 1-325 permits a poverty-based request to waive prepaid costs. Clerk notifies the State Board of Elections. A Maryland-born person separately requests a birth-certificate amendment with the order (§ 4-214(c)); other agency updates are separate |
| Massachusetts verified 2026-07-26 | G.L. c. 210, §§ 12-14; Probate and Family Court division in the county where the petitioner resides |
Massachusetts resident age 18+ seeking own change; current county residence controls venue. No minimum residence duration stated (G.L. c. 210, § 12; Practice XXXV(a); CJP 27) |
Notarized CJP 27: current name, birth place/date, residence/mailing/contact facts, prior legal changes and aliases, proposed name and reason, CARI/WMS authorization, and certification of no out-of-state conviction/probation/parole record; certified birth record and prior-change records required |
Mandatory internal Probation Department CARI and Warrant Management System check for every subject age 12+; adult submits CJP 34 authorization. No petitioner fingerprints or separate FBI report (Practice XXXV(f); CJP 27) |
No routine publication since Nov. 25, 2025. For good cause, court may issue an order/citation requiring public or interested-party notice; ordered newspaper notice is at least 7 days before return date, with proof filed before allowance (G.L. c. 210, § 13(a); Practice XXXV(g)-(j)) |
Petition and connected papers/docket entries are automatically segregated and unavailable for inspection unless petitioner requests or court orders access for good cause; case caption and docket number remain visible. Applies generally, not only to a safety category (G.L. c. 210, § 13(b); Practice XXXV(e)) |
Court may decree administratively without citation or hearing; after ordered notice and no objection, it may still act without hearing. Change shall be granted unless inconsistent with public interests (G.L. c. 210, § 12; Practice XXXV(g), (j)) |
No categorical felony bar. Court reviews CARI/WMS under the public-interest standard; incarceration, probation, parole, sexually-dangerous-person commitment, or DYS custody are examples of good cause for notice to agencies/prosecutors, not automatic denial |
$165 total ($150 filing + $15 surcharge); additional $15 citation fee if notice ordered; G.L. c. 261 indigency waiver available. Decree establishes legal name and certified decree issues; register reports granted changes to Vital Records and Probation |
| Michigan verified 2026-07-26 | MCL 711.1 and 711.3; family division of the circuit court for the county of residence (MCL 711.1(1)) |
Individual must have resided in the filing county for at least 1 year; adult files a written petition there (MCL 711.1(1)) |
Use mandatory SCAO form PC 51 (or confidential-route PC 51c): county residency, reason, no fraudulent intent, criminal record/pending charges or none, and current/proposed names and birth date; sign under penalty of perjury |
No petitioner fingerprint package. Disclose any criminal record, including pending charges, or affirm none; court may check LEIN/ICHAT at court expense (MCL 711.1(1); 2024 PA 229) |
Unless § 711.3 applies, court orders newspaper publication under MCR 3.613(B), stating petitioner, current/proposed names, and hearing details if any or an intervention deadline; publisher affidavit proves publication. Court-completed PC 50/50d controls insertion count; current Kent instructions require the affidavit at least 14 days before the hearing or intervention deadline |
On good cause, court must order no publication and a confidential record. Good cause includes danger or unlawful discrimination/retaliation and is presumed for specified assaultive-crime/domestic-violence/harassment/trafficking/stalking victimization or affirming gender identity (MCL 711.3; MCR 3.613(C)); use PC 51c |
For an adult, court may grant with or without a hearing. Petitioner must show sufficient reason and no fraudulent intent; publication still supplies hearing information if any or a deadline for a same/similar-name person to seek intervention (MCL 711.1(1)-(2), (4)) |
Insufficient reason or fraudulent intent defeats relief. Criminal history is a disclosure/check issue, not an automatic bar or fraud presumption; a same/similar-name person may intervene to show fraudulent intent (MCL 711.1(1), (4); 2024 PA 229) |
Core charges are $150 civil filing plus $25 electronic-filing-system fee; § 711.2 separately states a $10 county fee, and local posted totals vary (Jackson $175; Kent $187 including one certified copy). Core filing fees are waivable under MCR 2.002/MC 20. Criminal-record orders go to State Police and applicable corrections, sheriff, or family court |
| Minnesota verified 2026-07-26 | Minn. Stat. §§ 259.10-.13; file NAM102 in the district court of the county where the adult currently resides (§ 259.10, subd. 1) |
Adult age 18 or older who has lived in Minnesota for at least 6 months immediately before filing; file in the current residence county (§ 259.10; NAM101/102) |
NAM102 states good faith/no fraud, six-month residence and address, applicant/spouse/minor-child names and birth dates, current/requested names, criminal and felony history, Minnesota land interests with legal descriptions, witness-protection/inmate status, and requested birth-record relief; sign under penalty of perjury. No ordinary reason-for-change field |
Court must determine criminal history in Minnesota and other states; filer completes NAM103 for every applicant age 10+. Court may request national FBI records through BCA using fingerprints; no universal applicant-supplied fingerprint package (§ 259.11(b); NAM101) |
No ordinary adult newspaper publication. A felony-conviction applicant must serve the prosecuting authority and, for an out-of-state/federal conviction, the Minnesota Attorney General; file proof and wait 30 days for objection (§ 259.13, subds. 1-2) |
If the change is connected to participation in a witness and victim protection program, court records and even the application's existence are private, subject to the statutory law-enforcement/probation/corrections access (§ 259.10, subd. 2). No separate statutory gender-identity name-change track |
Personal appearance and at least 2 identity witnesses are mandatory. Court shall grant after § 259.10 compliance unless it finds fraud/misleading intent or § 259.13 prohibits the change (§§ 259.10-.11; NAM101) |
Felony conviction is a notice/objection track, not an automatic bar: prosecutor/AG may object within 30 days on fraud, bad faith, injury, or public safety; overcoming an objection requires clear and convincing proof, unless denial would infringe a constitutional right. Confined inmate may request only one change (§§ 259.12-.13) |
$310 base filing fee plus county law-library fee (current Hennepin total: $322); certified order $14. FEE102 waiver available for ordinary filers, but felony/inmate waiver limits apply. If criminal history exists, both court and petitioner report the change to BCA within 10 days; applicant records certified order in each county containing listed land interests (§§ 259.11-.13) |
| Mississippi verified 2026-07-30 | Miss. Code § 93-17-1; chancery court in the county of the petitioner's residence |
Current county guidance treats age 21 as the adult track and requires Mississippi residence; a person under 21 needs a parent or guardian to join. File through the chancery clerk for the county of residence (§ 93-17-1; DeSoto instructions) |
Statewide filing set: civil cover sheet, petition, and proposed order; sign the petition before a notary. Section 93-17-1 supplies no itemized petition-content list. DeSoto County also requires a certified birth certificate |
No statewide fingerprint card or criminal-history report appears in § 93-17-1 or the Judiciary's adult guide. Separate status-based restrictions apply to physically incarcerated people and registered sex offenders |
No statewide newspaper-publication, posting, or ordinary third-party-notice step appears in § 93-17-1 or the Judiciary's adult guide; confirm any county-specific procedure with the chancery clerk |
No express statewide safety-sealing, confidential-name, publication-waiver, or gender-identity name-change track appears in the governing section, the two restriction acts, or the Judiciary's adult guide |
The Judiciary's guide directs the filer to obtain a hearing date; DeSoto County expects attendance unless the judge or special master excuses it. Section 93-17-1 states no substantive grant standard |
Physically incarcerated person: no self-filed petition; only a district attorney, incarcerating-county sheriff, MDOC commissioner/designee, or MDOC chaplain may file. Registered sex offender: name change only through marriage or divorce; certified certificate/decree required (§ 45-33-30; 2022 SB 2263) |
County-set fee; DeSoto County lists $148. The Judiciary provides an affidavit to seek filing without prepayment. After signing, the clerk files the order; obtain certified copies for separate agency updates |
| Missouri verified 2026-07-26 | Mo. Rev. Stat. §§ 527.270-.290 and Supreme Court Rule 95. File in the circuit court of the county where the petitioner resides (§ 527.270) |
Adult person desiring a court-ordered change who resides in the filing county; neither § 527.270 nor Rule 95.01 states a minimum residence period |
Verified petition stating present/requested names, reason, county residence, birth date/place and parents' names, spouse and children's facts, prior court name changes, unsatisfied money judgments, pending money actions, and no detriment to another person (Rule 95.01) |
None statewide in §§ 527.270-.290, Rule 95.01, or current adult form CAFC401: no fingerprints, FBI/Highway Patrol report, registry check, or criminal-history disclosure is prescribed |
After the order, publish at least three times in a newspaper in the residence county, with publication begun within 20 days; if none in that or an adjacent county, use St. Louis or the seat of government. File proof within 10 days after the last publication (§ 527.290; CAFC480 guidance) |
No publication and no electronic judiciary posting for a qualifying domestic-violence victim, child-abuse victim, or crime victim whose underlying facts include domestic violence (§ 527.290(2)). No separate statutory gender-identity track |
Most properly filed verified petitions require no appearance, but local clerk practice controls. Court orders the change when satisfied it is proper and not detrimental to another person's interests (§ 527.270; Rule 95.04) |
Deny if the requested change is not proper or would be detrimental to another person's interests. Rule 95.01 requires disclosure of unsatisfied money judgments and pending money actions; the governing statewide procedure states no express felony, incarceration, supervision, or registry bar |
Fees equal those for similar local cases and are petitioner-paid; current Warren County example is $115.50 for a Missouri-born petitioner and $100.50 otherwise, plus publication. Section 514.040 and form GN10 permit court-approved indigency relief. On request and receipt of a certified order, the registrar amends a Missouri birth certificate (§ 193.215); other agency updates are separate |
| Montana verified 2026-07-26 | Mont. Code Ann. §§ 27-31-101, 27-31-201 to -204; file in the district court of the county where the adult resides |
Adult resident petitions in county of residence; no minimum residence period stated (§ 27-31-101) |
Signed petition states place of birth and residence, present and proposed names, and reason; current form adds date of birth, nearest relatives if both parents are dead, birth-record choice, and no-debt/no-hidden-record/no-improper-purpose declaration. No notarization or verification oath on current ordinary form |
No fingerprints, state/FBI report, or routine court background check required by chapter or current ordinary packet. Form requires a declaration that the change is not to hide a criminal record; custody/supervision status triggers Department of Corrections service |
Publish hearing notice in a county newspaper for 4 successive weeks, currently once weekly; if no county newspaper, post in at least 3 public places for 4 successive weeks. Bring proof before hearing (§§ 27-31-201(1), 27-31-203; court packet) |
Court may proceed under sealed record on probable cause that safety is at risk and satisfaction that petitioner is not avoiding debt or hiding a criminal record. Request must be in petition; nonpetitioner access generally requires good cause and court order. No separate gender-identity track (§ 27-31-201(3)) |
Hearing follows proof of publication/posting; court may examine people under oath. Anyone may object before hearing with good reasons; court grants or dismisses as right and proper (§§ 27-31-202 to -204) |
Court retains right-and-proper discretion; ordinary form requires no debt avoidance, hidden criminal record, or improper purpose. Corrections-custody/supervision petitioner must serve department; department may respond and must try to contact a victim. Grant preserves corrections/justice record dissemination (§ 27-31-201(4)-(5)) |
$120 statewide civil-commencement filing fee; affidavit of inability to pay available. Current order makes new name valid for all legal documents and can direct Montana birth-record amendment or a new sealed birth record; certified copies used for other updates |
| Nebraska verified 2026-07-26 | Neb. Rev. Stat. §§ 25-21,270 to -21,271; district court of the county where the petitioner resides |
Adult track: age 19+, married, or court-emancipated; bona fide resident of the filing county for at least 1 year (§§ 25-21,271(1), 43-2101; current Judicial Branch packet) |
Address, one-year county residence, date of birth, reason, and requested name. Current form also states current name and contact/email; DOB and SSN go on a separate confidential form. Petition is signed, not sworn or notarized |
No fingerprints, state/FBI report, registry check, or criminal-history disclosure in § 25-21,271 or the current official adult forms; clerk sends the final order to DHHS and the State Patrol sex-offender division |
Publish notice once weekly for 2 consecutive weeks; newspaper supplies proof. Current guide directs mailing first published notice to any interested party within 5 days and a notarized mailing affidavit within 10 days. An under-19 petitioner with a noncustodial parent has statutory certified-mail notice (§ 25-21,271(2)-(3)) |
Court may waive publication on a showing it would endanger the petitioner; current guide requires documented proof. Separate identity form is nonpublic, but § 25-21,271 creates no automatic sealing, confidential-name route, or gender-identity track |
Mandatory open-court hearing; current packet says schedule at least 6 weeks out. Court must find petition allegations true, proper and reasonable cause, and required notice (§ 25-21,271(4)) |
Proper-and-reasonable-cause standard; current Judicial Branch packet says debt avoidance will not be approved. No categorical felony, incarceration, supervision, or registry bar in § 25-21,271 or the current petition |
Current district-court civil filing total: $144 effective July 1, 2026; IFP fee waiver available. Certified decree changes the name. Clerk must send every order to DHHS and the State Patrol sex-offender division (§ 25-21,271(5)) |
| Nevada verified 2026-07-26 | NRS 41.270-.290; verified petition in the district court for the district where the applicant resides (§ 41.270) |
Any natural person except an unemancipated minor; file where the person resides. No minimum residence period is stated (§ 41.270) |
Present and proposed names, reason, felony history, and a penalty-of-perjury statement that the change is not fraudulent. Current statewide form also asks birth information, county-residence date, and conviction details (§ 41.270) |
If the applicant has a criminal record, NRS requires a complete DPS-prescribed fingerprint set with the petition. The statewide form and guidance specifically direct felony-convicted applicants to submit fingerprints (§ 41.270) |
Ordinary route: publish once in a county newspaper of general circulation, then file the newspaper's affidavit. Objections are due within 10 days after publication (§§ 41.280(1), 41.290(1)) |
Safety proof requires the court to waive publication and seal the petition and proceeding records; inspection then requires good cause or the applicant's request. A gender-identity petition is also exempt from publication, but not automatically sealed (§ 41.280(2)-(3)) |
No objection within 10 days: court shall grant if satisfied that good reason exists, ordinarily without a hearing. A timely objection triggers a hearing and a satisfactory-reasons decision (§ 41.290(1)) |
Court considers any criminal record and requires good or satisfactory reasons. False denial of a felony or a false anti-fraud statement requires rescission of a granted order (§ 41.290(1), (4)) |
Fee varies by county; current official schedules checked show $255 in Washoe and $270 in Clark, with fee waiver available. The order is a judgment that changes the name; clerk sends it to the State Registrar and, for a criminal record, the Central Repository with fingerprints (§ 41.290(2)-(3)) |
| New Hampshire verified 2026-07-26 | N.H. Rev. Stat. §§ 547:3(g), 547:3-i and Probate Division Rule 173; file in the Circuit Court Probate Division for the county of residence. Electronic filing is mandatory absent an approved exception |
Any person may petition; the adult files in the county where the adult resides. No minimum residence period is stated; an out-of-state license requires separate proof of New Hampshire residence (§§ 547:3(g), 547:3-i(I); adult checklist) |
Current and proposed full names; residence, mailing, birth and contact facts; reason; related proceedings; listed criminal/supervision/registry disclosures; prosecuting agency if applicable; and identity proof. Electronic signature verifies good-faith accuracy under perjury penalty (NHJB-2175-FPe) |
No applicant-supplied fingerprints or state/FBI report. The current form requires identity proof and check-box disclosures for incarceration, probation/parole, registry status, violent felony, and crime-against-a-child history |
No newspaper publication or ordinary adult notice. The court may proceed without notice; specified criminal-status applicants must arrange statutory service on the Department of Corrections or Safety and the initial prosecuting jurisdiction (§§ 547:3-i, 550:4(XI); Rule 173) |
No name-change-specific safety waiver, sealed-name route, or gender-identity track is stated. Date of birth and identified juvenile, domestic-violence, and adoption case information go on the confidential information sheet; e-filers are cautioned to protect confidential data |
Ordinary petition is typically decided without a hearing; an objection, documentation concern, or court question may trigger one. Section 547:3-i(I) says the court may grant the petition and states no separate ordinary merits test |
Incarcerated, probation/parole, specified post-supervision registrants, violent-felony convicts, and persons convicted of a crime against a child must compellingly show the change is necessary. Statutory agency/prosecutor service and victim-input rules apply (§ 547:3-i(II)-(III)) |
$170 filing fee; electronic fee-reduction/waiver motion available. Approved adult receives a Certificate of Change of Name by e-service, typically after at least 45 days; ordinary records are not updated automatically. Restricted-track orders go to named justice agencies |
| New Jersey verified 2026-07-26 | N.J.S.A. 2A:52-1 to -4 and R. 4:72; Superior Court, Law Division, Civil Part in the filing county |
Adult age 18+ living in New Jersey; file in the Civil Division of Superior Court in the petitioner's county. Current statute and packet state no minimum residence period |
Verified Complaint plus Certification of Confidential Information: current/proposed names, residence, birth date, names used since birth, marriage, convictions/pending charges, judgments/suits, reason, prior/pending applications, SSN in confidential form, and lawful-purpose certification; sign the punishment-of-false-statement certification |
No petitioner-supplied fingerprint package under current law. DCJ conducts a background check after every case sends its hearing order to the Records and Identification Section; convictions and pending charges are disclosed, and pending NJ charges require additional prosecutor notice (N.J.S.A. 2A:52-1; R. 4:72-3) |
No newspaper publication. Serve the hearing order by certified and regular mail on the Director of the Division of Criminal Justice at least 20 days before hearing; if NJ criminal/delinquency charges are pending, also serve the responsible prosecutor and include the complaint and confidential certification |
All records in actions under N.J.S.A. 2A:52-1 and R. 4:72 are excluded from public access (R. 1:38-3(f)(10)); SSN is placed in the confidential-information certification and judgment addendum. No separate publication or gender-identity track is needed |
Hearing date must be at least 30 days after the court's order. At hearing, present adequate proof of current name; court grants if the filed papers, with or without oral testimony, show no reasonable objection. New name takes effect no sooner than 30 days after judgment (R. 4:72-3 to -4) |
Relief is not for avoiding/obstructing prosecution, avoiding creditors, or criminal/civil fraud; knowingly false statutory information is a fourth-degree crime. A reasonable objection defeats the rule's grant standard; criminal history itself is disclosed and notified, not a current categorical bar (N.J.S.A. 2A:52-1; R. 4:72-4) |
$250 filing fee; general Superior Court fee waiver available for qualifying income/assets. Judgment controls from its specified effective day; Treasury filing is due within 45 days with $50 fee, criminal-record judgments go to State Police, and NJ vital-record correction costs $2 plus $25 for a corrected certificate |
| New Mexico verified 2026-07-26 | NMSA 1978 §§ 40-8-1 and 40-8-3; district court in the district and county where the petitioner resides |
Any New Mexico resident age 14 or older; no minimum residence duration stated. File where the petitioner resides (§§ 40-8-1(A), 40-8-3) |
Current 13th Judicial District petition: county residence, age 14+, name on birth certificate, proposed full name, age, date of birth, and reason; signature is acknowledged, subscribed, and sworn before a notary |
No fingerprints, state/FBI report, registry check, or criminal-history disclosure in §§ 40-8-1, 40-8-3, or the current official adult petition |
No adult newspaper publication: 2023 HB 31 repealed § 40-8-2 effective June 16, 2023. Current adult packets require filing a hearing notice, not publication |
No adult-specific safety sealing, confidential-name procedure, publication waiver, or gender-identity track in §§ 40-8-1 and 40-8-3. Section 40-8-1(B)'s safety sealing applies only to notice for a child under 14 |
Hearing required at a regular district-court term in the county; current packet requires attendance. Court grants if no sufficient cause is shown to the contrary (§§ 40-8-1(A), 40-8-3) |
Denial standard is sufficient cause shown to the contrary; no categorical felony, incarceration, supervision, registry, debt, or fraud restriction appears in §§ 40-8-1 and 40-8-3 or the current adult petition |
Official packets checked list a $132 filing fee and Free Process option. Order becomes official when court-filed; a certified copy must then be recorded with the county clerk. Bernalillo packet lists $25 for that filing (§ 40-8-1(A)) |
| New York verified 2026-07-26 | N.Y. Civ. Rights Law art. 6 (§§ 60-64-a). File in County Court or Supreme Court in the county of residence; an NYC resident may file in Supreme Court or any NYC Civil Court branch (§ 60) |
A New York State resident may petition in the resident's county; NYC residents have citywide Supreme/Civil Court venue. Article 6 states no minimum residence period (§ 60) |
Written, signed, and verified like a pleading; state grounds, current and proposed names, birth date/place, age, residence, convictions, bankruptcy, judgments/liens, pending cases, and child/spousal-support status and arrears. A New York-born petitioner attaches a birth certificate, certified transcript, or official unavailability certificate (§ 61) |
No petitioner-supplied fingerprints or state/FBI background-check package in Article 6 or current UCS-NC1. The verified petition discloses convictions; specified incarcerated or supervised felony petitioners give conviction details (§ 61) |
No newspaper publication. No pre-hearing notice except minor cases and the § 62(2) criminal-record track; that adult track requires service on every prosecuting district attorney and sentencing court at least 60 days before the noticed hearing unless the court shortens the period. Immigration-agency notice and nonpetitioner consent are barred (§ 62) |
If an open record would jeopardize personal safety, the court must seal on request or on its own; totality includes violence/discrimination risk, transgender status, and domestic-violence survivor status. A request cannot be denied solely for lack of specific threats, and identifying information is immediately safeguarded while the request is pending (§ 64-a) |
No universal adult hearing mandate. Section 63 directs an order when the petition is true and no reasonable objection exists; the § 62(2) incarcerated/supervised felony track is noticed for a hearing after service |
The court may deny for a reasonable objection, including fraud, hiding from law enforcement, or avoiding support or debts (CourtHelp). A listed violent/serious felony plus current incarceration or supervision triggers detailed disclosure and 60-day prosecutor/sentencing-court notice, not a categorical bar (§§ 61(2), 62(2)) |
$210 in Supreme or County Court; $65 in NYC Civil Court; fee waiver available. The authorized name applies once the order is entered; listed felony orders go to DCJS, support obligors must mail the order as directed, and an order or other government/court name-change document is sufficient for state, local, and private records (§ 64) |
| North Carolina verified 2026-07-26 | N.C. Gen. Stat. ch. 101; apply before the clerk of superior court in the county of residence (§§ 101-2(a), 101-5(a)) |
Adult must be a bona fide resident of and domiciled in the filing county; no minimum time is stated (§ 101-5(a)(3)(a)) |
State true and proposed names, county/date of birth, parents' birth-certificate names, reasons, and prior legal changes (§§ 101-3, 101-5(a)(1)); submit sworn county domicile and outstanding tax/child-support statements (§ 101-5(a)(3)) plus good-character proof from 2 county citizens (§ 101-4) |
Submit state and national criminal-history results completed within 90 days by SBI, FBI, or an FBI-approved Channeler; clerk instructs applicant on fingerprints and acceptable providers (§ 101-5(a)(2), (b)) |
No pre-application posting or newspaper notice for applications filed on/after Dec. 1, 2025; S.L. 2025-54 repealed former § 101-2(b). The online AOC-SP-604/SP-609 PDFs still display the obsolete 10-day posting step |
Entire application and proceeding are nonpublic for a Chapter 15C Address Confidentiality Program participant or applicant who proves domestic violence, sexual offense, or stalking; records are separate and open only by court order or written consent (§ 101-2(c)). No separate gender-identity track |
No mandatory hearing stated. Clerk reviews the application and available information and grants upon good and sufficient reason plus compliance; denial must state reasons. Applicant has 30 days to seek final reconsideration by the resident superior court judge (§ 101-5(c)-(f)) |
Registered Article 27A sex offender cannot obtain a Chapter 101 change (§ 101-6(c)). An adult generally receives only one Chapter 101 change, except resuming a former name; fraud or material misrepresentation allows the clerk to set aside an order (§§ 101-6(a), 101-5(g)) |
$120 statewide non-foreclosure special-proceeding filing cost as of Jan. 1, 2026; AOC-G-106 indigency petition may excuse advance payment. Clerk issues a certificate, dockets the order, and forwards it to Vital Statistics and Public Safety for record updates (§ 101-5(d)-(e)) |
| North Dakota verified 2026-07-26 | N.D.C.C. ch. 32-28; district court in resident county (§§ 32-28-01, -02(1)) |
U.S. citizen or permanent resident alien; bona fide resident of filing county for at least 6 months before filing (§ 32-28-02(1)) |
Current/proposed names, address, citizenship/immigration category, age 18+, 6-month county residence, reasons in separate declaration, criminal convictions, good-faith/no-harm assertions, notice/waiver and objections; declaration under penalty of perjury; birth date on nonpublic form |
Court must determine in-state/other-state criminal history and may require statewide/nationwide check under § 12-60-24 at petitioner's cost; local judge may require every adult or decide after filing (§ 32-28-02(2); May 2026 instructions) |
30 days' previous notice in official resident-county newspaper; statute does not specify number of insertions. File publisher affidavit/declaration and written objections after 30 days (§ 32-28-02(3); court instructions) |
Court may waive publication for a first/middle-name-only change or satisfactory evidence of domestic violence. Birth date goes on a nonpublic Confidential Information Form; no express general full-case sealing track in ch. 32-28 (§ 32-28-02(3); N.D.R.Ct. 3.4) |
Hearing discretionary; court may decide on papers or require appearance. Grant required when affidavit/open-court proof establishes true allegations and proper and reasonable cause (§ 32-28-02(3); court instructions) |
No proper cause if fraud/misleading, bad faith, injury, or public-safety compromise. Felony creates presumption of all four; petitioner must rebut each by clear and convincing evidence (§ 32-28-02(2)-(3)) |
$160 filing fee effective July 1, 2025; written fee-waiver request available. First certified order $20, additional same-document copies $10. Criminal-history order reported to BCI within 10 days; pending actions/rights unaffected (§§ 32-28-02(5), -04) |
| Ohio verified 2026-07-26 | Ohio Rev. Code ch. 2717. File in the probate court of the county where the applicant resides (§ 2717.02) |
Adult applicant must be a bona fide resident of the filing county for at least 60 days before filing (§§ 2717.03(A), 2717.06(A)(1)) |
Supreme Court Form 21.0 states present name, requested name, county residence, and reason. Sworn Form 21.01 verifies 60-day residence, no creditor evasion or pending bankruptcy, truthful identity evidence, and the statutory criminal/registration statements (§§ 2717.03, 2717.06) |
No automatic statewide check: probate court may order one, and applicant pays (§ 2717.19). Supreme Court Form 21.14 authorizes the court and law enforcement to examine the record |
No automatic newspaper publication. Court may hold a hearing and, if so, sets notice manner, scope, and content (§ 2717.08). Form 21.03 options include certified mail, personal service, one newspaper publication at least 30 days before hearing, or another method |
With satisfactory proof that open records or hearing notice would jeopardize personal safety, court must waive notice and, if it grants the change, seal the proceeding; reopening requires good cause or applicant request (§ 2717.11). No separate gender-identity track |
Hearing is discretionary (§ 2717.08); Franklin County says many applications need none. Court may grant on reasonable and proper cause and, if applicable, proper notice (§ 2717.09) |
Court may not grant if applicant has a current § 2950.04/.041 registration duty based on a sexually oriented or child-victim offense, or an identity-fraud plea, conviction, or delinquency adjudication unless reversed on appeal (§ 2717.16) |
County deposits vary: current official examples start at $128 in Franklin County and are $150 in Hamilton County, with extra publication cost if ordered. Statewide civil fee-waiver affidavit is available. Franklin County says an Ohio birth record is appended with the order rather than rewritten |
| Oklahoma verified 2026-07-26 | 12 O.S. §§ 1631-1637; civil action in district court of the qualifying county or military-reservation county |
Natural person filing personally as an adult: Oklahoma domicile (or in-state military-reservation residence) >30 days plus actual county/reservation residence >30 days immediately before filing; sex-offender registrants barred (12 O.S. § 1631) |
Verified petition: name/address; domicile and residence facts; birth date/place; birth-certificate number and registration place if registered; requested name; reason; positive no-illegal/fraud/creditor-delay statement (12 O.S. § 1632) |
No applicant-supplied fingerprints, criminal-history report, or general conviction disclosure in §§ 1631-1637. Registry status is an eligibility bar, not a background-check procedure |
Publish once at least 10 days before hearing in a qualifying county legal-notice newspaper, or qualifying statewide paper circulating in county if none; notice gives case/hearing details and protest right (12 O.S. § 1633(A)) |
Court may waive publication for good cause, including domestic-violence cases with sealed proceedings. Chapter creates no separate gender-identity track (12 O.S. § 1633(B)) |
Hearing required after publication or waiver; material allegations supported by sworn evidence. Grant unless illegal/fraudulent purpose or false material allegation; written protests due before hearing (12 O.S. §§ 1633-1634) |
Categorical bar for sex-offender registrants; deny for illegal/fraudulent purpose or false material allegation. Petition must deny creditor delay/hindrance; intentional fraudulent use of judgment is misdemeanor. No general felony/supervision bar (12 O.S. §§ 1631-1632, 1634, 1636) |
$138-$148 current statutory filing total before publication/copies; affidavit-based in-forma-pauperis route. Judgment recites result/reasons and is a civil judgment; certified/authenticated copy may be filed in any proper office (28 O.S. § 152; 12 O.S. § 1635) |
| Oregon verified 2026-07-26 | ORS 33.410-.420 and 33.460; circuit court of county of residence (technically probate court, or circuit court with extended jurisdiction under ORS 3.275) |
Current adult packet: age 18+ or emancipated by court order; file name-only request in residence county. No minimum residence duration (ORS 33.410) |
Current OJD petition: current/requested names, prior names, public-interest disclosures, sealing basis if any, contact address/phone/email; declaration under penalty of perjury, no notarization |
No statewide fingerprints or applicant-supplied record report. Statewide form discloses current probation/parole/post-prison supervision and sex-offender registration; Lane's local supplement also asks conviction history |
No adult newspaper publication or courthouse posting. ORS 33.420's name-change notice is limited to minor-child parent/guardian notice; statewide adult packet has no publication step |
Certified adult Address Confidentiality Program participant may request sealing; court must seal unless it finds statutory good cause not to. Combined name/legal-sex proceeding allowed; requested legal-sex-change record must be sealed (ORS 33.420(3)-(4); 33.460(3)) |
Statewide judgment is submitted ex parte; no mandatory adult hearing or waiting period. Washington County expressly uses no hearing. Grant unless court finds change inconsistent with public interest (ORS 33.410) |
Public-interest standard. Statewide form requires explanations for support arrears/order, protective/stalking/restraining order, supervision, registry duty, and prior names; no categorical felony, incarceration, supervision, or registry bar |
$124 filing fee (ORS 21.135); judge may waive or defer fees for inability to pay (ORS 21.682). Judgment effective when entered; court does not update other agencies, so petitioner supplies signed/certified judgment |
| Pennsylvania verified 2026-07-26 | 54 Pa.C.S. ch. 7, principally §§ 701-702. File in the Court of Common Pleas of the county where the petitioner resides (§§ 701(a.1)(1), 702(a)) |
A county resident may petition; no minimum residence duration, but the petition lists the current residence and every residence during the preceding five years. A spouse may join (§ 701(a.1)(1)-(2)) |
State the intent and reason for the change, current residence, all residences for the prior five years, and whether a safety-based notice waiver is requested (§ 701(a.1)(2)). The statute does not prescribe an oath; current county packets commonly use a verified petition under 18 Pa.C.S. § 4904 |
Mandatory fingerprints. The court sends the application and fingerprints to State Police; police check Chapter 91 criminal-history information, update a matching record or destroy the prints if none, and certify action within 60 days. Petitioner pays the cost (§ 702(b)) |
Court orders notice of filing and hearing published in two general-circulation newspapers in the resident county or a contiguous county; one may be the county legal-notice paper. Bring proof to the hearing unless safety waiver granted (§ 701(a.1)(3)-(4)) |
If notice would jeopardize the safety of the petitioner or the petitioner's child or ward, the court waives notice and seals the file; no public access whether or not the petition is granted, with reopening only for good cause or at the applicant's request (§ 701(a.1)(3)(iii)). No express current gender-identity publication exemption |
Mandatory hearing not less than one month and not more than three months after filing. Objectors may appear; petitioner presents publication proof and official five-year county searches. Court may grant if no lawful objection (§ 701(a.1)(3)-(5)) |
Felony: pardon or at least two calendar years after sentence completion while off all probation/parole. Section 702(c)(2) permanently bars orders for its listed homicide, sexual, violent, arson, kidnapping, vehicle-robbery, attempt, conspiracy, solicitation, and equivalent offenses |
County-set filing fee: current official examples are $142 in Pike County and $349.23 for a Philadelphia petition action; fingerprinting, two publications, searches, and copies are extra. Pa.R.C.P. 240 permits in-forma-pauperis relief. For a felony order, court notifies Attorney General, State Police, and resident-county DA (§ 702(c)(3)) |
| Rhode Island verified 2026-07-26 | R.I. Gen. Laws § 33-22-28; probate court of resident city or town. Superior Court has concurrent jurisdiction for an adult convicted of any misdemeanor or felony (§ 8-2-14(b)) |
A person petitions in the city or town of residence; no statewide minimum period stated. Local proof rules vary: Providence currently asks for Rhode Island ID or address proof reaching back 6 months (§ 33-22-28(b); local instructions) |
PC-8.1 asks current/contact data, original birth-record name, birth facts, parents' names, occupation, optional marital status, prior court changes, residence history, specific reason, proposed name, and birth-record change. Sworn or affirmed before notary; certified birth certificate attached |
Court may require a criminal-history check; statewide PC-8.1 says attach BCI report. Providence requires original Attorney General BCI ≤60 days; Warwick requires RI BCI plus affidavit of no out-of-state criminal record (§ 33-22-28(e); local rules) |
No public notice or newspaper publication may be required before approval (§ 33-22-28(d)) |
Court must seal all records and docket entries, on request or sua sponte, if an open record would jeopardize safety under totality of circumstances. Consider violence/discrimination risk, including transgender status or domestic-violence survival; no specific prior threats required. No separate gender-identity petition track (§ 33-22-28(g)) |
Grant unless change is sought for fraudulent purposes; spousal consent is irrelevant. Statute states no uniform hearing mandate, while PC-8.1 contains a hearing decree and local probate courts set hearing calendars (§ 33-22-28(a), (d)) |
Fraudulent purpose is the statutory denial ground. Criminal conviction is not a categorical bar; convicted adults also have concurrent Superior Court jurisdiction (§§ 33-22-28(a), 8-2-14(b)) |
Local probate fees vary; current examples: Providence $39 including one certified copy, Pawtucket $44. Indigent/limited-pay petitioner may receive waiver or reduction. Rhode Island birth-record amendment is $10, plus copy fees (§ 33-22-28(c); PC-10.15) |
| South Carolina verified 2026-07-26 | S.C. Code §§ 15-49-10 to -50; written petition to a family court judge in the appropriate judicial circuit (§ 15-49-10(A)) |
Adult South Carolina resident for at least 6 months, with residency affidavit and DMV-acceptable proof. Court may waive 6 months for a listed abuse victim currently in reasonable fear who supplies supporting evidence (§ 15-49-20(A)(5)) |
State reason, age, residence, birthplace, and requested name; attach support/alimony-order affidavit, six-month-residency affidavit/proof, SLED other-name-conviction affidavit, and the required screening results (§§ 15-49-10(A), 15-49-20(A), (F)) |
SLED fingerprint and criminal-background results plus separate SLED sex-offender-registry screening and DSS Central Registry screening; all screening costs are petitioner's (§ 15-49-20(A), (I)) |
No newspaper publication, posting, or ordinary third-party notice in Chapter 49. Registry/criminal/DOC notices occur after a granted order when applicable (§ 15-49-20(A)(2), (4), (D)-(E)) |
Safety route can waive six-month residence for listed abuse/trafficking victims in reasonable fear. After granting, court shall seal the entire file on request if petitioner, child, or ward safety warrants it (§ 15-49-20(A)(5), (K)). No separate statutory gender-identity track |
Court may hold a hearing and order petitioner present. Judge grants or refuses as considered proper, with due regard to petitioner's true interest and protection of the public (§ 15-49-20(B)-(C)) |
No categorical criminal-record, child-abuse-registry, support/alimony, incarceration, or sex-offender-registration bar stated; those facts are screened and applicable records are updated after grant. Judge retains the proper/true-interest/public-protection discretion (§ 15-49-20) |
$150 family-court filing fee plus petitioner-paid screening and related costs; current SCCA 405 FC permits IFP request. Clerk sends applicable updates to DSS, SLED registry/criminal records, and DOC. New name governs legal proceedings, but old obligations remain (§§ 15-49-20, -40, -50) |
| South Dakota verified 2026-07-26 | SDCL ch. 21-37; circuit court for county of residence (§§ 21-37-1, -3) |
Adult must be a bona fide resident of filing county for 6 months immediately before filing (§§ 21-37-2, -3; UJS-024) |
UJS-025 asks current/birth/proposed names, birth and parent facts, address, 6-month residence, reason, optional victim-safety basis and birth-record amendment, plus no-fraud/no-identity-hiding certification; signed under penalty of perjury |
No fingerprints or criminal-history report required by ch. 21-37 or current UJS-025; official form contains no conviction, registry, or DOC-supervision questionnaire |
Notice stating hearing time/place/object and old/proposed names once weekly for 4 successive weeks in a legal newspaper of resident county; file newspaper affidavit by hearing (§ 21-37-4; UJS-024) |
Adult trafficking or domestic-abuse victim with particularized protection need may receive no-publication and non-open-court route; good cause permits petition/order and qualifying birth records to be sealed (§ 21-37-5.2) |
Ordinary open-court hearing; grant required after satisfactory proof of notice, true petition allegations, and proper and reasonable cause. Petitioner attends and testifies under oath (§ 21-37-5; UJS-024) |
Petition must be good faith, not fraudulent/illegal, identity-hiding, or evasion of person, creditor, or agency. Safety route separately requires best interests and no fraud (§ 21-37-5.2; UJS-025) |
$72 total filing cost effective July 14, 2025; general UJS filing/service-fee waiver motion available. Certified order makes new name legal; existing proceedings and rights remain unaffected; optional birth-record amendment (§§ 21-37-1, 34-25-51) |
| Tennessee verified 2026-07-26 | Tenn. Code Ann. §§ 29-8-101 to -105. Circuit, probate, and county courts have concurrent statutory jurisdiction; local court structure may route adult cases through chancery court |
Adult resident of the filing county; no minimum state or county residence duration stated (§§ 29-8-101(a), 29-8-102). Current Knox guidance treats petitioners 18+ as adults |
Written petition signed and verified by affidavit, stating county residence and reasons (§ 29-8-102). Local forms add current/requested names, birth and address facts, aliases, identity records, and conviction disclosures |
No statewide fingerprint, FBI, or state-record report in §§ 29-8-101 to -105. Local forms ask about felony and disqualifying-conviction status; current Knox, Rutherford, and Davidson instructions do not require an applicant-supplied background report |
No statewide publication or ordinary notice requirement in Chapter 8. Current Knox, Rutherford, and Davidson filing instructions list petition, records, fee, and hearing without newspaper publication; check the filing court for local orders |
Chapter 8 creates no safety-based sealed petition, confidential-name mechanism, publication waiver, or separate gender-identity track. Use the filing court's current record-protection procedure before disclosing sensitive identifiers |
Section 29-8-104 says the court may order the change by recorded judgment reciting the petition and reasons. No statewide hearing deadline; current Knox, Rutherford, and Davidson chancery procedures set a court date/hearing |
First- or second-degree murder and an offense requiring sex-offender registration bar the stand-alone change. Other felony: presumed bad faith and requires clear and convincing rebuttal. Court must deny fraud, misleading purpose, bad faith, individual injury, or public-safety compromise (§ 29-8-101(b)) |
Local fee varies: $159.50 Davidson; $237 Knox. An approved Uniform Civil Affidavit of Indigency permits filing without prepayment. Order allows use of the new name in suing or being sued; agencies require separate updates (§§ 29-8-103, 29-8-105) |
| Texas verified 2026-07-26 | Tex. Fam. Code ch. 45, subch. B (§§ 45.101-.104). File through the district clerk in the county of residence; the assigned court may be a district court or county court at law with jurisdiction, depending on local structure (State Law Library; TexasLawHelp forms) |
An adult may petition in the county of the adult's place of residence; Chapter 45 states no minimum residence duration (§ 45.101) |
Verified petition stating current name/residence, requested name, reason, felony-conviction and sex-offender-registration status, fingerprints, full identity data, all driver-license numbers from the preceding 10 years, criminal-system identifiers, every charge above Class C misdemeanor, and related warrant/charging case and court information; a reasonable explanation may substitute for missing subsection (b) information (§ 45.102(a)-(b)) |
Mandatory fingerprint architecture. Attach one complete DPS/FBI-format card to the petition; after filing, send another card, a court-stamped petition, and $27 to DPS for $15 state and $12 federal checks. DPS sends results directly to the court; fingerprint service is currently $20 for two cards (§ 45.102(a)(6); DPS CR-65) |
No newspaper publication in Chapter 45. A person subject to Chapter 62 sex-offender registration must prove notice to the appropriate local law-enforcement authority before the court may grant the change (§ 45.103(c)) |
An Attorney General Address Confidentiality Program participant may omit the residential street address and reason by attaching the authorization card; the requested change is presumed to benefit the petitioner and public, and the resulting order is confidential (§§ 45.102(c), 45.103(a-1), (c-1)). Chapter 45 creates no separate gender-identity publication or hearing track |
For an ordinary petitioner without a final felony conviction or Chapter 62 registration, the court shall order the change if it benefits the petitioner and is in the public interest (§ 45.103(a)). Chapter 45 states no universal hearing mandate; the State Law Library says some counties use virtual or in-person hearings, so local court practice controls |
Final felony conviction: meet the general standard and show pardon, at least two years after discharge/completion of supervision or juvenile probation, or request the primary criminal-history name. Chapter 62 registrant: meet the general standard or request the primary criminal-history name and prove local law-enforcement notice (§ 45.103(b)-(c)). Fraud, evasion, and creditor avoidance fail the benefit/public-interest standard |
Court filing fee varies by county, commonly about $150-$300; an inability-to-pay statement may waive court costs. Separate current costs include $20 fingerprinting and $27 DPS/FBI processing. The order does not release prior liabilities or defeat prior rights (§ 45.104); agencies are not notified automatically, so obtain certified proof and update records separately (State Law Library; TexasLawHelp) |
| Utah verified 2026-07-26 | Utah Code §§ 42-1-1 to -3; district court in county of residence |
Natural person with bona fide residence in filing county for the full year immediately before filing. A current 'offender' under § 64-13-1 is barred (Utah Code § 42-1-1) |
Cause, proposed name, and one-year county residence; current 1730FAJ also requires birth/current/requested names, DOB, pending cases, custody/supervision and registry facts, anti-fraud/rights statements, and declaration under criminal penalty |
Current packet uses Department of Corrections certification of Sex and Kidnap Offender and Child Abuse Offender registries. No applicant fingerprint card or general FBI/state criminal-history report |
No mandatory newspaper publication. Court orders what notice, if any, precedes hearing. Registry-listed petitioner must notify department at least 30 days before hearing (Utah Code § 42-1-2; § 53-29-303(3)(b)) |
Because notice is court-set, Title 42 has no universal publication step or name-change-specific waiver. No automatic safety sealing in Chapter 1; current 1730FAJ allows a combined name and sex-designation petition |
Mandatory open-court hearing after any ordered notice; prove petition allegations and proper cause. Registry-listed petitioner must also show change is not contrary to public interests (Utah Code § 42-1-2; § 53-29-303(3)(a)) |
Current Corrections custody/probation/parole offender barred. Wrongful/fraudulent purpose, interference with others' rights, and insufficient proper cause defeat current form findings; registry-listed person has public-interest test and 30-day notice |
$375 filing fee for name change, sex change, or both; current fee-waiver motion available. Order does not affect pending actions or existing rights; registry order goes to department within 10 days and old/new names publish as aliases (§§ 42-1-3, 53-29-303(3)) |
| Vermont verified 2026-07-31 | 15 V.S.A. ch. 13 (§§ 811, 813, 817); Probate Division of Superior Court in district/county of adult's legal physical residence. Current filing form 700-00122 |
Person 'of age and sound mind'; adult route is age 18+. Must reside in filing probate district; current Judiciary page directs filing in county of legal physical residence. No minimum residence duration stated (§§ 811, 813) |
Current full legal name; place/date of birth; requested first/middle/last name; town of legal physical residence; whether Vermont birth certificate should change; contact information. Declare truth under penalty of perjury, sign, then acknowledge instrument before probate judge by personal appearance or virtual video (§ 811; form 700-00122 rev. 06/2026) |
Court, not petitioner, requests DPS Sex Offender Registry determination (§ 817). No fingerprints, general criminal-history report, conviction disclosure, or corrections clearance in ch. 13 or current form 700-00122 |
No ordinary newspaper publication, posting, prosecutor service, or other public notice required by current ch. 13, form 700-00122, or Judiciary adult steps. DPS may appear only if Registry check is positive (§ 817) |
No name-change-specific safety sealing, publication-waiver, address-confidentiality, or separate gender-identity track in ch. 13, current adult form, or Judiciary adult steps. Ordinary court-record rules may apply; gender-marker change is a separate process |
Judiciary schedules a hearing and notifies adult by mail; form permits personal or virtual-video appearance for acknowledgment. Ordinary statute requires adult of age and sound mind using § 811 instrument; no separate ordinary fraud/public-interest test stated. Registry-listed adult needs compelling-purpose finding after DPS may appear (§ 817) |
If on Sex Offender Registry, court cannot grant unless it finds a compelling purpose after permitting DPS to appear (§ 817). Ch. 13 and current form state no categorical felony, incarceration, probation/parole, debt, judgment, lien, or general criminal-record bar |
$150 filing fee; ordinary fee-waiver request available. Granted order supplies new legal name; adult must notify other institutions. Certified decree may support request to amend Vermont birth certificate, which is marked 'Court Amended' (§ 816) |
| Virginia verified 2026-07-26 | Va. Code § 8.01-217; circuit court of the county or city where the applicant resides. No-abode applicant may use any circuit court on good cause; incarcerated applicant files where incarcerated (§ 8.01-217(A)) |
Adult seeking own change; reside in filing county/city, with no minimum duration stated. No-abode and incarcerated venue alternatives apply (§ 8.01-217(A); Form CC-1411) |
Current Form CC-1411 is sworn/acknowledged before clerk, deputy clerk, or notary: birth/current/proposed names, city/county and street/mailing address, birth date/place, both parents' full names including maiden names, reason, felony record, incarceration/probation, registry status, prior changes, no fraud, and no infringement (§ 8.01-217(B)) |
No universal fingerprint card or state/FBI report. Sworn felony, registry, incarceration, and probation disclosures control; the heightened track sends the application to Commonwealth's Attorneys and allows a 30-day response (§ 8.01-217(B), (D)) |
No ordinary newspaper publication or general public-notice step. For a probationer, incarcerated person, or registry-listed applicant, accepted application goes to the filing-jurisdiction prosecutor and prosecutors in conviction jurisdictions; the filing prosecutor has 30 days to respond, with victim/family notice for registry offenses (§ 8.01-217(D)) |
Serious threat to applicant/immediate family's health or safety allows chief judge to waive the oath or court to seal, bar deed-book spreading/indexing, and stop transmission to Vital Records/CCRE (§ 8.01-217(G)). No separate gender-identity track |
Ordinary hearing only if demanded; court shall order change unless evidence shows fraudulent purpose or infringement of others' rights (§ 8.01-217(C)). Heightened-track hearing is mandatory and requires express law-enforcement, fraud, and rights findings (§ 8.01-217(D)) |
Fraud or infringement of others' rights defeats ordinary relief. Probationer, incarcerated, or registry-listed application is not accepted without good cause; if accepted, court may grant only after mandatory notice/hearing and findings that relief will not frustrate legitimate law enforcement, is not fraudulent, and will not infringe others' rights (§ 8.01-217(C)-(E)) |
Fees vary by locality; Fairfax's July 2026 schedule lists $44. Low-income applicant may seek CC-1414 fee waiver. Ordinary order is deed-book recorded/indexed old and new, then order+application go to Vital Records and CCRE; order contains only former/new names and current address (§ 8.01-217(F)) |
| Washington verified 2026-07-26 | RCW 4.24.130. Ordinary petition: district court of any judicial district in Washington. Qualifying gender-identity, safety, asylum/refugee/SIJ, or emancipated-minor petition: any superior court in the State (RCW 4.24.130(1), (5)) |
Any person seeking own change; RCW 4.24.130 states no minimum residence period and authorizes any Washington judicial district. State Courts says ordinary petitions are usually filed in the county of residence; local ID/residency-proof rules apply |
Statute requires a petition setting forth the desire for the change but prescribes no statewide oath or itemized adult contents. Statewide forms are not published; obtain the filing court's petition/order. King County requires a signed petition, photo ID, and separate current-Washington-residency proof if ID lacks it |
No universal fingerprints or background report. DOC-supervised offender gives DOC the application at least 5 days before the order; registered sex offender gives application to residence-county sheriff and State Patrol at least 5 days before order (RCW 4.24.130(2)-(3); 9A.44.130(7)) |
No newspaper publication. Targeted notice only: DOC-supervised offender to DOC at least 5 days before order and order within 5 days after entry; registered sex offender to sheriff/State Patrol at least 5 days before order and order within 3 business days after entry |
Any superior court may hear petition based on gender expression/identity; domestic violence, stalking, unlawful harassment, or coercive control experience/reasonable fear; asylum/refugee/SIJ status; or emancipation. No public access while pending/denied; granted file must be sealed for privacy, subject to statutory access exceptions (RCW 4.24.130(5)) |
Ordinary district court may grant in its discretion; local procedure controls hearing, and King County schedules one. Qualifying superior-court petition must be heard and, if granted, sealed. Statute states no universal fraud/debt/rights test for ordinary adults (RCW 4.24.130(1), (5)) |
General relief is discretionary. DOC-supervised or registered-sex-offender change may be denied if it would interfere with legitimate penological/law-enforcement interests, but not when requested for religious or legitimate cultural reasons or recognition of marriage/dissolution; protected superior route excludes those applicants (RCW 4.24.130(2)-(3), (5)(d)) |
Fees vary by county. King County ordinary individual total is $301.50 ($98 filing + $203.50 recording; one certified copy included). Financial-hardship affidavit requires waiver of all filing/recording fees unless victim compensation paid them. New name replaces former; district sends order/fee to auditor; protected superior file is sealed |
| West Virginia verified 2026-07-26 | W. Va. Code §§ 48-25-101 to -107; circuit court or family court in the filing county, with concurrent jurisdiction |
Generally 1 year as bona fide county resident. Nonresident exception requires birth and marriage in the county plus at least 15 prior years' residence (§ 48-25-101(a)(1)) |
Verified petition: residency route, reason, proposed name, no debt avoidance, no registry status, no identity-law avoidance, improper/illegal purpose, felony, or law-enforcement evasion, and whether safety identity protection is requested (§ 48-25-101(a)) |
No applicant-supplied fingerprints or state/FBI report; petition instead requires sworn non-felon, nonregistrant, and anti-evasion affirmations (§ 48-25-101(a)(5)-(9)) |
One Class I county legal advertisement at least 10 days before hearing; notice gives hearing time/place and ordinarily proposed name. Proof required. Anyone likely injured or knowing a reason may object (§§ 48-25-101(b), 48-25-102, 59-3-2(a)) |
Petitioner states whether identity protection is requested; safety request omits proposed name from publication, and good cause permits a closed hearing. No automatic sealing or gender-identity track (§ 48-25-101(a)(10), (b)) |
Hearing after publication; court must find petition proof, all affirmations true, no injury, reasonable and proper cause, no fraud/evil intent, and no statutory prohibition (§ 48-25-103(a)) |
Verified petition requires no felony conviction. Court also may not grant while any felon is incarcerated, during sex-offender registration, or for 10 years after prison/parole for first-degree murder or specified life-sentence offense; prohibited applications are criminal (§§ 48-25-103, -107) |
$200 statutory civil filing fee; financial-inability affidavit permits filing without prepayment. Petitioner must promptly record certified order with county commission clerk, paying deed-recording fee; new name begins only after that filing (§§ 48-25-104 to -105, 59-1-11, 59-2-1) |
| Wisconsin verified 2026-07-26 | Wis. Stat. §§ 786.36-.37. Petition the circuit court in the county where the petitioner resides (§ 786.36(1)) |
Adult Wisconsin resident filing in the county of residence; no minimum residence duration stated. The statutory court-order route is distinct from Wisconsin's limited common-law name-use doctrine |
Mandatory CV-450 states address/county, birth date/state, birth-certificate state and name, job, professional-license status, registrable-sex-offender status, requested name/reason, and requested Wisconsin birth/marriage-record change; signed under penalty of false swearing |
No fingerprints, FBI/DOJ report, or applicant-supplied background check. CV-450 requires only a yes/no statement whether the petitioner is a convicted sex offender required to register under the listed Wisconsin or similar out-of-state law |
Before the hearing, publish notice stating the petition's nature and hearing time/place. Class 3 means three insertions, once weekly for consecutive weeks, with the last at least one week before the hearing; file or present the newspaper declaration of publication (§§ 786.37(1), 985.07(3)(a), 985.01(1m)(a); CV-490) |
On a confidential petition, the clerk protects the filing and publication initially does not apply. Petitioner must prove by preponderance that publication could endanger them and that the change is not sought to avoid debt or conceal a criminal record. If accepted, all related records are confidential; no separate gender-identity track (§§ 786.37(4), 786.36(2m)) |
Hearing required for ordinary and confidential routes. Court may grant if no sufficient cause is shown to the contrary; petitioner may be sworn and questioned, and ordinary case requires proof of publication (§ 786.36(1); CV-490/CV-491) |
Current sex-offender reporting bars a legal name change (§ 301.47). A licensing board may block a licensed professional's change after hearing for unfair competition, misleading identity, or detriment; teachers and marriage/divorce changes are excepted (§ 786.36(3)). Official annotation recognizes incarceration/parole identification as sufficient cause; no general felony bar was enacted |
$164.50 filing fee, plus newspaper, certified-copy, $30 register-of-deeds recording, and applicable vital-record charges; § 814.29/CV-410A permits fee-waiver request. Order is recorded; for a Wisconsin birth or marriage record, clerk sends a certified abstract and fee to Vital Records, which corrects state and local records (§ 786.36(2), as amended by 2025 Wis. Act 234) |
| Wyoming verified 2026-07-26 | Wyo. Stat. §§ 1-25-101 to -103; district court in county of current residence |
Adult age 18+; bona fide Wyoming resident for at least 6 months immediately before filing. File in current county; no minimum county-residence period (§§ 1-25-101, -102; NCA-06) |
Current and desired full names, concise reason, place of birth, residence and county-residence length; current NCA-06 also asks birth-record choices, state-residence length and any confidentiality request. Sign before clerk/notary under oath (§ 1-25-101; NCA-06) |
No fingerprints, criminal-history report, conviction disclosure, registry disclosure or corrections clearance required by ch. 25 or current NCA-06 |
Unless confidentiality applies, clerk-issued notice once weekly for 4 consecutive weeks in county newspaper (or Wyoming paper of general county circulation); file publisher affidavit and wait 30 days after last publication for objections (§ 1-25-103; W.R.C.P. 4(m)-(n); NCA-04/-10) |
Domestic-abuse victim receives residence-information confidentiality with an effective protection order, or on preponderance finding of victim status and further-abuse risk; confidentiality removes publication. No separate gender-identity track (§§ 1-25-101, -103; 35-21-112) |
Hearing is objection-triggered or discretionary, not universal; judge may order without hearing after notice period. Grant required if desired change is proper and not detrimental to another person's interests (§ 1-25-101; NCA-01/-05/-10) |
Improper change or detriment to another person's interests. Chapter 25 and current NCA-06 state no categorical felony, incarceration, supervision or sex-offender-registration restriction (§ 1-25-101) |
$160 district-court filing fee; statewide indigency affidavit may waive filing/service fees, usually not publication. Order changes legal name and is recorded; Wyoming-born person may request birth-certificate amendment (§§ 1-25-101, 5-3-206, 35-1-424(c)) |
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