Pennsylvania: Adult Legal Name Change Requirements
The short answer
A Pennsylvania resident petitions the Court of Common Pleas in the county of residence, lists the reason and five years of addresses, submits fingerprints for a State Police criminal-record check, publishes hearing notice in two newspapers, and presents five-year judgment searches at a mandatory hearing one to three months after filing. The court may waive publication and seal the file when notice would jeopardize the safety of the petitioner or a child or ward. Felony convictions carry a two-year post-sentence/off-supervision rule or pardon route, while listed serious offenses are permanent statutory bars.
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This is the general rule in Pennsylvania. Ezel applies current Pennsylvania law to your specific facts and answers with citations to the statutes.
| Governing law and court | 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)) |
|---|---|
| Who may petition and residency | 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)) |
| Petition contents and oath | 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 |
| Criminal background check | 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)) |
| Publication or notice | 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)) |
| Safety, confidentiality, and special tracks | 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 |
| Hearing and grant standard | 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)) |
| Grounds for denial or restriction | 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 |
| Fee and post-order effect | 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)) |
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Requirements one by one
File in the resident county and disclose five years of addresses
The petition goes to the Court of Common Pleas where the petitioner lives. It
states the requested change and reason, current residence, and every residence
during the prior five years. A spouse may join the same petition. The statute
does not impose a minimum number of months in the county. See § 701(a.1)(1)-(2).
Section 701 does not prescribe an oath. Local packets may add verification and
county-specific forms, so use the current prothonotary packet rather than a
generic petition.
Fingerprints start a State Police review
Before approval, the court sends a duplicate application and fingerprint set to
the Pennsylvania State Police. The police check Chapter 91 criminal-history
information, mark a matching record or destroy the prints if no record exists,
and certify the action to the court within 60 days. The petitioner pays this
cost under § 702(a)-(b).
Publish in two newspapers and obtain record searches
The court sets a hearing one to three months after filing and orders notice in
two general-circulation newspapers in the resident county or a contiguous
county. One may be the official legal-notice paper. At the hearing, the
petitioner presents publication proof and official searches from the current
county and every county of residence during the prior five years showing no
judgments, decrees, or similar matters. See § 701(a.1)(3)-(5).
A safety finding waives notice and seals the file
If notice would jeopardize the safety of the petitioner or the petitioner's
child or ward, the court waives notice and seals the case. The statute bars
public access whether or not the name change is granted; reopening requires good
cause or the applicant's request.
Current law does not create an automatic publication exemption solely because
the requested name conforms to gender identity. Pending SB 521 would add one.
Felony history can delay or bar the order
For a felony not on the permanent-bar list, the petitioner needs a pardon or at
least two calendar years after completing the sentence and must be outside all
probation or parole jurisdiction. The homicide, sexual, violent, arson,
kidnapping, vehicle-robbery, inchoate, and equivalent offenses listed in
§ 702(c) bar a court-ordered change.
If a felony name change is granted, the court notifies the Attorney General,
State Police, and the district attorney of the petitioner's county.
Filing and related costs vary by county
Current official examples show $142 to commence an action in Pike County and
$349.23 for a petition action in Philadelphia. Fingerprinting, two newspaper
notices, multi-county searches, and certified copies are additional. Confirm the
current total with the prothonotary.
A person without resources may seek in-forma-pauperis status under Pa.R.C.P.
240(a)-(c), (f), which can excuse court and public-officer fees. It does not
necessarily eliminate private newspaper charges.
What trips people up
- The hearing cannot be set immediately. The statute uses a one-to-three-
month window, while the police have up to 60 days to certify their action. - Publication and record searches are different steps. Proof of both belongs
at the hearing unless the safety waiver removes publication. - Five years follows the petitioner across county lines. Every county of
residence in that period needs the official search. - Court fees are not the whole cost. Fingerprints, newspapers, searches, and
certified decrees may exceed the filing fee.
Common questions
Is one newspaper enough?
No. Section 701 requires two general-circulation newspapers, although one may be
the county's official legal-notice paper.
Can publication be waived for safety?
Yes. The court must first find that notice would jeopardize the safety of the
petitioner or a child or ward; granting the waiver also seals the file.
Are fingerprints required if I have no criminal record?
Yes for the ordinary adult court-order route. If no Chapter 91 record is found,
State Police must destroy the fingerprints.
Statutes and sources
- 54 Pa.C.S. § 701 — petition, publication, safety waiver, hearing, searches,
and no-lawful-objection standard. Official Chapter 7
(accessed 2026-07-26). - 54 Pa.C.S. § 702 — fingerprints, State Police response, felony eligibility,
permanent bars, and agency notice. Official section
(accessed 2026-07-26). - Pa.R.C.P. 240 — in-forma-pauperis procedure and fee relief. Official Pennsylvania Code
(accessed 2026-07-26). - Current official fee examples — $142 Pike commencement fee and $349.23
Philadelphia petition-action fee. Pike schedule;
Philadelphia schedule
(accessed 2026-07-26).
Source links
Every statute quoted above, linked, with the date we checked it.
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