Name Change Petition

IMPORTANT: THIS IS A PREPARATION GUIDE — NOT THE OFFICIAL COURT FORM

Alabama requires the use of official court forms for name change petitions filed in Probate Court.
Forms vary by county; the Alabama State Bar provides form PS-12 (Request to Change Name).
This template provides the substantive legal content to help you prepare — but you must
transfer your content to the official form before filing. Contact your county Probate Court
clerk or visit eforms.alacourt.gov for official forms.
Do not file this document directly with the court.

PETITION FOR CHANGE OF NAME

Table of Contents

1. Caption
2. Petitioner Information
3. Current and Proposed Name
4. Residency Verification
5. Grounds for Name Change
6. Criminal History Disclosure
7. Notice to Interested Parties
8. Declaration and Verification
9. Order Granting Name Change
10. State-Specific Notes

Caption

IN THE PROBATE COURT OF [________________________________] COUNTY, ALABAMA

In the Matter of the Name Change of:

[________________________________]
(Current Legal Name of Petitioner)

Case No.: [________________________________]

PETITION FOR CHANGE OF NAME OF ADULT

COMES NOW the Petitioner, [________________________________] ("Petitioner"), and respectfully petitions this Honorable Court for an Order changing Petitioner's legal name, and in support thereof states as follows:

Petitioner Information

1. Full Current Legal Name: [________________________________]

2. Proposed New Legal Name: [________________________________]

3. Date of Birth: [__/__/____]

4. Place of Birth (City, State): [________________________________]

5. Social Security Number (last four digits): XXX-XX-[____]

6. Current Mailing Address:
   [________________________________]
   [________________________________]
   [________________________________]

7. Telephone Number: [________________________________]

8. Email Address: [________________________________]

9. Driver's License / State ID Number: [________________________________]

Residency Verification

10. Petitioner is a resident of [________________________________] County, Alabama, and has continuously resided in the State of Alabama for at least one (1) year immediately preceding the filing of this Petition.

11. Petitioner has continuously resided in [________________________________] County, Alabama, for at least one (1) year immediately preceding the filing of this Petition.

Grounds for Name Change

12. Petitioner seeks to change their legal name for the following reason(s):

☐ Marriage or civil union
☐ Divorce or dissolution of marriage
☐ Personal preference
☐ Gender identity
☐ Return to maiden or former name
☐ Religious or cultural reasons
☐ Other: [________________________________]

13. Detailed explanation of reasons for the requested name change:

[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]

14. The requested name change is consistent with the public interest and is not being sought for any fraudulent, illegal, or improper purpose.

15. The requested name change will not affect the rights of any other person and will not be used to avoid any debts, obligations, or legal actions.

Criminal History Disclosure

16. Petitioner discloses the following regarding criminal history:

☐ Petitioner has NOT been convicted of any felony offense.
☐ Petitioner HAS been convicted of a felony offense. Details: [________________________________]

17. Sex Offender Registry Status:

☐ Petitioner is NOT required to register as a sex offender under Alabama law or the law of any other state.
☐ Petitioner IS required to register as a sex offender. Details: [________________________________]

18. Pending Criminal Charges:

☐ Petitioner does NOT have any pending criminal charges.
☐ Petitioner DOES have pending criminal charges. Details: [________________________________]

Notice to Interested Parties

19. Petitioner states that the following persons may have an interest in this proceeding:

☐ There are no interested parties who need to be notified.

Declaration and Verification

I, [________________________________], the Petitioner herein, being duly sworn, depose and state that I have read the foregoing Petition and that the statements contained herein are true and correct to the best of my knowledge, information, and belief.

I understand that making a false statement in this Petition may subject me to penalties for perjury under Alabama law.

Petitioner's Signature: ____________________________________

Date: [__/__/____]

STATE OF ALABAMA
COUNTY OF [________________________________]

Before me, the undersigned Notary Public in and for said County and State, personally appeared [________________________________], known to me (or proved to me on the basis of satisfactory evidence) to be the person whose name is subscribed to the within instrument, and acknowledged that they executed the same for the purposes therein contained.

Notary Public Signature: ____________________________________
Printed Name: [________________________________]
My Commission Expires: [__/__/____]

[NOTARY SEAL]

Order Granting Name Change

IN THE PROBATE COURT OF [________________________________] COUNTY, ALABAMA

In the Matter of the Name Change of:
[________________________________]

Case No.: [________________________________]

ORDER GRANTING CHANGE OF NAME

This matter having come before the Court upon the Petition of [________________________________] for a change of name, and the Court having reviewed the Petition, considered the evidence presented, and being otherwise fully advised in the premises;

THE COURT FINDS THAT:

1. The Petitioner has resided in the State of Alabama and in [________________________________] County for at least one (1) year preceding the filing of this Petition.

2. The Petitioner has shown sufficient reasons for the change of name.

3. The requested name change is consistent with the public interest.

4. No objections have been filed, or all objections have been heard and overruled.

IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED, ADJUDGED, AND DECREED that the name of the Petitioner is hereby changed from [________________________________] to [________________________________], effective as of the date of this Order.

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the Petitioner may use the new name in all legal and official documents, records, and transactions.

DONE AND ORDERED this [____] day of [________________], [____].

____________________________________
Probate Judge
[________________________________] County, Alabama

State-Specific Notes

Alabama Name Change Key Points

• Court: Adult name changes are filed in the Probate Court of the petitioner's county of residence.
• Residency Requirement: At least one (1) year in both the State of Alabama and the county of filing.
• Publication: Not required for standard adult name changes in Probate Court.
• Filing Fee: Varies by county; contact the Probate Court clerk for current fees.
• Hearing: A hearing before the Probate Judge is required.
• Sex Offender Restriction: Persons convicted of a sex offense or required to register as a sex offender are barred from obtaining a name change.
• Felony Restriction: Persons convicted of a felony may be barred from obtaining a name change.
• Pending Charges: Persons who are defendants in pending criminal cases may be barred from a name change.
• Minor Name Changes: Governed by Code of Alabama § 26-11-3; requires petition by a parent and may require consent of both parents and the child.
• Sealed Records: The court may seal a name change record where safety concerns exist (e.g., domestic violence victims).
• Fraudulent Purpose: The court will deny a petition if the name change is sought for a fraudulent purpose, to affect the rights of another person, or to cause deliberate confusion.

Sources and References

• Alabama Administrative Office of Courts — E-Forms
• Alabama Legal Help — Adult Name Changes
• Code of Alabama § 26-11-3 (Minor Name Change Upon Petition by Father)
• Code of Alabama § 12-13-1 (Probate Court Jurisdiction)