Name Change Petition - California

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

California requires the use of official Judicial Council form NC-100 (Petition for Change
of Name) for name change petitions. This template provides the substantive legal content to
help you prepare — but you must transfer your content to the official form before filing.
The official form is available at
selfhelp.courts.ca.gov. 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. Publication Requirement
8. Notice to Interested Parties
9. Declaration and Verification
10. Order to Show Cause
11. Order Granting Name Change
12. State-Specific Notes

Caption

SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA
COUNTY OF [________________________________]

In the Matter of the Petition of:

[________________________________]
(Current Legal Name of Petitioner)

For Change of Name

Case No.: [________________________________]

PETITION FOR CHANGE OF NAME

(California Code of Civil Procedure §§ 1275-1278)

TO THE HONORABLE COURT:

Petitioner, [________________________________], respectfully petitions this Court pursuant to California Code of Civil Procedure §§ 1275 et seq. 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/Country): [________________________________]

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, California, and resides within the jurisdiction of this Court.

11. Petitioner's current physical address is:
    [________________________________]
    [________________________________]

Grounds for Name Change

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

☐ Marriage or domestic partnership
☐ Divorce or dissolution of marriage/domestic partnership
☐ Personal preference
☐ Gender identity / to conform name to 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 not sought for any fraudulent or illegal purpose, including but not limited to evading debts, obligations, or legal actions, or to commit identity fraud.

Criminal History Disclosure

15. 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: [________________________________]

16. Sex Offender Registry Status:

☐ Petitioner is NOT required to register as a sex offender under California Penal Code § 290 or the law of any other jurisdiction.
☐ Petitioner IS required to register as a sex offender. Details: [________________________________]

17. Pending Criminal Charges:

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

Publication Requirement

18. Petitioner understands the publication requirements under CCP 1277:

☐ Standard Publication: Petitioner will publish the Order to Show Cause once per week for four (4) consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in the county prior to the hearing date.

☐ Publication Waiver — Gender Identity: Petitioner requests a waiver of the publication requirement pursuant to CCP 1277.5, as this name change is sought to conform Petitioner's name to Petitioner's gender identity, and Petitioner's petition so states.

☐ Publication Waiver — Safety Concerns: Petitioner requests a waiver of the publication requirement due to safety concerns (e.g., domestic violence, stalking) and files the Confidential Name Change petition pursuant to CCP 1277(b) and Address Confidentiality Program (California Secretary of State).

19. Name of newspaper selected for publication (if applicable): [________________________________]

Notice to Interested Parties

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

☐ There are no interested parties who need to be notified beyond the publication requirement.

Declaration and Verification

I, [________________________________], the Petitioner herein, declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of California that the foregoing is true and correct.

Petitioner's Signature: ____________________________________

Date: [__/__/____]

City and County: [________________________________], California

Order to Show Cause

SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA
COUNTY OF [________________________________]

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

Case No.: [________________________________]

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME

A Petition having been filed by [________________________________] for a decree changing the name of said Petitioner from [________________________________] to [________________________________];

IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that all persons interested in this matter appear before this Court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted.

HEARING DATE: [__/__/____]
TIME: [____]
DEPARTMENT: [____]
ADDRESS: [________________________________]

☐ A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation: [________________________________]

☐ Publication is waived pursuant to CCP 1277.5.

DATED: [__/__/____]

____________________________________
Superior Court Judge

Order Granting Name Change

SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA
COUNTY OF [________________________________]

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

Case No.: [________________________________]

DECREE CHANGING NAME

This matter having come before the Court on the Petition of [________________________________] for a change of name, and the Court having reviewed the Petition and the Order to Show Cause, received proof of publication (or waiver thereof), heard any objections, and being fully satisfied;

THE COURT FINDS THAT:

1. All legal requirements have been satisfied.

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

3. The requested name change is not sought for any improper purpose.

4. No valid objections have been sustained.

IT IS HEREBY ORDERED AND DECREED that the name of the Petitioner is changed from [________________________________] to [________________________________], effective as of the date of this Decree.

☐ IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the court file shall be sealed.

DATED: [__/__/____]

____________________________________
Superior Court Judge
County of [________________________________]

State-Specific Notes

California Name Change Key Points

• Court: Superior Court of the county where the petitioner resides.
• Statutory Authority: CCP §§ 1275-1279.6.
• Official Forms: NC-100 (Petition for Change of Name), NC-110 (Name and Information About the Person Whose Name Is to Be Changed — Attachment to the Petition), NC-120 (Order to Show Cause—Change of Name), NC-130 (Decree Changing Name). To conform a name to gender identity, use form NC-200 (not NC-100); to also recognize a change of gender, use NC-300 (adult) or NC-500 (minor).
• Residency Requirement: Must reside in the county of filing; no specific minimum duration. Effective Jan. 1, 2023 (AB 218), a person who does not live in California may petition the superior court of the county where a California birth certificate or marriage certificate was issued, for a name change on that record (CCP § 1276(g)).
• Publication: Required — a copy of the Order to Show Cause is published once per week for four (4) successive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in the county (CCP § 1277(a)(3)).
• Publication Waiver (Gender Identity): CCP § 1277.5 exempts a petition to conform the petitioner's name to their gender identity from any publication requirement.
• Publication Waiver (Safety): A petition is exempt from publication where the petitioner is a Safe at Home (Address Confidentiality Program) participant and alleges a qualifying reason — to avoid domestic violence, stalking, sexual assault, or human trafficking (CCP § 1277(b)); the proposed name is kept confidential on file with the Secretary of State.
• Hearing: The order to show cause sets an appearance not less than 6 nor more than 12 weeks after the order is made (CCP § 1277(a)(1)); if no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing (CCP § 1278(a)(2)).
• Filing Fee: Approximately $435-$450; fee waiver available (Form FW-001).
• Sex Offender Requirement: Under CCP § 1279.5(e), the court shall deny a petition by a person required to register as a sex offender under Penal Code § 290 unless it determines that granting it is in the interest of justice and will not adversely affect public safety. Every petitioner must declare under penalty of perjury whether they are a PC § 290 registrant, and the court verifies through CLETS/CJIS. If a change is granted for a registrant, that person must, within five working days, notify the chief of police of the city where they reside (or the sheriff, if in an unincorporated area).
• Minor Name Changes: Require consent of both parents (or service on non-consenting parent); use Form NC-100 with additional attachments.
• Sealed Records: Court may seal records for safety concerns.

Sources and References

• California Code of Civil Procedure §§ 1275-1279.6
• California Secretary of State — Confidential Name Change Law
• California Courts — Name Change Forms
• EZ Name Change — California Laws