- 1). Complete a public notice in your local town or city newspaper with your intent to apply for a legal name change. The notice will have your current name and the new name you desire. You must publish this notice in the paper for at least five weeks; it must be published up to six weeks before your court date, and it will cost a fee (contact the publication for fee amount). Make sure to receive a "Certificate of Publication" from the newspaper verifying your public notice.
You do not have to publish a public notice if you're changing the last name of a minor child, or if you're a spouse changing your last name after marriage or divorce. - 2). Go to your circuit courthouse in the county in which you reside and complete and submit a "Petition to Change a Name," a "New Case Information Sheet," and turn in your "Certificate of Publication" with the Clerk of Court. You must submit a filing fee of anywhere from $175 to $350 (depending upon the county), and a court hearing will be scheduled.
If you're changing your last name after marriage, you'll need to bring only a copy of your marriage license. To change back to their maiden name after a divorce, women are required only to show a certified copy of the divorce decree. - 3). Appear in court before a judge. You must bring your birth certificate, identification card or Social Security card to court with you (or, if applicable, a marriage certificate or divorce decree). You must also swear that the petition to change your last name is not intended to defraud or avoid legal responsibilities.
If a minor child is requesting a name change, a guardian or parent must be present, and the judge may ask the child in person why a name change has been requested. Once the judge approves, he will sign the order to change the last name. - 4). Order the number of copies you need of the signed, certified court order from the court. Each copy will cost about $9. You will usually need a copy for the Social Security office, the Department of Motor Vehicles, educational institutions, and any financial institutions.
- 5). Take the signed order, your current driver's license or other identification to the local Social Security office and receive a new Social Security card. There is no fee for this.
- 6). Present both the court order and the Social Security card within 30 days of your name change to the DMV. You must change your name on your driver's license or ID card at a DMV facility, and you'll be charged $5.
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