Written by NotALawyer Legal AI · Reviewed by External Legal AI · Published April 7, 2026 · Last reviewed June 26, 2026
Changing your name — after marriage, divorce, gender transition, or just because — is mostly paperwork, and most people do it without a lawyer. Steps vary by state but follow the same path: file with the court, pay a fee, sometimes attend a short hearing, then update your IDs.
Get the petition form (a standard court form) for the county where you live. Fill in your current name, your new name, the reason, and basic personal details. File it with the court.
Court filing fees vary by county, usually $150-$500. Can't afford it? Most courts grant fee waivers for low-income filers. Some states also require you to publish the change in a local newspaper, which adds a cost.
Some states schedule a brief hearing where a judge signs off; others are paperwork-only. When there is a hearing, it usually runs 5-10 minutes.
Changing your name through marriage or divorce usually needs no separate court petition. Your marriage certificate or divorce decree is the legal basis for the change.
With the order in hand, update your Social Security card (free), driver's license, passport, bank accounts, employer records, and other official documents. Do Social Security first — most agencies want the updated card before they'll change their records.
More on this topic: the Going to Court hub
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