How much does it cost to change your name?

How much does it cost to change your name? The answer to that depends on the state you live in, but generally, you can expect to pay $100 to $400 in court costs. What typically costs the most is the filing fee.

If you're used to your name, the idea of changing it may seem a little unreal, but there are often very good reasons to decide that you want to be called something else, even beyond the typical scenarios of marriage, divorce and adoption.

Some common reasons that people file a petition to change their name include feeling as if their name is too ordinary—or perhaps it feels too unusual, and nobody seems to be able to spell it. Or maybe you're making a gender change, or your current name simply no longer feels right to you. However, unlike taking on a nickname, you can't automatically change your legal name.

To legally change your name will require spending some money, and it can be a bit of a time-consuming legal process that involves filling out some forms and setting a petition so that the court or, as is the case in Louisiana, the office of the district attorney can set a date for a hearing to determine whether you can be given a new legal name.

Whether you have practical or personal reasons for changing your name, you'll probably feel it’s well worth the time and money.

Average costs of name changes

The cost to change your name is similar across most states and usually ranges from around $100 to $400. For instance, in Maryland, the filing fee is $165. On the lower end of the price spectrum is Hawaii, where you’ll spend $50 (as well as a couple extra fees, priced at $1 and $5). In California, the filing fee is between $435 and $450. (If you can’t afford that, you may be able to get the court costs waived if you ask the judge.)  In Louisiana, you may possibly spend over $500.

What’s more, due to state laws and county-specific regulations, a filing fee may vary throughout a state. For instance, in Ohio’s Clark County, you'll spend $89 to change your name. About 200 miles away, in Ohio's Mahoning County, it costs $134.

How much does it cost to legally change your name after marriage or divorce?

Many people change their last names upon becoming wedded partners and receiving their marriage certificate. In the case of a divorce decree, you may be looking at filing a name change petition. Some people will keep their married name, and some will change it back to their premarital name. The expense to change your name can be relatively low, though sometimes a filing fee is involved, which could be several hundred dollars.

After marriage

To legally change your name after marriage is usually as simple as filing paperwork with the Social Security Administration and listing your desired name on the marriage license. You’ll typically pay the fee for the marriage license, which is often under $100. You’ll also need to factor in the filing fee for a name change request, which is usually between $100 and $400.

After divorce

Some people choose to return to their original last names after their marriage ends, and some don’t. All you need to do is request the name change during the divorce proceedings. The judge should include the change on your divorce decree at no additional charge. That said, if you wait until after the divorce proceedings and later decide to change your last name, you'll likely pay a fee.

Additional fees

Whether you’re newly married or divorced, keep in mind some common reasons that more fees might crop up as you get new paperwork, including:

• You’ll want to get a new Social Security card. You’ll need one with your new legal name. There is no charge for this.
• You’ll also want your driver's license or photo ID to have your new legal name. There will be a fee; how much depends on where you live.
• You’ll want to change your voter's registration (you can often do that when you apply at the DMV for a driver's license). There will be no charge for this.
• You may want to change your passport. There won't a fee for this, unless you are expediting it.
• For some people, usually somebody who has gone through a gender change, they may want to change their name on their birth certificate. It can be done, and people have the legal right to, but it can be another lengthy process requiring another court order and setting a date for another hearing.

How much does it cost to legally change your name in other circumstances?

Changing your name legally for reasons other than marriage or divorce typically won’t cost much more, though it can. The process to file a petition for a name change can vary depending on the state you live in. The steps involved for changing your name, in situations other than getting married or divorced, are generally as follows:

Step 1 - Pay filing fee

Just as you do with a marriage or divorce, you will pay a filing fee, usually in a clerk's office at your local courthouse. The price will vary. For instance, in Florida, it generally costs $400 for a name change. In Kansas, it's $166. But sometimes you’ll find that the cost is different simply depending on which county you live in.

Step 2 - File petition

Unlike in a marriage or divorce, you’ll likely need to ask for a court-ordered name change and will need to petition to change your current name. Something else to take note of: The process may also involve filing an affidavit that must be signed and attested by the judicial magistrate or a local notary public. Some states allow name changes via an online application, allowing you to skip visiting a clerk's office.

It may sound silly, on the surface, that you need to go to the office of your county clerk and convince a judge to allow you to change your own name, but there are occasionally reasons for the law to forbid it. For instance, if you’re trying to get out of paying a debt, or you have a criminal record, and you want to start over with a new name, you’ll likely not be allowed to change your name.

Step 3 - Final steps

You may have to incur additional fees, such as for background checks (to make sure you aren’t, say, running from the law) and copies of your name change court order. There may also be the cost of publishing your name change in a local newspaper.

That’s not the case for every state, however. Requiring individuals to publish name changes in the local newspaper is a tradition that used to serve as something of a background check. If you changed your name and somebody you owed money to saw your new name mentioned in the local paper, they would know who to track down.

But with some people changing their names for deeply personal reasons, such as a transgendered citizen, certain states, like New Jersey, have stopped requiring people to publish their name change in the paper.

You may also want to hire a legal professional. A family attorney can act as a resource as you go through this name change process and request a court order to change your name. They can help you file a petition in the clerk's office as well as help you with any important documents or potential issues with a name change, such as aiding you in getting out of having your new name published in the local newspaper if you’d prefer that stay private.

After you petition for your name change, an attorney could also accompany you for your court hearing with the judge. They also might be able to give you guidance if, for instance, your child wants to change their name and a divorced spouse won’t give their consent.

Costs after your legal name change

Once the court order is passed and you have a certified copy of your new court-ordered name, the name-changing process continues. That is, you will want to budget for some additional expenses as you get the rest of the world caught up with this exciting development in your life. You should do the following basic steps soon so you don’t run into problems later.

Social Security card

Cost: $0

It won’t cost you anything to change your name on your Social Security card, but it’s important to remember to do it, which is why we’re highlighting it here.

You can change the name on your Social Security card while doing the name change for your driver's license. You fill out Form SS-5 or the application for a Social Security Card, and you can go to your nearest Social Security Administration location and file the form in a clerk's office. When you go to your local Social Security office, be sure to bring in a form of identification like a driver's license, original birth certificate, or passport, along with proof of name change. All documents must be original.

Driver’s license

Cost: Usually between $25 and $50, but it depends on the state you live in.

It is very important to legally change your name on other important documents like your driver's license. Most states allow a person to make a name change on the driver's license via an online application. You must present at least one of the following important documents proving your legal name change:

• marriage certificate
• divorce decree
• certificate of naturalization
• court order

Passport 

Cost: possibly $0 or $60

If you’ve changed your name and want a new passport from the U.S. Department of State, you shouldn’t have to part with any cash unless you want the passport as soon as possible and expedited, in which case you’ll pay $60.

Voter registration

Cost: $0

If you don’t do it now, when you show up at the polling location, you may have trouble providing proof that you are who you say you are if you haven't registered with your new name. Fortunately, there is no fee for alerting your state or local agency, probably your county board of elections, that you’ve changed your name and will need to update your voter registration.

Fee waivers and assistance

If you can’t afford to pay a fee when you file a petition to get your name changed, you may be able to secure a filing fee waiver. Sometimes, it's referred to as IFP,  which stands for “In Forma Pauperis,” a Latin term meaning "in the manner of a pauper."

As you’ve probably guessed, your finances typically have to be pretty stretched to get the waiver. If you’re on government assistance or your household income is 125% or less than the current poverty level, the waiver will likely be granted. You might also be able to discuss your finances with the judge and have the filing charge waived regardless, however.

FAQs

How much does it cost to change your name?

If you want to change your name, the cost will depend on the state you live in, but expect to pay several hundred dollars. You can be pleasantly surprised if it’s less. Changing your legal name is quite a process, one that involves filling out legal documents and sometimes involves petitioning a court to grant you a name change.

Is it expensive to do a name change in the U.S.?

The fees you'll pay depend on the state you live in, and it's a process that will take several weeks, at least. Some states, like Louisiana, charge about $500 for a filing fee to change your legal name. On the other hand, in Michigan, fees are quite a bit less. You'll pay $150.

How long does it take to change your legal name?

It depends on the state that you live in, but the name change process generally takes several weeks and at least 30 days. You will have to file a request with the county clerk, and then a judge will have a hearing, and you'll learn if your name change petition was approved.

Can you change your legal name if you don’t like it?

There are some instances in which a judge will not approve a name change, and that's generally if the court feels that the person is trying to change their name for a nefarious reason, such as avoiding paying debts that you owe. Still, in most cases, people can change last names, first names, and middle names without an issue, although there are fees to pay, forms to fill out, and a date to set for a court hearing.

How old do you have to be to change your legal name?

If you’re 18 years old, no matter what state you live in, you will likely have no trouble getting a judge to approve changing your name, though you will have to go through the legal process of filling out forms and going through the court to get your legal name changed. If you’re under 18, that’s where you’ll have different forms to fill out, and your state will likely require the consent of at least one parent.

If one parent doesn’t consent to changing a child's name or perhaps has disappeared and stopped paying child support, that all can complicate the picture, but that doesn’t mean it’ll be impossible to change your legal name. There will likely be a court hearing, and you’ll want to consider hiring an attorney. If you are a minor and you want to change your last name so that it's the same as your legal guardian, and your parents are deceased, you would need to furnish proof of that and provide death certificates to the court.