No matter what your reason is for changing your name, let our guide make the process as quick and straightforward as possible.
Find out more about legal name change
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by Carter Giegerich
Carter is an award-winning political journalist based in Western North Carolina with a background reporting on l...
Legally reviewed by Allison DeSantis, J.D.
Allison is the Director of Product Counsel at LegalZoom, advising and providing leadership to internal teams on the d...
Updated on: September 19, 2024 · 9 min read
Changing your name can be a big decision, but the process doesn’t have to be difficult if you understand what’s required up front. Depending on the reason for your name change and your individual circumstances, the process can take anywhere from a few days to several months to fully navigate.
If you’re about to get married and want to take your new spouse’s last name, your marriage certificate will be the most important document in completing the process.
Obtaining a marriage certificate is relatively straightforward in Michigan, and is done as part of the wedding ceremony and proceedings. In order to receive a marriage certificate, a couple must complete the following steps:
The applicants then have roughly 33 days to get married, complete the remainder of the certificate and return it to the county clerk’s office. For most government purposes, a certified copy of this completed marriage certificate serves as acceptable proof of a name change.
Once you have your marriage certificate in hand, you’ll need to update some important records to reflect the name change.
Once you have an updated ID and Social Security card, you can use those documents to update your records at financial institutions, employers, healthcare providers, and any other places that might need notice of your legal name change.
It’s best to wait at least 10 days before requesting a new ID or Social Security card in order to give your county’s Register of Deeds time to process and file your new marriage certificate.
In many cases, a change of name is one of the options a divorce settlement in the state of Michigan. If you want to resume using a prior surname, a qualified Michigan divorce attorney can help you make sure this change is included in the terms of your divorce.
In these instances, a finalized judgment of divorce—known as a divorce decree—serves as proof of a name change in the same way as a marriage certificate. The same steps should be taken following a divorce as with a marriage: Updating your Social Security information, driver's license, and any other relevant institutions to ensure your records are up-to-date.
If a name change was not included in the terms of your divorce, it is still possible to resume using your prior surname (or another surname of your choice) by filing a standard petition for name change with your county’s local circuit court. This process can also be used in the case of the death of a spouse.
If you wish to change your name for reasons other than a change in marital status, or you choose to change your name after a marriage certificate or judgment of divorce has been issued, the process can be a bit more complicated.
In order to approve a name change, Michigan law requires a legitimate reason for the proposed change. The stated reason must be non-fraudulent—e.g., you can’t change your name to avoid criminal prosecution—and ultimately it will be up to the Superior Court judge overseeing your petition to make that determination.
It’s important to note that, according to state law, applicants with a criminal history will be assumed to be changing their name with fraudulent intent and must demonstrate otherwise for their petition to be approved.
The process for changing a minor’s name in Michigan depends on whether the name change is being requested by the minor individually, or in conjunction with an adult’s petition.
If a minor is over the age of 14 and wishes to legally change their name, they will usually need signed consent from both parents. In cases where one parent is unable to consent for medical or legal reasons, the consent of the parent who serves as the minor’s primary caregiver will suffice. If both parents are deceased or otherwise unable to give consent, the minor’s legal guardian may consent on their behalf.
Minors under the age of 14 are not typically allowed to file their own petition for name change in the state of Michigan, although their name can still be changed as part of a parent or guardian’s petition.
In cases where a parent wishes to change their child’s name to reflect their own name change, they may do so by simply indicating as much in the corresponding field of their petition. Minors over the age of 14 are required to give written consent to the change. The judge reviewing the petition may also consider the wishes of a child under the age of 14 in cases where they deem the child is able to express a preference.
A change of name for a minor for any reason usually requires the consent of any parents who are able to provide it, but Michigan law does offer some exceptions. Consent is not required from a parent who has been charged with a crime relating to abuse or neglect of the minor in question, or who has either physically, financially, or emotionally abandoned the minor for a period of two or more years.
If you are seeking a name change for a child or dependent minor and anticipate complications related to another parent or guardian, it may be appropriate to consult with a legal expert in your area about the best way to navigate the situation.
Upon approval of a name change petition, the minor’s parents or guardians should take steps to update any relevant records with educational institutions, healthcare providers, the SSA, and any other agencies who regularly interact with the minor.
Once your name is legally changed, you’ll want to do a thorough inventory of all the information you need to update with your new name.
Government agencies like the SSA, United States Department of State, and Michigan Department of Health and Human Services will need to be updated to receive new, accurate forms of identification and documents like a new Social Security card, passport, and birth certificate. Financial institutions like banks and credit card agencies will also need to be updated promptly following a name change.
Next, check to make sure you update files with your employer, organizations to which you belong, and any relevant online accounts. You’ll also want to inform important people in your personal life, especially in instances where they might not already be aware of the change.
For a comprehensive list of who to update and when, check out our complete name change checklist.
The cost of a name change can vary widely depending on your reason for petitioning. If your name change is requested as part of a change in marital status, the cost of changing is often included in the costs already associated with your marriage or divorce.
If you’re seeking a name change for other reasons, the filing fee for a petition is $175 and the cost of a background check is typically between $40-50. There is an additional $10 fee to finalize the order for a name change if your petition is approved.
In cases where these expenses represent an undue burden on an applicant, they may apply for a waiver of fees with the court system which might alleviate some or all of the costs associated with changing their name. If you decide to hire an attorney or use an online legal service like LegalZoom, your cost will likely be a little higher.
Changing your name in Michigan can take anywhere from a couple of weeks to four months or longer, depending on your individual circumstances.
If your petition requires a criminal background check, that process can add a significant amount of time if there is a backlog of applications needing to be reviewed.
There is also a wait associated with the publication requirements of your district—some courts require publication of your intent to change names two weeks prior to a court hearing, while some require up to 8 weeks prior notice.
Barring any major issues with court schedules and background checks, you can usually expect the entire process to take between 2 and 10 weeks to complete.
Aside from restrictions on how and when minors can change their names, the biggest restriction on a name change petition involves fraud or criminal intent. It’s illegal to change your name in order to impersonate another person or intentionally create confusion about your identity for criminal purposes. For this reason, anyone requesting a standard name change will need to undergo a criminal background check with local police, Michigan state police, and the FBI.
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