Legal Name Change

How to change your legal name

You must go through the courts to legally change your name or a child's name. With marriage or divorce it is straightforward for a name change to be included with either the marriage certificate or the divorce decree. Outside of marriage or divorce you will need to complete a name change with your county court system by doing the following:

1. Complete the TotalLegal Legal Name Change process.
2. File the documents with your court clerk and pay the court filing fee.
3. Attend a hearing where a judge finalizes your name change.

Your state may require additional steps such as publishing a notice in a local newspapers about your change of name or possibly getting fingerprinted.

Common reasons for changing your legal name

• Personal Choice.  You may simply not like your name or may want a name that is more easily spelled or pronounced. With TotalLegal, you can change your last name, first name and/or middle name.
• Change a Child's Name.  The absence of a parent in a child's life, changes in parental rights/custody, and paternity determinations are among the most common reasons to change a child's name.
• Share a Last Name.  Couples may want to create a hyphenated or entirely new last name for themselves.
• Divorce.  If you took your spouse's last name upon marriage, you may want to resume a former name if you separate or divorce. In most states, it is easy to include a name change in your Divorce Decree.

Fraud and Name Changes.  The court will not grant a name change that is requested for a fraudulent or illegal purpose such as evading criminal prosecution or a civil lawsuit, avoiding creditors, or identity theft.

TotalLegal™ has helped over 1 million people nationwide make essential documents themselves.