How to Change Your Name in Texas
Determine if you need a court order., Meet the age requirement., Get your fingerprints taken., Locate the county where you should file your name change petition., Find the required form., Fill out the forms., Sign the petition in the presence of a...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Determine if you need a court order.
You may not need to apply for a court order to legally change your name in some circumstances.If you changed your surname as part of your application for a marriage license, you do not need a court order to make that surname your legal name.
The new surname you gave on your marriage license application is your legal surname.
If you changed your surname when you got divorced, your new legal name should be included in the Final Decree of Divorce. -
Step 2: Meet the age requirement.
You must be at least 18 years old to change your name.
Individuals younger than 18 must go through the process of changing a child’s name, and must provide parental or legal guardian consent (see Method 2 of this article)., You must submit your fingerprints to the Texas Department of Public Safety and the FBI to get a legal name change in Texas.
This is part of a criminal background check that must be performed before you can apply for a name change.The fee is $15 for the DPS and $14.75 for the FBI, for a total of $29.75.
You can pay via cashier’s check, certified check, personal check, or money order payable to “Texas DPS.”Call your local County Court Clerk’s office to find out where to have fingerprints taken.
Many Sheriff’s offices and police departments will provide this service.
You can also visit the website identogo.com and opt to be fingerprinted at a “Print and Go” location.
Select the “fingerprint cards” option.Mail fingerprints and payment to:
Texas Department of Public Safety, Central Cash Receiving, PO Box 15999, Austin, Texas, 78761-5999. , You must file your petition in the county in which you live.
If you do not know which county you live in, you can call your local post office and ask.
Online searches can also give you this information.
Your county should be listed on your voter registration card, if you have one. , You need two forms to change your name as an adult.
You may be able to obtain these forms from your local county court.
You can also use online templates or PDFs, as long as they provide the necessary information.Original Petition for Change of Name of an Adult.
This is the form you will fill out to apply for your name change.
Order Granting Change of Name of an Adult.
This is the form the judge will sign when your name change is granted.
Do not sign this form until the judge approves your name change.
The Texas Young Lawyer’s Association Guide to Name Changes has examples of these forms.The University of North Texas has a downloadable PDF copy of the Original Petition for Change of Name of Adult form and the Order Granting Change of Name.The Collins County Law Library also provides copies of the forms., You can use the downloadable PDFs from UNT, or you can use the template to copy and paste the necessary information into a blank word processing document.Do not sign the forms yet.
The petition must include the following information:
Your current legal name and place of residence Your sex, race, date of birth, and social security number The full name you are requesting The reason you are requesting a name change Whether you have been convicted of a felony Whether you must register as a sex offender in Texas Your driver’s license number(s) for all licenses issued within the past 10 years Any assigned FBI number, state ID number, or other reference number in a criminal history record system (or a reasonable explanation of why you cannot provide this information) Any offense above a Class C misdemeanor for which you were charged, or a statement that you have never been charged The case number and the court if an arrest warrant was issued or a charging instrument was filed or presented for any offenses listed in the previous step Fingerprints on a fingerprint card , Your information must be verified to apply for a name change.
You can verify this information by providing a notary with appropriate identification and signing the form in his or her presence.
Do not sign the Order Granting Name Change.
This must be signed by a judge first.
You can find notaries at most large banks during regular business hours.
If you hold an account at the bank, the notary will usually witness and sign your form for free.
If you do not have an account, you may be charged a small fee.
The Texas Secretary of State has a search feature that can help you find a local notary., Make several copies of your petition and your fingerprint card.
You will file the originals with your County Court Clerk’s office.Once you have made copies, staple the original fingerprint card to your notarized Petition form., You must file your name change petition in the county in which you live.
You can find your court’s information by looking online or looking in the phone book.
Bring your notarized petition, your fingerprint card, your copy of your form, and a form of photo ID.You do not need to make an appointment.
Just go to the court during its normal operating hours. , You can expect to pay a filing fee of between $250-$300.Have the Court clerk file-stamp your personal copy of the form.
If you cannot afford this fee, you may apply to pay it in installments or request a waiver of the fee.
Once you file your petition, a date for your court hearing will be set.
You may be able to schedule your own hearing. , Ask your County Clerk’s Office where and when you should go to your hearing.Bring the Order Granting Change of Name of an Adult form with you for the judge to sign.
The Order must contain all of the information in the Petition.
It must also state that your name change is in the public interest and will benefit you.
You must attest that you are not changing your name for fraudulent reasons.In some counties, you will need to pick up your file from the County Clerk’s Office and bring it with you to your court hearing.
Check with your Clerk’s office before attending your hearing. , To prove that your name change is to your benefit and in the public interest, you may be required to provide a sworn statement in front of the judge.
This statement attests that all the information you have provided is true.
It also gives your reason for requesting your name change.The University of North Texas provides a sample “prove-up” script you can use to prepare your statement.Use respect when addressing the court.
The court must grant your name change if you can demonstrate that you are not a convicted felon, are not required to register as a sex offender, and that your name change will benefit you and is in the public interest.The court may make exceptions for convicted felons or individuals who must register as sex offenders.
However, these exceptions are at the judge’s discretion.
You may wish to have an attorney help you prepare your petition if any of these situations apply to you., If the judge approves your petition, s/he will sign the Order you provided.
You must then file the signed Order in your district or county clerk’s office.
Once the Clerk’s Office has stamped the signed order, your name change is official.You may request a certified copy of the name change order from your court.
You may be required to provide this copy for some name change procedures with various institutions (banks, lenders, etc.). -
Step 3: Get your fingerprints taken.
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Step 4: Locate the county where you should file your name change petition.
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Step 5: Find the required form.
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Step 6: Fill out the forms.
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Step 7: Sign the petition in the presence of a notary.
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Step 8: Make copies of your documents before filing your petition.
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Step 9: Go to the courthouse in your county of residence.
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Step 10: Pay the filing fee.
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Step 11: Attend your court hearing.
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Step 12: Testify.
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Step 13: File the signed order from the judge.
Detailed Guide
You may not need to apply for a court order to legally change your name in some circumstances.If you changed your surname as part of your application for a marriage license, you do not need a court order to make that surname your legal name.
The new surname you gave on your marriage license application is your legal surname.
If you changed your surname when you got divorced, your new legal name should be included in the Final Decree of Divorce.
You must be at least 18 years old to change your name.
Individuals younger than 18 must go through the process of changing a child’s name, and must provide parental or legal guardian consent (see Method 2 of this article)., You must submit your fingerprints to the Texas Department of Public Safety and the FBI to get a legal name change in Texas.
This is part of a criminal background check that must be performed before you can apply for a name change.The fee is $15 for the DPS and $14.75 for the FBI, for a total of $29.75.
You can pay via cashier’s check, certified check, personal check, or money order payable to “Texas DPS.”Call your local County Court Clerk’s office to find out where to have fingerprints taken.
Many Sheriff’s offices and police departments will provide this service.
You can also visit the website identogo.com and opt to be fingerprinted at a “Print and Go” location.
Select the “fingerprint cards” option.Mail fingerprints and payment to:
Texas Department of Public Safety, Central Cash Receiving, PO Box 15999, Austin, Texas, 78761-5999. , You must file your petition in the county in which you live.
If you do not know which county you live in, you can call your local post office and ask.
Online searches can also give you this information.
Your county should be listed on your voter registration card, if you have one. , You need two forms to change your name as an adult.
You may be able to obtain these forms from your local county court.
You can also use online templates or PDFs, as long as they provide the necessary information.Original Petition for Change of Name of an Adult.
This is the form you will fill out to apply for your name change.
Order Granting Change of Name of an Adult.
This is the form the judge will sign when your name change is granted.
Do not sign this form until the judge approves your name change.
The Texas Young Lawyer’s Association Guide to Name Changes has examples of these forms.The University of North Texas has a downloadable PDF copy of the Original Petition for Change of Name of Adult form and the Order Granting Change of Name.The Collins County Law Library also provides copies of the forms., You can use the downloadable PDFs from UNT, or you can use the template to copy and paste the necessary information into a blank word processing document.Do not sign the forms yet.
The petition must include the following information:
Your current legal name and place of residence Your sex, race, date of birth, and social security number The full name you are requesting The reason you are requesting a name change Whether you have been convicted of a felony Whether you must register as a sex offender in Texas Your driver’s license number(s) for all licenses issued within the past 10 years Any assigned FBI number, state ID number, or other reference number in a criminal history record system (or a reasonable explanation of why you cannot provide this information) Any offense above a Class C misdemeanor for which you were charged, or a statement that you have never been charged The case number and the court if an arrest warrant was issued or a charging instrument was filed or presented for any offenses listed in the previous step Fingerprints on a fingerprint card , Your information must be verified to apply for a name change.
You can verify this information by providing a notary with appropriate identification and signing the form in his or her presence.
Do not sign the Order Granting Name Change.
This must be signed by a judge first.
You can find notaries at most large banks during regular business hours.
If you hold an account at the bank, the notary will usually witness and sign your form for free.
If you do not have an account, you may be charged a small fee.
The Texas Secretary of State has a search feature that can help you find a local notary., Make several copies of your petition and your fingerprint card.
You will file the originals with your County Court Clerk’s office.Once you have made copies, staple the original fingerprint card to your notarized Petition form., You must file your name change petition in the county in which you live.
You can find your court’s information by looking online or looking in the phone book.
Bring your notarized petition, your fingerprint card, your copy of your form, and a form of photo ID.You do not need to make an appointment.
Just go to the court during its normal operating hours. , You can expect to pay a filing fee of between $250-$300.Have the Court clerk file-stamp your personal copy of the form.
If you cannot afford this fee, you may apply to pay it in installments or request a waiver of the fee.
Once you file your petition, a date for your court hearing will be set.
You may be able to schedule your own hearing. , Ask your County Clerk’s Office where and when you should go to your hearing.Bring the Order Granting Change of Name of an Adult form with you for the judge to sign.
The Order must contain all of the information in the Petition.
It must also state that your name change is in the public interest and will benefit you.
You must attest that you are not changing your name for fraudulent reasons.In some counties, you will need to pick up your file from the County Clerk’s Office and bring it with you to your court hearing.
Check with your Clerk’s office before attending your hearing. , To prove that your name change is to your benefit and in the public interest, you may be required to provide a sworn statement in front of the judge.
This statement attests that all the information you have provided is true.
It also gives your reason for requesting your name change.The University of North Texas provides a sample “prove-up” script you can use to prepare your statement.Use respect when addressing the court.
The court must grant your name change if you can demonstrate that you are not a convicted felon, are not required to register as a sex offender, and that your name change will benefit you and is in the public interest.The court may make exceptions for convicted felons or individuals who must register as sex offenders.
However, these exceptions are at the judge’s discretion.
You may wish to have an attorney help you prepare your petition if any of these situations apply to you., If the judge approves your petition, s/he will sign the Order you provided.
You must then file the signed Order in your district or county clerk’s office.
Once the Clerk’s Office has stamped the signed order, your name change is official.You may request a certified copy of the name change order from your court.
You may be required to provide this copy for some name change procedures with various institutions (banks, lenders, etc.).
About the Author
Beverly Collins
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow home improvement tutorials.
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