The first step is to fill out all the correct California name change forms, which you can download from the California courts website. The name change forms you need are the Change of Name Application (Form NC-100), the Schedule to the Change of Name Application (Form NC-110), the Order Indicating the Reason for the Name Change (Form NC-120), and a cover page for civil matters (Form CM-010). Some courts may also ask you to fill out local forms, such as a criminal history form. Check with your local clerk and ask if there are any other name change forms you need to fill out. Click here to find your local clerk. While the steps listed above are the biggest steps you`ll need to take for a name change in California, don`t forget about the small tasks as well. We described them all in our full name change 101. FYI, services like HitchSwitch can also help with all the little things. They have fact sheets on name changes on social media and beyond. Because of the lawsuit, California civil name changes require a court hearing. If your application is filed, the court will set a hearing date for about 6 weeks later and write it on your documents. As this is a mandatory courtroom appearance, court reporters are present. The court charges a fee for court reporters time to document and report your case.
These fees may be waived in the same manner as the costs of first appearance before the court. If you have completed an application for relief from court fees and it is approved, it will also cover the court reporter fee of $30.00. If your divorce is final and filed in California, contact a clerk in your county and provide them with your divorce information. Inform the person of your file number, the name of the case (names of both parties) and the date of the order, judgment or filing (if possible). If you have a copy of your completed Notice of Judgment Registration, give it to the clerk of the court as well. Finally, complete an ex parte application for reinstatement of the old name after the judgment and order has been registered and submit it to the case officer (attach an addressed and stamped envelope if you submit it by mail). The option to change your last name exists when you sign your license documents. However, to ensure the legality of the change, contact the Social Security Administration and a local California DMV to see if they accept your marriage certificate or certificate as proof of the change. They may request additional review in the form of a court order.
In this case, your name can only be changed through the standard California adult name change procedure. If you changed your name when you got married, but want to revert to your old name after your divorce, you can apply to have your name changed as part of the final divorce decree. If you do, a certified copy of the divorce decree is usually enough to change your name on all your official documents. Publication notice: Many states require you to publish a notice of name change in a newspaper. These types of communications are published in the « Legal Notice » section. The judge can tell you where to publish your notice, or you can choose. To change the name on your California driver`s license, you must notify the Social Security Administration (SSA) and update your Social Security card. You can do this by filling out an application for a Social Security card and sending it in person or by mail to an SSA office in your district. The application must be accompanied by the following documents: As in any other state, your marriage certificate is the key to changing your last name in California.
The first step to getting one? Application for a marriage certificate. If you are getting married in California, you must both report to the office of a local district official with valid photo identification. Some counties require additional paperwork, so always call your nearest office and ask them what they need from you. (FYI, you`ll find all offices in our California print editions.) You should also inquire about fees, as these also vary by region. Finally, find out what type of name change you intend to make. Do you take your spouse`s last name? Do you combine the two? Create something completely new? The legal process might be different depending on your needs – and may even require a court order. This will tell you how to complete your license. To legally change your name so that you can change your official documents, you will need a certified copy of a court order. You will get it at your name change hearing after being approved by a Supreme Court justice.
The certified copy is what Social Security, school administration, DMV, and other major government and tax agencies want to see. Every step you need to take to get that certified copy comes at a cost. For help preparing documents for your name change, visit our California Legal Records Assistants here. Name changes in court are usually not contested, but if you expect to want to consult a regular lawyer first to discuss what they can do to represent you in the courtroom. For those who want a quick overview of the California name change process, we have a quick reference that provides high-level insight to quickly identify requirements, timelines, costs and more for your California name change. If you don`t want to know all aspects of a California name change case as described below, you can quickly see a high-level overview here. If you`d like to learn more about any of the things listed in the California Name Change Quick Reference, you`ll find them all in this article. If the other parent objects to the change of the child`s name, the judge will allow the other parent to indicate the reasons for their objection. The judge then decides whether the change is in the best interests of the child or not. If you don`t know where the other parent is, you`ll have to make a serious effort to find them, and if you can`t, you`ll probably have to post a notice about the name change in a newspaper. An adult in California can change their name by filing a name change petition in Superior Court. Following the filing of the application, the Tribunal will set a hearing date of between six (6) and twelve (12) weeks.
The purpose of the hearing is to allow a judge to review the requested name and determine whether there is a valid reason for the change. If approved, the judge signs a decree that can serve as proof that the name has been legally changed. Don`t forget a DMV name change in California. In California, this requires an actual visit to the DMV, although you can make an appointment to speed up the process. The fee in California to change your name on your driver`s license is $28 ($30 for an ID card). First, you need to fill out the driver`s license or ID card application form and then submit it to the DMV. While anyone can change their name informally using just another, if you want your new name to appear on official documents — your driver`s license, social security card, passport, bank accounts, or birth certificate — you`ll need a court order that legally changes your name. The procedure for getting this order depends on the state and county you live in — and the cost ranges from $150 to $436. Before your trial, you must publish your order to show the reason for the name change in a California newspaper with a large circulation.
Contact your county high court to see if there is a list of approved newspapers. The purchase order must be published once a week for four (4) consecutive weeks. Publication costs differ by newspaper; Contact the High Court in advance to find out the exact amount. Once the order is published, ask the newspaper for proof of publication. The first qualifying factor in determining in which California court you must file your name change is the district of residence. There are 58 counties in California and petitioners will mostly file in the county where they reside. Family law and other civil matters have other factors that might push filings in other courts, but with name changes, it`s almost always in the county where you live. The following is a list of California county court websites for your reference.
After updating your Social Security card, go to a DMV center in California and submit an application for a driver`s license or identification (request the form in person or call 1 (800) 777-0133 to send it to you). You must also provide an original or certified copy of your legal name change document and pay a $27 fee. Your new Card will be mailed to you within sixty (60) days. However, if you`re planning a less traditional name change after marriage — such as creating a new surname for both spouses or the husband adopting the wife`s surname — you`ll likely need to apply to a court for a name change. The second requirement in cases of name changes, which sets the general schedule, is publication in newspapers. As a condition of any name change in California, a local newspaper (a local newspaper authorized by the court to publish legal notices) must publish a legal notice outlining your petition and informing the public of the court date. The legal requirement for this legal name change notice is that the notice must be published for 4 consecutive weeks, and then the publisher`s proof of publication or affidavit must be entered (filed) into the court system.