Can You Change Your Legal Name for No Reason

After submitting the form, you will be scheduled for a hearing. During the hearing, the judge or magistrate will ask you questions about the reasons for the name change. Once the judge has signed the approval, you will receive a certified copy of the order, which you will need to present to anyone who needs verification of your new name. If you were born in Washington State and wish to change your birth certificate, send certified copies of all documents to the Department of Health, Center for Health Statistics, P.O. Box 9709, Olympia, WA 98507-9709. (Read www.doh.wa.gov/LicensesPermitsandCertificates/BirthDeathMarriageandDivorce/CourtOrderedNameChange.) Be sure to check your state`s requirements by visiting your state government`s website or calling your clerk. Hm Passport Office will reject a related application unless each person can individually prove that they intend to use the new name for any purpose by providing additional evidence. There are several reasons why someone might want to change their name, often after a marriage or divorce. The process of legally changing your name usually involves asking to change your name and using your new name. You must also send written notice to the Ministry of Licensing (DOL) to have your driver`s licence and vehicle registration changed. If you have real estate deeds, mortgages, shares, bonds or other documents that reflect the ownership of other assets, you must have your name changed by written notice. In order for your name to be accepted by Her Majesty`s passport office, you must prove that you are clearly using the new name for all purposes. You must provide at least two receipts in your new name from List A below and at least one receipt from List B.

Note that these should be two different items from List A – two utility bills would not count as two different documents. If you change your name after a divorce, simply show the certificate of dissolution or divorce decree to return to your pre-marriage name. Most divorces involve an order allowing this change. Another popular trend among married or cohabiting couples is to create a new surname that uses parts of each partner`s name or simply separates the two surnames for a whole new common surname. Although a legal document such as a marriage certificate or a court-approved petition allows you to change your name, it won`t really be official until you submit requests for a change of name to the Social Security Administration, DMV, and other relevant institutions. If you divorce, the return to your maiden name is usually dealt with in divorce proceedings. Your name change should be reflected in your dissolution judgment or divorce decree, according to the CDC. According to FindLaw, most states prohibit changing your name to avoid getting into debt, hiding from criminal responsibility, or committing a crime. A request for a name change can be made simply because a person does not like their name as it was given at birth.

perhaps they would prefer something more unique than Britney or Ashley or something less unique than a self-spun name that combines the names of the parents. If you apply less than 1 year after the issuance of your previous passport, you need to collect the following: It is becoming increasingly popular for a husband to take his wife`s last name, but the process is only optimized in California, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Louisiana, Massachusetts, New York and North Dakota; In these states, the name change process is the same as for a woman who takes her husband`s surname at marriage, but in other cases, more paperwork is needed. As LegalZoom explains, “In most states, before a court legally changes your name, you must publish a notice of your planned change in a newspaper. This allows your creditors and other interested parties to object to the change. At the very least, they are informed that your name will change. “This publication contains general information about your rights and obligations. It is not a substitute for specific legal advice. This information is from May 2019. Although same-sex partners are not allowed to marry legally in all states, they can opt for a surname, which can be especially convenient in financial or legal transactions. Note, however, that your old name will still appear on the Personal Information page of your passport. “The U.S. Department of State may take six weeks or more to process your request.

During this time, you won`t have a passport, and that could limit your travel options,” according to US News. The very first step to changing your name starts by contacting your local office. There you will know if you need a lawyer for the trial, but usually your district office will give you self-help information so that you can change your name yourself without hiring a lawyer. Each state has its own procedure, so it`s important to go to your local district office to gather this information. According to LegalZoom, you should be willing to spend at least $100 to $150 to file a name change application in court, plus an additional fee for your forms to be notarized. “The most important thing to keep in mind with any name change is that this is a process, not a one-stop shop,” Anna Phipps, vice president of experience at HitchSwitch, tells Mental Floss. The name change process is not difficult, but it requires a tedious effort. There are many steps that can sometimes be slow and are necessary to change your name successfully. It`s easy to change your name in social environments, all you have to do is introduce yourself with the desired name. It`s changing all your documents that is the hardest part, including your ID card, social security card, birth certificate, and credit cards.

Below are the steps you need to follow to change your name. If you were born outside of Washington State, read that state`s procedures for changing the name on a birth certificate.