If you want a new ID or Official Records updated to get your name right, you will probably need a court order to do it. For a small change to Your Name with Social Security, or School, or DMV, or Passport, just ask them to do it and see if they will. If they tell you to get a court order, then you need a “Legal Name Change”. At the end of the court order process, you’ll get a Decree Changing Name, upon approval. A Certified Copy of your Decree is a Name Change Document honored everywhere, including for Real ID, Passports and Professional Licenses.

Even if you want just one letter changed, or even if you just want your first name changed around with your middle name…those are all Legal Name Changes. When you Petition for a Change of Name, you can propose changing your name just a little, or completely. The Reason that requires a Court Order is not how much of a change you want. It’s whether you want to require someone to honor the change you want. Some places won’t do it unless you bring them a properly Certified order from a California Superior Court.

A Court Order, or Decree Changing Name (which is a type of court order), All the primary government agencies will issue you a new ID when you give them a Name Change Court Order. They will ask you to hand them a Certified Copy, which you will get at the end of this process upon approval of a judge. All 50 states honor the Certified, California Decree Changing Name. The Federal Government, and all other governments honor it too.

A LOT of people are born with one name, but grow up using another name. Since 9/11, that situation has become a problem Licensing, Registration, Security, Employment and other 21st century considerations. Clean up, and clear up those problems with a Petition for Change of Name. The successful end of that process puts a Certified Court Order in your hands. You must do it correctly. Then just take your Decree Changing Name to who ever is flagging you…and the problem will end.

This kind of problem didn’t start with 9/11. Americans have always been having name changes or variations when growing up. The 38th President of the United States was born Leslie Lynch King. You’ve never heard of President King though. That’s because he legally changed his name to Gerald Ford as an adult. President Gerald Ford was born as Leslie Lynch King Jr, grew up as Gerald Ford, and then legally changed his name to Gerald Ford before he entered politics. The rest is history.

With Full Service, your legal name change will take about 3 months and about $715 (more in some counties). Court Order Name Change fixes the problem. Legally and permanently.

Can I take my Maiden Name back if I’m still married?

Yes. Many women and some men want to retake their Maiden Name without divorce. People commonly Restore a Maiden Name for Professional Purposes. If your spouse has died, you may want your birth name back. You may prefer the independence of having your own (not a shared) last name. There are many good reasons for taking your maiden name back. Divorce IS NOT a requirement to retake a Maiden, or any other formerly held legal name.

A Petition for Change of Name will accomplish your desired Maiden Name Change, upon approval by a judge, and without a divorce. You don’t need spousal approval in California. Just correctly prepare your Petition, process it properly, comply with the California Name Change laws and you should be fine.

After divorce, are Name Change costs and time frames the same as any other Name Change?

If your divorce was done in California Superior Court, and it’s final, then you can retake your Maiden Name with a new Order from your divorce court. That process is shorter and costs less than the regular Name Change Petition process requires. Check out this additional information to get yours Started, or for more specific information about Maiden Name Change After Divorce

After I get married, can I Change My Name if I change my mind about my Married Name?

Yes! You may have taken your spouse’s last name and now want your maiden last name back. Or, you may have kept your maiden name and now want to take your spouse’s last name or a combination of your name. Those situations happen all the time and can be fixed exactly the way you want through the Name Change Court Order Process. Bottom line….you can absolutely Change Your Name After Marriage, legally, to exactly the one you want it to be, regardless of the choice you made at the time you filled out the marriage license.

This is a common problem. Getting a Name Change Document is the solution.

Unfortunately it can cause delays, aggravation, and other trouble in different financial, travel, security, employment and other situations. Fortunately, Legal Name Change can clear all that up fully.

If you gather up all the different variations, and correctly include them within a Petition for Change of Name, you can get a Decree Changing Name to the 1 Name you want on everything. A Decree Changing Name is an official Name Change Document.

It should be your goal to have one single Legal Name. You can have pet names, nicknames, stage names, or any sort of informal names you want. But, in the 21st Century, you should choose one name you want officially. Then, get a Court Order and change over your ID and other Official Records. That’s the way to minimize any potential for disruption or delay, due to your Name, as you go about your life. Some Official Records don’t need to be changed, such as Citizenship Certificates or Birth Certificates, Diplomas, etc. Those things can remain in your “old or former” name without confusion. But your Social Security, Driver’s License, Passport, Main Bank and Professional Licensing should all be in your one, legal name.

Take your Certified Decree Decree Changing Name, and go change all your important records. Take it promptly to each government, financial and every other office where your ID and Official Records are kept, and have your chosen Legal Name uniformly reflected in all those places. Be sure to have your Decree done correctly. Then, it works. It won’t be long until that name is properly reflected on your bills, tax filings, memberships, credit cards, and so on. That’s when your name will make everyone frown less and smile more.

Name Change for 2 or More Family Members

In Arizona, you can change the names of multiple family members at the same time. We’ve successfully helped a Family of 9. Families change names for many different reasons, just like individuals do. After remarriage, children and/or spouses may want to share last names all together. Sometimes couples, or whole families, want to retake an ancestral name. Or, sometimes a young couple wants to take their own new family name to pursue their shared future. Lots of different and good reasons.