How Long to Change Your Name in Arizona?
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It takes 2-3 months to change your name in Arizona with our help. The time it takes can vary from county to county, and sometimes from courthouse to courthouse. We outline the three parts of the process, and the amount of time to complete each step.
The 3 Parts – How Long to Change Your Name in Arizona
To have your Name Change recognized by government agencies, schools, banks and other organizations, you need to present them with an Arizona Superior Court Order. Here are the three steps to get your Certified Order Changing Name (Court Order,AKA “Name Change Document”):
- Prepare a Name Change Application, including all the other required court forms
- File Your Application in the correct Superior Court, Follow the Steps for Publishing and Hearing, and get your Court Order, upon approval
- Update Your ID and Official Records
How much time each step takes will depend on how much time you have to throw at it. So, how long to change your name in Arizona depends on you. Get help? Do it yourself? How much time will you spend getting this done? Let’s see the steps.
1. Prepare Your Application
Your Name Change Application is actually a bunch of Court Forms. There are between 5 and 15 pages. How many you need depends on where you live, your family and background situations, and finances. How big or small your name change or corrections are DOES NOT MATTER for how long it takes.
You can get the blank forms from any Superior Court. It will take the average person at least several hours to figure them out and complete them. For some people, it will take much longer. If you’re doing this yourself, budget extra time for forms no one told you about. If you don’t complete the forms or do them wrong, it can result in your Petition being rejected, delayed or denied.
You can hire a name change specialist, like EZ Name Change with Full Service, or a professional service, or a lawyer to help, if you want to. Realistically, budget days or weeks, even months to put in enough time to get it finished yourself. With EZ FULL SERVICE, it will take about 5 minutes online to give us the information we need to prepare all your documents correctly.
2. File, Hearing and Court Order
Budget a bunch of your time for this, unless you have a service to help. You need to file your Application in the proper court and then get a Hearing assignment. This is semi-complicated. After the Hearing is scheduled, you need to attend to notices, consents and other documentation that may have to be filed and/or brought to your Hearing. Whether, and which of these tasks you need to attend do depends on your family situation (married, divorced, children, etc.) and other background conditions (criminal history, birthplace, citizenship status, etc.). Study up, get professional help or expect delays.
At your Hearing, your judge will review your Application and personal identity and history documentation. Prepare and bring a copy of all your filed documents to bring with you. Make a list of the other documents you need to have, plus bring 2 copies of the Order you hope the judge will sign. Some Hearings take longer than others and, if you’re missing something the judge wants, you’ll likely get another date to return to court. There’s not much you can do to speed the court up in this phase. But, if you do your best to be prepared for the Hearing, you will help expedite the decision process.
You must appear for the Hearing unless the court officially approves your Order early or excuses you from appearing in writing. The Hearing will be VERY brief, unless your documentation isn’t in order or causes the judge to inquire further of you. The judge is free to consider anything believed to be relevant to your Application.
Upon Approval, the judge will sign an Order Changing Name Name to make your Legal Name Change Official. You can get A Certified Copy(s) of it from the same courthouse. The Certified Copy is your ticket to get your ID and Official Records updated.
Figure about 6-10 weeks for the Hearing, from the date you get your Hearing scheduled.
3. Update Your ID and Official Records
ID is not changed automatically after Legal Name Change. Only you can update your most essential ID with Social Security and MVD. To get your Name Changed on ID and Official Records, you will need a Certified Copy of your Order Changing Name. Then, each agency has their own application and other documentation requirements (check their websites for name change checklists).
There are some inexpensive services, but you’ll need to do most of the work. It won’t take long if you follow our CHECKLIST (comes with Full Service). The first Record to update (if it’s not already correct) is your Social Security Account Name. Take the rest in the priority order that makes sense in your real life. It’s possible to get them all done very quickly if you’re organized and diligent.
With the Certified Copy(s) of Your Order Changing Name in hand, you can get your Social Security, MVD (Real ID), School and bank records changed in one or two days after the Hearing. After your core 4-6 IDs are updated, many of the other places will update your request just by asking them on the phone or when making a payment, for instance. However, it may take you 2-3 months, or longer, to get all your registrations and accounts fully updated.
Summary – How Long to Change Your Name in Arizona
- Prepare Your Petition – 3-6 hours or more for doing-it-yourself. Or, about 5 minutes with EZ Name Change online Start Now
- File, Hearing, Court Order – Usually 2-3 months to wait for your Hearing date, counting from the date you start. You get your Decree Changing Name right after your Hearing, upon approval.
- Update Your Records – 2-3 days (most important ones) 2-6 months for them all.
How Long to Change Your Name in Arizona? – Usually 2-3 months, with Full Service, to get the Court Order. That’s all. Updating ID and Official Records will take will take a little longer. Remember, if you never start, it will take you forever.
EZ Name Change is a Name Change Specialist, helping Arizonans in every Arizona County. If you want 5-Star Full Service Name Change, we’ve got it. You can do this!
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