Name Change Court Order in California

A Name Change Court Order is the one reliable way to get government ID and Official Records changed. Legal Name Change usually means changed by Superior Court Order. And, a court order must be signed by a Superior Court Judge. Then, a Court Clerk must Certify and put the Court’s Seal on it. Social Security, Passports, School, Bank Accounts, and DMV all honor a Certified Copy of it immediately. A Certified Copy of that Court Order, called a Decree Changing Name, is the golden standard of name change documents. It’s honored everywhere. With it, you can get all your ID and records changed just the way you want and right away. Without a Certified Court Order or other name change document, expect trouble getting your ID and Official Records changed.

EZ Name Change is a California Name Change Specialist. It is the only company in California offering Full Service Name Change with a 5-Star (YELP) reputation. For a small fee, you can have a service like EZ Name Change help you, or you can do it all yourself. Either way, if it’s done completely correctly, with the judge’s approval, you will get a Name Change Court Order…a Decree Changing Name. A Certified Copy of the Decree Changing Name will require even the most important government agencies to issue you new ID and Official Records when you present it.

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Get Your Name Change Court Order in California

If you already know everything about the name change process, and want to get your Name Change Court Order now, visit the EZ Name Change “Start Now” page to begin. Our Questionnaire will walk you through this quickly. 5-10 minutes and you’ll be underway! And, with Full Service, you’ll give us your information, make the payments, and go get your Name Change Court Order, upon approval. If you prefer to do everything yourself, you can visit the court’s own website to get started. Once you have a Decree Changing Name or other name change court order, you can proceed to change your ID and Official Records immediately.

Change Your Name On California ID and Records

Social Security Name Change in California

– To change your name on your social security card, you must first show them a Certified Copy of the Court Order showing your old and new legal name. Social Security doesn’t have a fee for name change. But, they do want you to complete their application, which EZ Name Change provides in your Petition Package. Make Social Security your first stop to make name changes, if needed. That’s because Social Security is an anchor ID for other agencies when they go to change your Official Records.

DMV Name Change Requirements in California

– California DMV requires that you come in to have your Driver’s License or State ID updated for Change of Name. When you are doing this, it’s best to be sure that your Social Security Administration records are already updated for the Legal Name you will be asking DMV to adopt. You will be asked to:

Visit a DMV office (Appointments available).
Complete a Driver License or Identification Card Application form (DL 44) or a Commercial Driver License Application form (DL 44C). You must submit an original DL 44 or 44C form. Copies will not be accepted.
Give a thumb print.
Have your picture taken.
Pay the driver license or identification card application fee

You will also need to provide a Certified Copy of the Decree Changing Name, other Court Order, or other Official and accepted Name Change or Legal Name document. Without that, it’s unlikely the DMV will agree to issue a new License or ID Card. Be careful of dealing with private companies claiming they can do this for you. Try and be sure you are dealing directly with the State of California DMV. The best way to be sure is to visit their office. If you visit the DMV website (choose Driver’s License, DL/ID Card), you will not be asked for your information or any money, but you can get confirmation of what will be required when you go to the DMV office.

School Records Name Change

– School is an important consideration for every parent and some adults. You can take your Name Change Court Order directly to your school. Every school has their own policy for allowing a Name Change. They all honor the Certified Decree Changing Name. A representative policy for any school might be like the UC Davis policy. Marriages and divorces, life changes, adulthood and careers. These are just some of the reasons that schools have a process for changing names.

Passport Name Change in California

– To change your name on your passport by showing them an original or certified copy of your marriage certificate or court order. Or, you can prove Usage if you have documents to prove your legal name as a result of many years of exclusive use of it. The Passport office is one of the only government offices to honor Usage to prove a legal name. However, every government office, including the Passport office, honors a Certified Copy of your Decree Changing Name.

Change Name On Birth Certificate in California

– The state where you were born wants to see your Name Change Court Order because they are the only ones who can amend it. Your birth state will send you an Amended Birth Certificate if you want one. California Department of Public Health has an application and process to follow, if you want to get one. Most adults never bother doing that. Your Court Order will be all the authority you need once you have it. A representative policy from California’s Vital Records is that to amend a birth certificate, you must obtain and provide a Certified Court Order establishing a new legal name. To confirm see Amending Birth Certificate with Court Order-California

Certified Copy of Court Order Name Change

We recommend you get 2 Certified Copies of your Court Order, upon approval; 1 to use changing your ID (Social Security, DMV, Passport, etc.) and 1 to keep in a safe place, just in case. If you plan to get an Amended Birth Certificate, get 1 extra Certified Copy for that. You can get more anytime from that same courthouse, even years later.

Each place you present your Certified Copy of the Name Change Decree, they will give it back to you after they make notes or a copy of it. The exception is the birth certificate people. If you’re going to apply for an Amended Birth Certificate after Name Change, they will require that you provide a Certified Copy of the Court Order for Name Change and they will keep that one.

Court Order Name Change For A Child In California

Changing a Child’s Legal Name is different from changing an adult’s name in several ways. A child must have 1 or both parents petition for their name change, whereas any adult can Petition for themselves. Also, depending on the age of the child and the court jurisdiction area, background checks and identity documentation may be needed for the child or parent(s), or both.

Another key difference about name change for a child, is the judge will be considering the child’s best interests more than might be the case for the judge to decide about name change for an adult. If only one parent is Petitioning for the child’s change of name, the judge will want to know whether the other parent’s onboard with it or at least knows it’s happening. Expect your judge to want to see Proof that a non-consenting parent was Served with Notice of the Name Change Hearing or a Declaration to satisfactorily explain why that wasn’t reasonably possible to do.

Name Change is Available to Everyone

Name Change may seem too complicated. But, If you do need a name change document, get a Name Change Court Order. It’s like a birth certificate for the legal name you want. With a Certified Copy of it, you can get all your ID and Official Records changed. You can have the legal name you want. It can be life changing. At a minimum, it will make you feel more like yourself. You can do this! We’re EZ Name Change, and we help with that!