General information, not legal advice. NewLastName isn't a law firm, doesn't give legal advice about your situation, and doesn't refer you to lawyers.

Name-change guides

These guides explain a legal name change in plain language: what it costs, how a California court case starts with form NC-100, and how to return to a former name after a divorce. They are general information, not legal advice. Check the official page linked next to each fact.

Last checked: 2026-10-10 for the court and agency pages linked here. California's filing fee was checked on the statewide civil fee schedule on 2026-10-12. Other fee figures in tables come from our state cost file, last verified 2026-10-12 (Massachusetts and Washington, D.C. filing fees in that file were verified 2026-10-09). Newspaper and certified-copy amounts were not re-checked against every county fee schedule.

California cost

California's filing fee is $435 ($450 in Riverside and San Francisco counties) (source: California Courts, https://selfhelp.courts.ca.gov/name-change; county amounts: statewide civil fee schedule). Newspaper notice and certified copies cost extra and vary; check with the newspaper and your court's fee schedule. Our cost figures assume 4 certified copies for a court order and 3 for a marriage certificate or divorce judgment. Read the full breakdown on the California name-change cost answer page, or the name-change cost page for every verified state.

Start here

What a name change costsWhat a name change costs: filing fees, newspaper notice, and certified copies, state by state.California name-change costFiling fee, newspaper notice, and certified copies, with a link to the courts' fee page.Fee waiversHow a court fee waiver works, and California form FW-001.After marriage, step by stepMarriage certificate first. California puts the new name on the license before the wedding.Order of agenciesSocial Security, then the state ID, then the passport.Court order and form NC-100The California adult petition, form by form.How long it takesCourt time, Social Security mail time, and where to check passport timing.Documents you needThe paper that proves the name, by path.Prior name after divorceGoing back to a prior name. This page does not explain how to file for divorce.Newspaper publicationWhich states require newspaper notice, with the official court page for each.Which passport formDS-5504, DS-82, or DS-11.A child's name in CaliforniaIn California the other parent gets notice. Other states set their own rules.Gender marker and nameThe name order and the marker are different updates.

Answer pages already on this site

By state

Each state hub has the local version. The guides above stay at the federal or general level and link here instead of repeating those pages.

Also on this site

Official sources

Forms, fees and rules change. Check these official pages (and your county court) before you file.

General information, not legal advice. NewLastName isn't a law firm, doesn't give legal advice about your situation, and doesn't refer you to lawyers.