New Mexico Legal Name Change Forms and Information

For an New Mexico legal name change in through court order follow these steps:

1. Download the New Mexico legal name change form template;
2. Review the general Legal Name Change and New Mexico legal name change instructions carefully; and
3. File in your local New Mexico state court.

New Mexico Legal Name Change State Laws:

Sec. 40-8-1. Change of name; petition and order. Any resident of this state over the age of fourteen years may, upon petition to the district court of the district in which the petitioner resides and upon filing the notice required with proof of publication, if no sufficient cause is shown to the contrary, have his name changed or established by order of the court. The parent or guardian of any resident of this state under the age of fourteen years may, upon petition to the district court of the district in which the petitioner resides and upon filing the notice required with proof of publication, if no sufficient cause is shown to the contrary, have the name of his child or ward changed or established by order of the court. When residents under the age of fourteen years petition the district court for a name change, the required notice shall include notice to both legal parents. The order shall be entered at length upon the record of the court, and a copy of the order, duly certified, shall be filed in the office of the county clerk of the county in which the person resides. The county clerk shall record the same in a record book to be kept by him for that purpose. History: Laws 1889, Ch. 3, § 1; C.L. 1897, § 2910; Code 1915, § 3807; C.S. 1929, § 92-101; Laws 1937, Ch. 162, § 1; 1941 Comp., § 25-501; 1953 Comp., § 22-5-1; Laws 1979, Ch. 14, § 1; 1989, Ch.161, § 1.

Sec. 40-8-2. Procedure. Before making application to the court for changing or establishing a name as above provided, the applicant must cause a notice thereof, stating therein the nature of the application, the time and place, when and where the same will be made, to be published in the county where such application is to be made, and where said applicant resides, said notice to be published at least once each week for two consecutive weeks, in some newspaper printed in said county, and if there be no newspaper published in the county where said applicant resides, then said notice shall be published in a newspaper printed in a county nearest to the residence of said person, and having a circulation in the county where such person resides. History: Laws 1889, Ch. 3, § 2; C.L. 1897, § 2911; Code 1915, § 3808; C.S. 1929, § 92-102; 1941 Comp., § 25-502; 1953 Comp., §22-5-2.

Sec. 40-8-3. Ruling. That the hearing and determination of all proceedings instituted under the provisions of this chapter, and the final order of the court therein, shall be had and made at some regular term of the district court sitting within and for the county wherein said petitioner resides. History: Laws 1889, Ch. 3, § 3; C.L. 1897, § 2912; Code 1915, § 3809; C.S. 1929, § 92-103; 1941 Comp., § 25-503; 1953 Comp., §22-5-3.