Nevada Name Change Forms | Petition

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Updated April 10, 2023

Nevada name change forms are used by residents to legally change their name for reasons other than marriage or divorce. These forms must be filed with the District Court of the county in which the petitioner (the person making the request) resides. As a part of the name change process, individuals must post notice of their name change in a local newspaper for three consecutive weeks.

Filing Fee

The cost to file a name change petition varies by county in Nevada. Those who can’t afford the fee may apply for a waiver. This fee does not apply to name changes involving marriage or divorce.

Name Change Guide

Name Change After Marriage

An individual who is getting married may adopt their spouse’s surname or a hyphenated conjoined last name as a part of the marriage process. All they need to do is put their new surname on their application for a marriage license. Once the marriage ceremony has been performed, the officiant will sign the marriage license and submit it to the County Recorder’s office.

Upon request, the married couple will be able to obtain certified copies of the marriage certificate from the County Recorder’s office. This document serves as official proof of the legal name change and can be used when updating identification documents.

Name Change After Divorce

During a divorce, female residents of Nevada can change their name as a part of their divorce’s legal proceedings. Indicate the desired name change on the marital settlement agreement and petition for divorce. If the judge approves the name change, they will include it in the individual’s divorce decree. The individual should obtain certified copies of the decree from the County Recorder’s office to use as legal proof of name change when updating their identity with government agencies and service providers.

Adult Name Change (No Marriage or Divorce)

Any adult in Nevada who meets the following requirements can file a petition with the District Court to legally change their name:

  • Is eighteen (18) years of age or older
  • Is a resident of the county in which they are filing (for a minimum of six (6) weeks)
  • Is not filing to defraud another individual
  • Is not filing to avoid creditors or debts

Name change forms for Clark County residents:

Generic state-wide versions of these forms are provided in the instructions below.

Step 1 – Fill-in the Civil Cover Sheet and the Petition

Completely fill out the Family Court Cover Sheet and fill-in the Petition for Adult Name Change Form up until the last page, which must be completed in the presence of a Notary Public. On the cover sheet, you will supply your basic information so that the Clerk of Court can open a case for your name change. The petition will include your current name, the name that you wish to assume, and your reason for changing your name.

Step 2 – Notarize the Petition

Your signature on the last page of the petition must be verified by a notary public, however, the Clerk of Court will usually notarize the petition for free when you file it. If you are planning on filing your petition without having it pre-notarized, call your District Court ahead of time to make sure that they provide this service. Alternatively, you can have your signature verified by a notary at your bank or a local UPS store, where you may be charged a small fee.

Step 3 – Fill-in the Notice for Change of Name

Next, you will need to fill out the Notice for Change of Name Form, except for the case number and department fields, which the Clerk of Court will fill out for you. This document will be used when you publish notice of your name change. If you are changing your name due to a gender reassignment, you will not need to fill this form.

Step 4 – Fill-in the Order for Change of Name and Request for Summary Disposition Form

On the Order for Change of Name Form, you will need to fill in every field except for the case number, department number, the date of judgment, and District Court Judge signature field. This document will be signed by the judge once a verdict has been reached regarding your name change request.  A hearing will not be required in most cases, unless there is an objection to a name change. Fill out the Request for Summary Disposition Form in order to enable the court to permit your name change without a court hearing.

Step 5 – Gather Documents

Once all of the following documents have been completed as instructed above, assemble them into a package to be brought to your county’s Clerk of Court:

  • Family Court Cover Sheet
  • Verified Petition for Adult Name Change
  • Notice for Change of Name (except for gender reassignment name changes)
  • Order for Change of Name
  • Request for Summary Disposition

You should make copies of these documents for your personal records.

Step 6 – File Petition at District Court

Bring your document package, along with a self-addressed and postage paid envelope, to the Clerk of Court’s office at your District Court. When filing your petition, you should request at least one (1) or two (2) certified copies of your submitted documents. The self-addressed envelope will be used by the court to send you your documents once they have been certified.

Step 7 – Pay the Filing Fee

The fees for filing your petition and the accepted methods of payment will differ depending on your District Court. Therefore, before you file your petition, you should call the Clerk of Court’s office in order to obtain information on what fees you will be required to pay.

Step 8 – Publish Notice for Change of Form

Notice of your name change must be published in a newspaper with local circulation for a minimum of once per week for three (3) consecutive weeks. However, this requirement can be waived in situations where the petitioner’s personal safety is concerned or if the name change is in relation to a gender reassignment. If you have reasonable justification for not having your name change published, fill out the Publication Waiver Form and submit it to the Clerk of Court.

In order to fulfill the publication requirement (for individuals who are not exempt) send a certified copy of your Notice for Change of Name to a county newspaper for publication and pay their required fees upon receipt of their invoice. After publication has been completed, the newspaper will prepare an Affidavit of Publication which they will either forward to you or send directly to the Clerk of Court’s office. This affidavit must be filed with your District Court in order to serve as your proof of publication.

Step 9 – Attend Possible Hearing/Obtain Signed Court Order

Ten (10) days after the publication of notice requirement has been served, if there is no objection to your name change, you can deliver your Order for Change of Name in person or by mail to the judge to be signed. The judge’s staff will mail back your signed order or request that you come pick it up (be sure to request additional certified copies). At this juncture, your name is legally changed and your signed court order is your proof of name change. However, if there are any objections to your name change, a court date will be set for your hearing (which you must attend). On the date of your hearing, after considering the evidence for and against your name change, the judge will make a decision. If they approve your request, they will sign your Order for Change of Name granting your legal name change.

Driver’s License

In order to change the name on your driver’s license you will need to visit a DMV office, bringing your current license, updated Social Security card, and proof of name change (certified copy of a court order, divorce decree, or marriage certificate). The fee for changing the name on your driver’s license is $8.25 (at the time of this writing) and is payable by cash, credit card, check, debit card, or money order. If you have any vehicles registered in your name, they should also be updated to be in your new name. The current fees for title transfers and registration name changes are $21 and $6, respectively.

Voter Registration

After your name has been legally changed, you will need to update your voter information in order to be able to vote using your new identity. There are two (2) ways to accomplish this; either online via the Online Voter Registration webpage or by filling out the Voter Registration Form and submitting it in person or by mail to your local county clerk or registrar. You will need to indicate that you are changing your voter registration name, enter your new name, and supply your previous name and address.

Minor (Child) Name Change

In order for a minor to have their name changed in Nevada, their parent or guardian must file a court petition requesting that the name change be made. Both the parent and the minor must have been residents in the county that they are filing in for a minimum of six (6) weeks. Furthermore, the petitioner must be at least eighteen (18) years old and the minor must be seventeen (17) years of age or younger in order for their petition to be accepted. Both of the child’s parents (if living) should provide their consent. If one parent doesn’t provide their consent, they must be served notice of the name change and given the opportunity to object. Any petition that is made for fraudulent purposes is not permitted.

At the time of this writing, Nevada doesn’t offer state-wide name change forms, so you will either need to obtain the proper documents from your local court, draft your own, or use the forms found in the instructions further down this page. If you are a resident of Clark County, you can use the Clark County name change forms located immediately below this paragraph.

Step 1 – Fill-in the Cover Sheet and Petition

The Family Court Cover Sheet provides the judge with basic information so that they can open a case for your petition. Fill out all of the cover sheet and fill-in the Petition to Change Minor Child’s Name Form, leaving the last page blank. The final page of the petition needs to be signed in the presence of a notary public. On this form, you will give the child’s previous name, the new name you wish to give them, and the reasons for the name change. Ideally, both parents should sign the petition and have their signatures authorized, in which case additional parental consent forms will not be necessary.

Step 2 – Notarize the Petition

Your signature on the petition form must be verified by a notary public. If the other parent signed the petition, their signature must be verified as well. In most cases, the Clerk of Court will be able to verify your signature when they intake your forms. If your District Court doesn’t provide this service, you can bring the unsigned document to your local bank, post office, or UPS store to have it notarized. There may be a small fee for this service.

Step 3 – Obtain Consent

If one (1) of the child’s parents has not consented to the name change, you must serve them with the name change papers and give them a chance to object. You should check with your District Court ahead of time to verify what kind of consent and service of other parents/guardians will be required. The other parent can give their consent by filling out the Consent to Name Change Form (Parent). This would be ideal, otherwise you must fill out the Notice of Child Name Change Form and send it along with a copy of the petition to the non-consenting parent’s last known address. After fulfilling this service of notice to the other parent, you can fill out the Affidavit of Service for Child Name Change Form. Depending on your court’s requirements, you may need to demonstrate additional proof of having served the other parent by filling out one or more of the Certificate of Publication of Minor’s Name Change Forms. If the minor is fourteen (14) years of age or older, they must complete the Consent to Name Change Form (Child) in order to give their written consent to their name change.

Step 4 – Fill-in the Order for Change of Minor’ Name

The Order for Change of Minor’s Name Form is the document that the judge will sign upon the approval of the name change petition for your child. Fill out all of the fields of this form except for the judge’s signature field. Next, fill out the Request for Summary Disposition for Name Change. This document requests that your petition be processed without a hearing. If both biological parents have given their consent to the child’s name change, the judge will usually accept the request.

Step 5 – Gather Documents

Once you have filled out all of the required documents listed below, assemble them together into a package to bring to your District Court.

  • Family Court Cover Sheet
  • Verified Petition to Change Minor Child’s Name
  • Notice of Child Name Change (if required)
  • Affidavit of Service for Child Name Change (if applicable)
  • Consent to Name Change (if applicable)
  • Order for Change of Minor’s Name
  • Request for Summary Disposition for Child Name Change

Make two (2) copies of all of your completed forms to keep for your records.

Step 6 – File Petition at District Court

Bring your completed petition package to the District Court County Clerk to be filed. You should also bring a self-addressed envelope with postage paid for the court to use to send you your signed court order upon the approval of your petition.

Step 7 – Pay the Filing Fee

In order for you petition to be filed, you will need to pay the associated fees, which vary from one county to another. Therefore, it is recommended that you contact your District Court in advance so that you will be prepared to pay the necessary costs of filing your petition.

Step 8 – Publish Notice for Change of Name

You will have to publish notice of your child’s name change for a minimum of once per week for three (3) weeks. Publication must be performed by a local newspaper and paid for by the petitioner (you). Once the publication requirement has been completed, proof of publication must be submitted to the Clerk of Court’s office. In most cases, the newspaper will send an affidavit confirming publication to the court. However, if they send it to you, you will be responsible for filing it, along with the published notice, with your District Court. If you are concerned for the safety of yourself or that of your child, you may request the court to keep the name change private when you file your petition.

Step 9 – Attend Possible Hearing/Obtain Signed Court Order

Once eleven (11) days have passed since the completion the publication requirement, and the proof of publication has been submitted to the court, you may request a summary disposition for this case. If there are no objections to the name change, the judge will sign the court order authorizing your child’s name change. Simply submit your court order to the judge in person or by mail and the judge’s office will send it back to you or notify you when the signed court order is ready for pick up. In the event that there are objections to the name change, a court hearing will be set. You must attend the court date (your child is not required to attend) and bring copies of all of the relevant name change documents. After hearing any arguments against your child’s name change, the judge will decide for or against your petition. If the name change is approved, your court order will be signed and your child’s name change will be official. Request additional certified copies of the signed court order, because this is your child’s proof of name change.