Updated August 14, 2023
New York name change forms can be used by a resident seeking to change their name legally through the local court. When getting married or divorced, residents can simply change their last name through the marriage license application or divorce decree. For any other kind of name change, residents must file a notarized petition.
Name Change After Marriage
Anyone wishing to change their name as part of a marriage can indicate their desired name on the marriage license application. The new name may be their spouse’s last name, or a combined or hyphenated version of the couple’s last names. Any prior last name of either spouse may also be adopted.
After getting married, the couple will receive a marriage certificate. A certified copy of this document, which can be obtained at the city clerk’s office in person or by mail, can be used to update all their forms of identification, such as a driver’s license, passport, social security card, and more. The fee is $15 for the first copy and $10 for each additional copy.[1]
Name Change After Divorce
In New York, residents who are getting divorced can restore any name that they used prior to their marriage. During divorce proceedings, the subject must request that the court approve their name change and include the change in the divorce decree.
Once a divorce has been finalized, a divorce decree indicating a person’s name change may be presented as proof of name change when updating their identification with government and private institutions.
To obtain a certified copy of a divorce decree, contact the county clerk’s office or fill out a request online.
How to Change Your Name (8 steps)
- Complete Petition for Individual Adult Name Change
- Complete Order Granting Leave to Change Name
- Notarize Petition
- Gather Documents
- File Petition at Courthouse
- Alert Other Parties If Required
- Attend Hearing If Required
- Obtain Certified Copy of Court Order
1. Complete Petition for Individual Adult Name Change
Download and fill out the Petition for Individual Adult Name Change, which can also be completed online using the court’s Adult Name Change Petition Program through its partner website LawHelp Interactive.
2. Complete Order Granting Leave to Change Name
Next, fill out the first page of the Order Granting Leave to Change Name. This document will be completed upon approval of your petition and submitted to a newspaper for publication if required by the judge.
3. Notarize Petition
Once you have filled out the petition, you must take it to a notary public to have it notarized. You can have documents notarized at most bank branches for a small fee. Present yourself before the notary with your petition and a photo ID, and sign the petition in front of them. The notary will then provide their verification on the last page of your petition.
4. Gather Documents
You will need the following documents and payment to file your petition:
- Notarized Petition for Individual Adult Name Change
- Order Granting Leave to Change Name
- Certified copy of your birth certificate
- Identification that indicates where you live
- Filing fee ($210 in supreme and county courts, $65 in New York City Civil Court)[2]
5. File Petition at County or Supreme Court
Once you have filled out both documents and notarized the petition, you will need to bring your package to your local county or supreme court and file it with the court clerk.
Residents of New York City can file their name change petitions with the New York City Civil Court. Outside of New York City, residents may file with either the County Court or Supreme Court for their jurisdiction. Those filing in a Supreme Court will also have to submit a Request for Judicial Intervention.
Accepted payment methods and filing fees may differ depending on your county of residence. If you are incapable of paying the fee, you can ask the court for a fee waiver in order to subsidize some or all of your costs.[3]
6. Alert Other Parties If Required
In certain cases, individuals filing to change their names must alert other parties before a judge will approve the change. Whom it is necessary to notify is ultimately a decision for the judge deciding on the petition, but common examples include current or former spouses, creditors, and courts where you are currently in proceedings.
One notification that is required: If you have previously been convicted of a violent crime, are on court-ordered probation for such crimes, or are currently incarcerated, you must serve your Petition for Individual Adult Name Change on the District Attorney in any county where you have been convicted, as well as on the court itself for that county. You must also include a Notice of Petition, which may be obtained from the clerk when you file the petition.[4]
Serving required parties with the petition is sufficient; publishing notice in a newspaper is no longer required.
7. Attend Hearing If Required
After reviewing your petition, the clerk will submit it to a judge. Most name change cases will not require a hearing, but if ordered by the judge, you must attend it on the scheduled date and bring your name change documents.
A hearing is required if you’ve been convicted of a crime. The hearing cannot take place until at least 60 days have passed from when you served the Notice of Petition on the distict attorney(s).[5]
8. Obtain Certified Copy of Court Order
If the judge approves your name change, they will sign your Order Granting Leave to Change Name, and the clerk’s office will send you a certified copy of the signed document. This can be used to change the name on your passport, driver’s license, and other official registrations.
Driver’s License
To update a New York driver’s license after changing your name, you will need to visit a DMV office with the following items:
- Your current driver’s license or other accepted forms of identification[6]
- Your proof of name change (marriage certificate, divorce decree, or court order)
- A completed Application for Standard Driver’s License
- $12.50 fee[7]
Once you have presented your documents and paid the fee (most payment methods are accepted), you will be required to have a photo taken of you to be used on your new license. The DMV will mail you your updated driver’s license within 10 days.
Voter Registration
New York residents must notify their County Board of Elections of a name change at least 20 days before the next election in order to be able to vote. To update your voter registration, you must fill out the New York Voter Registration Form. Once the form has been completed, it must be submitted either by mail or in person at your County Board of Elections office.
Alternatively, residents can also change their voter registration at the DMV when they update their driver’s license/ID.