Oregon Name Change Forms | Petition

Download and fill out the state court system’s Name Change Packet, which contains two forms:

1. Petition for Change of Name
2. General Judgment Re: Change of Name

The signature field in the Petition should be left blank for the court clerk to witness your signing. The General Judgment should also be partially filled out, leaving the necessary fields blank for the judge to complete when approving your name change.

Bring the completed documents to a circuit court in the county where you are a resident. In some counties with separate probate and circuit courts, the probate court may handle the name change petition.^[1]

You must bring at least one example of valid photo identification. The filing fee is $124.^[2] Once your forms are filed, the clerk will provide you with a case number.

Most name change cases will not require a hearing, you may receive a hearing notice from the court if the judge orders it for your case. Judges are empowered to determine whether changing your name contradicts the public interest. At the hearing, the judge will ask you questions regarding your new name choice and ensure the change is not being requested for illegal or fraudulent purposes.

A name change, like most court records, is typically public information. However, if you are a participant in the state’s Address Confidentiality Program, the judge will seal the proceedings unless there is good cause not to for some other reason.^[3]

If your name change is approved, the judge will sign the General Judgment Re: Change of Name. The change becomes effective once the judgment is entered into the court’s records, and the court will send you a Notice of Entry of Judgment. The notice will include information on obtaining a copy of the judgment, which can be used to change your name with other agencies.

Under Oregon law, a person getting married can make certain changes to their name, such as adopting their spouse’s surname.^[4] You can choose the name you want to go from among these options on the marriage license application.

Once the marriage is finalized, a certified copy of the marriage license will serve as proof of the legal name change and can be used to update important documents and accounts. A certified copy of the marriage certificate can be obtained from the Oregon State Vital Records Office.

To change a name as part of a divorce, simply indicate the desired name change on the marital settlement agreement. Once approved by a judge, the divorce certificate will reflect the name change.

As with a name change after a marriage, a certified copy of this document can be used to change your name with other agencies. Certified copies of a divorce certificate can be obtained from the Oregon State Vital Records Office.

To update your name on your driver’s license, visit your local DMV office with the following documents:

• Proof of legal name change (marriage certificate, divorce decree, or court order)
• Proof of identity and address^[5]
• Fee payment of $26 for a replacement non-commercial driver’s license^[6]

To update your voter registration with your new name, you must fill out a new Voter Registration Form and submit it to your local county elections office in person or by mail.

While you can update your voter registration until 8 p.m. on Election Day and still cast a ballot, your ballot may be issued at the county elections office if updated too close to an election.^[7]