How to File for an Official Name Change in Texas
- 1). Adopt your previous name or new name. If you are married or divorced, the marriage license or divorce decree serves as the only legal documentation you need to officially revert back to your birth name or take a new last name.
- 2). Obtain a Texas Petition for Change of Name of Adult. You can find a copy online for free or call your county court clerk office to get a hard copy. Fill out the form, providing the requested information. (Changing the name of a minor requires a different form, Texas Petition for Change of Name of a Minor.)
- 3). File the petition in county court, i.e., the court of the county in which you currently reside. There will be a filing fee. The court will schedule a time and date for you to go before a judge. You usually don't need a fancy reason to change your name, just about any legitimate reason will satisfy the court. For example, you can change your name for family, social or religious reasons.
- 4). Go to court on the assigned date to justify your reason for name change in front of a judge. Wait until your name is called and the judge will usually ask a few questions and then approve and sign the Texas Petition for Change of Name of Adult. You are usually awarded one certified copy of the petition. If you want more certified copies, you will generally have to pay a fee.
- 5). Notify family, friends, financial institutions, government agencies and business contacts of the change. For notification purposes, proof of a name change includes a certified court order, marriage license or divorce decree. If an agency requires a copy of your petition for notification purposes, find out if you need to provide a certified copy. Most of the time, a copy of the original order will do.
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