What Age Is It Legal to Change Your Name

This article about name changes was written by Texas RioGrande Legal Aid. To make minor corrections to a child`s first or middle name, contact the Texas Bureau of Vital Statistics www.dshs.state.tx.us to change the birth certificate. If you want to change the child`s surname, you will need a court order. If you are 16 or 17 years old, you will be treated as an adult and you can change your own name (via a certificate survey) without your parents` consent. (And your parents can`t change your name for you without your own consent.) A name change for one child is not guaranteed without the consent of the other parent. Once you`re 16, it`s legally your own decision to change your name. To schedule a hearing, complete an uncontested hiring slip and bring it to the courthouse. A clerk will set a hearing date for you when you submit the form. The judge cannot approve the name change until 10 days after the last date of publication of the notice. Make sure your hearing date is set at least 10 days after the final publication date.

If the other parent agrees to the child`s name change, they can fill out this form. This form must be signed before a notary. It also depends on your age and maturity – the closer you get to 16, the more the court will consider your own opinions and the more likely it is to make the order. This is the form that the judge signs to grant the change of the child`s name. Although it is not necessary until the last step, it is best to fill it out in advance and save it for later. You will give it to the judge after completing the remaining steps. Complete all sections except the date and signature line for the judge. Be sure to indicate if a new birth certificate needs to be issued for the child with the new name.

If you are married and you match your last name to that of your spouse, you can use your marriage certificate as proof. For minor changes to your first name or middle name, you will receive a request to change your birth certificate from the Texas Bureau of Vital Statistics (www.dshs.state.tx.us). To change your last name, you need a court order. To apply for a name change, you must be at least 18 years old. You must pay a registration fee and attach a card with your fingerprints to the petition. The reason for the name change must be legal and “in the public interest”. A name change, for example to avoid creditors, would be out of the question. The court is obliged to give you the opportunity to make submissions during the proceedings if it considers that you are old and mature enough. You are supposed to be old and mature enough (by law) if you are 12 years old or older. This means that the court (if you are 12 years of age or older) must treat you as old and mature enough, unless proven otherwise.

Attend the hearing on the scheduled day and bring the order with you. The judge will ask you a few questions and decide whether or not to allow the name change. If the judge approves the name change, give it to the judge so they can sign it. In the State of Florida, the process of obtaining a name change for a minor begins with filing a petition with the Superior Court of the jurisdiction where the minor resides. The application is submitted by a parent, guardian or guardian acting on behalf of the minor. If only one parent applies for the change of name and the non-applicant parent does not sign a consent form for the change of name (minor child), the procedure must be served on the other parent, and if he or she is not a resident, the court may approve constructive communication by publication. The name change process in California is relatively simple: remember that seeking a court order should be the last resort. Your parents (or guardians) are legally responsible for you, and you will need to prove to the court that you first tried to resolve your differences with them. If your order includes an application for a new birth certificate with the child`s new name, you must contact the vital signs department where the child was born for the requirements. If the child was born in Nevada, please contact the Nevada Bureau of Vital Statistics to find out how to change the birth certificate.

A child 14 years of age or older must agree to their own name change.