How Much Does It Cost to Change Your Name? (2026 Guide)

Changing your name legally in the United States usually costs between $150 and $500 when you handle it yourself. The court filing fee is the largest expense, ranging from about $100 to $450 depending on your state and county. Other costs can include certified copies of the order, newspaper publication where required, and fingerprinting in some states. Updating documents such as your Social Security card and passport is often free. Hiring an attorney typically adds $200 to $600 or more.

If you have ever started Googling this question, you already know the frustration: every page gives you a different number, half the answers are from a forum thread written a decade ago, and nobody actually adds it all up for you. So let's fix that.

A legal name change is one of the more affordable things you can do in the legal world, and most people spend far less than they fear. But the real cost depends on three things: your state, your reason for changing, and whether you do it yourself or pay someone. Below is the honest, current breakdown, so you can budget with confidence before you file a single form.

The Short Answer: What a Name Change Really Costs

For most adults filing on their own, a legal name change runs $150 to $500 all in. The court filing fee is the biggest single piece of that, and everything else, certified copies, document updates, the occasional newspaper notice, tends to be small by comparison.

If you bring in an attorney, expect to add roughly $200 to $600 on top of the court costs for a straightforward case. And if your name change happens as part of a marriage or divorce, it can cost close to nothing extra at all.

The rest of this guide breaks down where every dollar goes, what changes by state, and how to spend as little as possible.

The Full Cost Breakdown, Line by Line

Here is everything that can show up on the bill for an adult name change, and what each piece typically costs.

Court filing fee (the big one)

This is the fee you pay the court to file your petition, and it's where most of your money goes. It ranges widely, from around $100 in lower-cost states to $435–$450 in California, depending on where you live. Some states even vary by county, so two people in the same state can pay different amounts.

The filing fee is the same whether you're changing just your last name or your entire name, so don't worry that a bigger change means a bigger bill.

Certified copies of your court order

Once a judge signs your name change, you'll need official certified copies to prove it, one for Social Security, one for the DMV, and so on. These usually cost about $5 to $10 each. Order a few; it's cheaper than going back later.

Newspaper publication (only some states)

A handful of states still require you to publish a notice of your name change in a local newspaper. California, for example, generally requires about a month of publication. The cost depends entirely on the paper and can run from a few dozen dollars to a couple hundred. Many states have dropped this requirement, so check whether yours still has it.

Fingerprinting or a background check (only some states)

Most states do not require fingerprinting for a name change. Texas is a notable exception, requiring a fingerprint-based criminal background check, which adds roughly $40 to $60 in processing fees. If you live somewhere that requires this, budget for it; if not, you can skip it entirely.

Updating your documents afterward

This is the part people overestimate the most. Updating your records after the court order is mostly free or cheap:

• Social Security card: free (you file Form SS-5).

• Passport: free if you change your name within a year of it being issued (Form DS-5504). After that, a standard adult passport book renewal is about $130.

• Driver's license / state ID: varies by state, often under $30 (Texas charges about $11, for example).

• Birth certificate: amending one usually costs about $30 to $60, plus $10 to $15 for extra copies. This step is optional for most adults.

• Bank accounts, credit cards, voter registration: generally free, you just show your court order or new ID.

DIY vs. Online Service vs. Attorney: A Cost Comparison

Here's the comparison almost no other guide gives you. The "right" choice depends on how much time you have and how complicated your situation is.

For a simple adult name change, you usually don't need an attorney, plenty of people file successfully on their own. The catch with the pure DIY route is the time and uncertainty: tracking down the right county forms, getting the wording right, and making sure nothing gets rejected.

That middle option exists to solve exactly that. LegalFriend's flat-fee name change service walks you through plain-English questions and prepares your state-specific forms and agency checklists, so you get the savings of doing it yourself without the guesswork, starting at $39. You still pay your court's filing fee directly, but you skip the part where you're decoding legal forms at midnight.

Name Change Filing Fees by State

Filing fees are set at the state or county level, so they're the single biggest reason your total will differ from your neighbor's in another state. Fees change over time, so always confirm the current amount with your local court or county clerk before you file. Here's the general landscape:

A few notes that save real money:

• California is among the priciest, around $435–$450, and also tends to require newspaper publication (California Courts Self-Help Guide).

• Texas runs roughly $300–$350 by county (Travis County, for instance, is currently $350), and it's one of the few states that also requires a fingerprint background check.

• Many states fall in the $150–$250 middle, which is why "$200ish plus a few small costs" is a fair mental estimate for a typical DIY name change.

Because the numbers move, treat any figure you find online, including ours, as a starting estimate, then verify with your court.

How Much It Costs by Reason for the Change

Not every name change is a full court petition. Your reason matters, and some routes are dramatically cheaper.

After marriage

Taking your spouse's last name after a wedding usually requires no separate court petition and no court filing fee. Your marriage certificate is the legal document that authorizes the change. Your only real costs are the marriage license itself (commonly $30 to $70) and updating your IDs afterward.

After divorce

If you want to return to a former or maiden name, you can almost always request it as part of your divorce, at no additional cost, by including it in the decree. That makes a divorce the cheapest time to change your name back. If you wait until after the divorce is final, it becomes a standard name-change petition with the normal filing fee. If you're already going through this, our uncontested divorce service can include the name-restoration request.

Gender-marker and transgender name changes

The fees are the same as any other name change, there's no surcharge for changing your name or gender marker. The same petition forms are typically used, and some states even waive the newspaper-publication requirement in these cases.

Changing a child's name

A child's name change is usually a separate petition that a parent files, and it generally costs about the same filing fee as an adult change. A child's name does not change automatically when a parent's does.

Hidden Costs People Forget

These are the small expenses that catch people off guard. None are huge, but they add up:

• Extra certified copies when you realize one wasn't enough.

• Mailing or shipping documents to agencies.

• A new passport photo if you're renewing.

• Replacement debit cards and checks with your new name.

• Re-issuing any professional licenses or certifications.

Budgeting an extra $50 to $100 for these odds and ends keeps the final total from surprising you.

How to Lower the Cost (or Pay Nothing at All)

You have more control over the price than you might think:

1. Apply for a fee waiver. Most states let low-income filers request a waiver of the court filing fee (sometimes called in forma pauperis or a "statement of inability to afford court costs"). If you qualify, the biggest cost disappears.

2. Bundle it with a divorce. As noted above, restoring a name during a divorce avoids a separate filing fee entirely.

3. Order only the certified copies you need. They're cheap individually, but there's no reason to buy ten if you need three.

4. Do the document updates yourself. Updating Social Security, the DMV, and your bank is free, there's no need to pay anyone for it.

Sample Budgets: What People Actually Spend

To make it concrete, here's roughly what three common scenarios cost:

• Marriage name change (cheapest): about $15–$60. Just a few certified copies of your marriage certificate, plus a small DMV fee. No court, no filing fee.

• DIY court-ordered change in a mid-cost state: about $200–$400. A filing fee around $150–$250, a few certified copies ($30–$75), and newspaper publication if your state requires it ($40–$150).

• DIY court-ordered change in a high-cost state (like California): about $450–$650. The filing fee alone runs around $435, plus certified copies and publication.

Add an attorney to any of these and you're looking at a few hundred to over a thousand dollars more, though most people don't need one for a routine change.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to change my name as part of a divorce? Yes. Most family courts let you restore a former or maiden name as part of the divorce decree at no extra filing fee. Doing it after the divorce is final means filing a separate petition with the normal fee.

Do I need a lawyer to change my name? Usually not. A simple, uncontested adult name change can be filed on your own using state forms or a document-prep service. An attorney is optional unless your case is complicated.

Can I get the filing fee waived? Often, yes. Most states offer a fee waiver for filers who meet income limits. You submit a sworn statement of your finances along with your petition.

Does it cost more to change my whole name versus just my last name? No. The court filing fee is the same whether you change one name or all of them.

Will my children's names change automatically when I change mine? No. A child's name change requires its own petition (unless it's handled through a divorce or adoption).

How much does it cost to update my passport and Social Security card? Your Social Security card is free to update. Your passport is free within a year of issuance (Form DS-5504); after that, a renewal runs about $130.

How long does it take, and does paying more make it faster? Most name changes take about one to three months. Courts generally don't offer a paid "expedite" option, so spending more won't speed up the legal timeline.

What's the cheapest way to change my name? If it's tied to a marriage or divorce, fold it into that process, it's nearly free. Otherwise, file the court petition yourself (no attorney) and apply for a fee waiver if you qualify.

Are there hidden costs I should plan for? A few: certified copies (often $10–$25 each, and you'll want several), newspaper publication in states that require it, and a new passport if yours is over a year old (about $130).

The Bottom Line

A legal name change is more affordable than most people expect. Do it yourself and you'll likely spend $150 to $500, most of it the court's filing fee. Add an attorney and you're looking at a few hundred dollars more; tie it to a marriage or divorce and it can cost almost nothing extra. The single biggest variable is your state, so confirm your local filing fee before you budget.

Whatever route you choose, you don't have to navigate the forms alone. LegalFriend gives you a guided, plain-English path and state-specific paperwork for a flat fee. See what your name change would cost and start whenever you're ready, the only surprise is how simple it turns out to be.

This article is general legal information, not legal advice. Court fees and requirements change and vary by location, so confirm the details with your local court or a licensed attorney for your specific situation.

Sources

This guide's figures come from official government and court resources (linked inline above):

• California Courts, "Change Your Name" Self-Help Guide: filing fees, publication, and fee-waiver rules.

• Travis County Law Library, "Adult Name Change": current Texas county filing fee.

• Travis County District Clerk, "Name Change": statement of inability to afford court costs (fee waiver).

• U.S. Social Security Administration, Form SS-5: updating your Social Security card.

• U.S. Department of State, "Change or Correct a Passport": passport name-change forms and fees.

Fees were current as of June 2026; always confirm the latest amount with your local court or county clerk.