Changing Your Name in California
How adults change their legal name in California: the court petition, publication, fees, and restoring a name after divorce.
Short answer: An adult files name change forms with the superior court and pays a filing fee of about $435 to $450 (a fee waiver is available). California Courts Self-Help Guide, Change your name in California
| Legal name change | An adult files name change forms with the superior court and pays a filing fee of about $435 to $450 (a fee waiver is available). Before the judge decides, the request must be published in a newspaper's legal notice section for one month, at the petitioner's cost. Publication is not required if the change is to match gender identity or is filed with a request for gender recognition. The judge then issues a court order with the new legal name. |
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| Changing your name after divorce | In a California divorce you can ask to return to a former legal name (such as a birth name) on your final forms (form FL-170, item 12, and Judgment form FL-180, item 4(f)); the signed judgment is proof of the name change. After the divorce is final you can use form FL-395. For a completely new name, you must file a separate name change case. |
Where to get help in California
More California divorce & family law
- Getting a Marriage License in California
- Adopting a Child in California
- Guardianship of a Child or Adult in California
- Establishing Paternity in California
- Child Custody Laws in California
- How Child Support Is Calculated in California
- Divorce Records in California
- Alimony and Spousal Support in California
- How to File for Divorce in California
- Legal Separation and Annulment in California
- All California divorce & family law rules
FAQ
How do you legally change your name in California?
An adult files name change forms with the superior court and pays a filing fee of about $435 to $450 (a fee waiver is available). Before the judge decides, the request must be published in a newspaper's legal notice section for one month, at the petitioner's cost. Publication is not required if the change is to match gender identity or is filed with a request for gender recognition. The judge then issues a court order with the new legal name.
How do you change your name back after a divorce in California?
In a California divorce you can ask to return to a former legal name (such as a birth name) on your final forms (form FL-170, item 12, and Judgment form FL-180, item 4(f)); the signed judgment is proof of the name change. After the divorce is final you can use form FL-395. For a completely new name, you must file a separate name change case.
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.