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Name Changes
Changing Your Name in California
Changing your name in California is simple. Here are the basics:
What's in a name? Lots, if the number of people who change their names in California every year is any indication. Fortunately, name changes are not complicated, even though we strongly recommend that in most cases you use court proceedings (the "court method"), rather than the old "usage" method, to change your name. (It used to be fairly simple to just pick a new name, start using it, and ask agencies like the DMV and Social Security to change your records. After a few years, your new name would become your official legal name.) Today, because of identity theft and fears about terrorism, most agencies will require that you have a court order changing your name before they will change your records.
The Marriage Exception
The only exception to using the court method is if you are changing your name after getting married or registering as domestic partners. In this situation, you can just take your marriage license or verification of your domestic partnership registration to the DMV and fill out a simple form. You can do the same with the Social Security Administration. But in all other situations, you'll want to use the court method.
Limits on New Names
You can change your own name or the name of your child through the court method. You can also use the court method to restore your former name after a divorce -- but you'll only need to do this if you didn't get your former name restored as part of the divorce (which is a lot easier).
Changing a Minor's Name
Note that if you're changing a minor's name and you aren't the only legal parent, you'll need the other parent's permission to make the change, or else you'll need to deliver court papers to that person and then argue in front of the judge for why the name change is in the minor's interest.
Name Change (not as part of a divorce) - Price: $200
Pricing for the above services.
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