Texas – How To Change Your Name

The Name Change Notification process begins after your legal name change has been obtained (e.g. via marriage
certificate, divorce decree or court order), and it involves officially informing all of the relevant governmental organizations
and agencies, as well as other professional and personal service providers and affiliates of your name change. (If you
have not yet obtained a legal name change, you should visit our Texas Legal Name Change page.)

For a free, but slightly more time-consuming alternative, we have broken down Name Change Notification into two major
processes:
1. Primary Name Change Notification: Notifying the relevant government agencies of your name change
2. Secondary Name Change Notification: Notifying professional and personal affiliates and service providers of
your name change
For each process, we have created an easy-to-follow check list with all the important links, to make your name change as
smooth as possible. You should complete the Primary Name Change Notification steps first in the order that they appear,
as the earlier steps are frequently prerequisites for the later ones. If, after reviewing the information below, you feel that
you don’t have the time to complete all of these steps, this is by far the best alternative we could find.
Once you have completed the Primary Name Change Notification steps, you can go through the Secondary Name
Change Notification steps.

Texas Legal Name Change

Below are the relevant state statutes, as well as links to the form petitions and instructions for obtaining a legal name
change for yourself or a minor.
If, after reviewing the information below, you find the need for further assistance, you should visit this online service.
If you are seeking a marriage name change or a divorce name change, your marriage license or divorce decree can serve
as your legal name change document. Thus you can proceed to Name Change Notification, the final step of the name
change process. Otherwise, read the information below and follow the links to learn about obtaining a legal name change.

ec. 45.105. Change of Name in Divorce Suit.

(a) On the final disposition of a suit for divorce, for annulment, or to declare a marriage void, the court shall enter a
decree changing the name of a party specially praying for the change to a prior used name unless the court states in the
decree a reason for denying the change of name. The court may not deny a change of name solely to keep last names of
family members the same.
(b) A person whose name is changed under this section may apply for a change of name certificate from the clerk of the
court as provided by Section 45.106.
Added by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 7.10(a), eff. Sept. 1, 1997.
Sec. 45.106. Change of Name Certificate.
(a) A person whose name is changed under Section 6.706 or 45.105 may apply to the clerk of the court ordering the
name change for a change of name certificate.
(b) A certificate under this section is a one-page document that includes:
(1) the name of the person before the change of name was ordered;
(2) the name to which the person’s name was changed by the court;
(3) the date on which the name change was made;
(4) the person’s social security number and driver’s license number, if any;
(5) the name of the court in which the name change was ordered; and
(6) the signature of the clerk of the court that issued the certificate.
(c) An applicant for a certificate under this section shall pay a $10 fee to the clerk of the court for issuance of the
certificate.
(d) A certificate under this section constitutes proof of the change of name of the person named in the certificate.
Secondary Name Change Notification
Following is a checklist of individuals and institutions with which you should register your name change. If you are also
moving, you should update your address with each of them as well. With the entities below, you can generally update your
information by phone or by email.

e have also provided you with name change form letters in Microsoft Word format, which you can download and alter as
you see fit. You can mail these forms, or copy and paste them into an email and send them electronically to the
approprate agencies.

1. Financial Company Form Letter: Use this for your banks, mutual funds, investmant plans, IRAs and other such financial
accounts.
2. Medical Insurance Plan Form Letter: If you are insured by your employer, than the HR department will typically take care
of this name change for you. But just in case, you can use this form for all of your medical/dental insurance providers.
3. Generic Form Letter: Use this for all other miscellanious organizations and agencies whom you want to inform of your name
change.

In addition to the list below, we also provide a Complete Printable Checklist in Microsoft Word format.

State Name Change Petition and Instructions

Adult Form Instructions Premium Forms Premium Service

Child Form Instructions Premium Forms Premium Service

 Primary Name Change Notification Steps

Generally, proof of name change includes a certified marriage

certificate, divorce decree, or other legal record (usually a court
order). Most institutions below will require proof of your legal name
Proof of Legal Name change in order to complete the name change process. If you don’t Marriage Certificate
Change already have this document, you can request it via the links to the Divorce Decree
right. If you have not yet obtained a legal name change, visit
ourTexas Legal Name Change page. Be sure to keep a few copies
of your proof of legal name change as a backup.

Complete the SS-5 Form, and take (or mail) your completed
application and required documentation to your local social security
office. You will need to provide proof of: (1) your legal name change, SS-5 Form
Social Security
(2) identity, and (3) US citizenship (if you were not a US citizen prior Local Offices
to the name change). Locate the nearest office via the link to the
right.

Good news here. Once you change your name with the Social
IRS Security Administration, the IRS will be informed within 10 days. So
no additional work is necessary on your part.

You should be able to handle both driver’s license and car

registration updates in one trip to your DMV. Just make sure you License Name
Driver’s License and read the instructions carefully and bring (or mail in) ALL the required Change
Car Registration documentation so you don’t have to make a second trip back! Registration Name
*NOTE: If you are moving, also change your address on your license Change
at the same time.

Follow the link to the appropriate form described below and click the
disclaimer checkbox, then press “Submit”. You will be asked a series
of questions to ensure you are using the correct form.
If you have had your valid passport for over one year, and it was
issued when you were 16 or older use the DS-82 Form.
If your valid passport was issued within the past year use the DS- DS-82 Form
5504 Form.
If you do not have a valid passport; your passport was lost, stolen or DS-5504 Form
Passport damaged; it has expired; or you don’t have proof of legal name DS-11 Form
change, use the DS-11 Form, which needs to be submitted in Local Passport
person. Office
Fill out the correct form, then print and either mail to the Passport
Agency or take to your local passport office. Make sure to include
the appropriate fee, proof of legal name change, your
old validpassport, and two passport photos. Locate the Local
Passport Office nearest you.
Avoid all the hassle. Get your passport in a HURRY!

Follow the link to the right, click “Register To Vote”, and fill out the
form. If you are already registered to vote, be sure to select “No” for
question 5, “Are you registering for the first time?”. Once you select
“No”, a dialog box will appear that will give you the option to select Voter Registration
Voter Registration
that you are changing your name. You can also change your Form
address here if you have moved. Fill in the remaining questions,
print it and mail it. The application will give you the address of where
you need to send the form.

Post Office This item is somewhat out of place here—it really pertains to a Post Office Change
change of address. But odds are decent that if you’re changing your
 name, you are also changing your address. So if this applies to you,
follow the link to the right to easily change your address online with
the USPS.

SECONDARY NAME CHANGE NOTIFICATION STEPS

Employer (In most cases, simply contact your human resources. They will typically update your name with payroll,
medical plans, 401K etc.)

Banks

Credit Cards

Loans (mortgage, home, school etc.)

Investments (stock broker, mutual funds etc.)

Utility Companies (gas, electric, water etc.)

Retirement Plans

Professional Organizations (e.g. State Bar Association for attorneys, Nursing Association for nurses etc.)

Doctors

Insurance Companies (Health, Dental, Life, Renters/Home Owners, Automotive, etc.)

Memberships (AAA, clubs, etc.)

Professional Service Providers (attorney, accountant, etc.)

Clients and colleagues

(go to Primary Name Change Notification steps)