Family law
How to Change Your Name in Texas: The Court Petition, After Marriage or Divorce, and the Records to Update
Change your name in Texas through a marriage license, a divorce decree or a court petition. See the forms, fingerprints, fees, waivers and records to update.
Counselado · August 8, 2026 · Texas · Updated October 1, 2026
In Texas, the way you change your name depends on why it is changing. A name change tied to marriage can rest on the marriage license, and a former name can be restored in a divorce decree. For an adult change for any other reason, Chapter 45 of the Texas Family Code (opens in a new tab) provides for a verified petition filed in the county where you live, stating your current name, the name you want, the reason, and any felony conviction or sex-offender registration. Texas forms and local court practice then cover fingerprints, the hearing, the signed order, certified copies and fee waivers. Once the change is legal, Social Security, Texas DPS, the passport office, voter registration and the state birth-record office each have their own update steps.
Key takeaways
- Texas has three main routes: the marriage license, a request in a divorce or annulment decree, and an adult court petition under Family Code Chapter 45.
- An adult petition is filed in the county where you live, usually with the district clerk, and the forms call for a fingerprint card.
- A person with a felony conviction or a sex-offender registration requirement can petition only if specific statutory conditions are met.
- Court costs can be addressed with a Statement of Inability to Afford Payment of Court Costs under Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 145.
- A name change does not erase debts or other liabilities incurred under the former name, and Texas DPS expects a license or ID update within 30 days.
Which Texas route fits your situation
Most people fall into one of three paths. If the change comes with a marriage, the marriage license and marriage record usually serve as the legal document. If you are divorcing and want a name you used before, you can ask for it in the decree. If neither applies, or you want a first, middle or full-name change for personal, cultural, religious or safety reasons, the adult petition under Chapter 45 is the route.
The route matters because each produces a different document, and agencies such as Social Security and DPS look for the right one. A marriage license, a divorce decree and a certified court order are all accepted, but each fits a different kind of change.
Changing your name through marriage
Chapter 2 of the Texas Family Code (opens in a new tab) requires a marriage license from a county clerk, and applicants provide the information the application asks for. A marriage-related name change can rely on that license and the related marriage record rather than a separate court petition. County clerk offices issue marriage licenses and certified copies of marriage records.
Texas DPS lists a marriage license, a divorce decree, an annulment, or a DSHS marriage-verification letter as documents for marriage-related changes to a license or ID. If your marriage is informal rather than licensed, our guide to common-law marriage in Texas explains what the law requires and how that kind of marriage is proved.
Restoring a former name in a divorce
Under Texas Family Code section 6.706 (opens in a new tab), a divorce or annulment decree must change the name of a party who specifically asks to return to a name previously used, unless the court states a reason for denying it. The court may not deny the request only to keep family surnames the same. After the decree, the person can also apply for a change-of-name certificate under section 45.106 (opens in a new tab).
The change does not release anyone from liabilities incurred under the old name or defeat rights held under it. Our guide to filing for divorce in Texas covers where the name request fits among the other parts of a divorce case.
What an adult name-change petition requires
Section 45.101 (opens in a new tab) lets an adult file a petition in the county of the adult's residence. The State Bar of Texas name-change pamphlet (opens in a new tab) identifies the district clerk as the filing office and explains that the clerk assigns the case to a court. The approved order form allows for either a district court or a county court at law.
Under section 45.102 (opens in a new tab), the petition must be verified and must state:
- Your present name and residence.
- The full name you are requesting.
- The reason for the request.
- Whether you have a final felony conviction.
- Whether you are subject to sex-offender registration.
- Identifying details the statute and forms require, such as sex, race, date of birth, Social Security number and driver's license information.
For a person with no final felony conviction and no registration requirement, section 45.103 (opens in a new tab) allows the court to order the change if it is in the petitioner's interest or benefit and in the public interest. The statute gives the court authority to grant the change; it does not promise approval.
TexasLawHelp's adult name-change guide (opens in a new tab) publishes the forms most people use: the Petition to Change the Name of an Adult (FM-NCA-100), the Order Changing the Name of an Adult (FM-NCA-200), the Adult Name Change Prove-Up Declaration (FM-NCA-112), Sample Testimony (FM-NCA-700), a guided interview form, and the Statement of Inability to Afford Payment of Court Costs. The petition is signed under penalty of perjury, and the proposed order is filled out except for the judge's signature.
Hover or tap a row to highlight it.
| Form | What it is |
|---|---|
| FM-NCA-100 | Petition to Change the Name of an Adult |
| FM-NCA-200 | Order Changing the Name of an Adult |
| FM-NCA-112 | Adult Name Change Prove-Up Declaration |
| FM-NCA-700 | Sample Testimony |
| Statement of Inability to Afford Payment of Court Costs | The fee-waiver statement, filed with the petition when it applies |
Fingerprints, criminal history and the hearing
TexasLawHelp's instructions call for a legible fingerprint card, filed with the petition or handled under local e-filing instructions. The forms also ask about felony and Class A or B misdemeanor charges, and TexasLawHelp's criminal history article (opens in a new tab) explains that extra paperwork may be needed.
A felony conviction narrows the path but does not close it. Under section 45.103 (opens in a new tab), a court may order the change only if a statutory condition is met: a Texas Department of Criminal Justice discharge certificate, or completion of community supervision or juvenile probation followed by at least two years; a pardon; or a request to use the primary name shown in criminal-history records. A person subject to sex-offender registration may be granted a change if the statutory requirements are met and they show proof of notice to the local law-enforcement authority.
Hearings vary by county. TexasLawHelp describes scheduled hearings, walk-in settings, virtual hearings and submission without a hearing, and notes that timing depends on the county and the court's procedure. The district clerk or court coordinator can tell you how your court schedules these cases. Clerks handle filing logistics but cannot give legal advice.
How a Texas adult name-change petition moves
- Pick the routeConfirm that the change is not handled through a marriage license or divorce decree.
- Prepare the papersComplete the verified petition and the proposed order, leaving the judge's signature blank.
- Get fingerprintsObtain a legible fingerprint card and gather any criminal-history documents that apply.
- File in your countyFile with the district clerk in the county where you live, with a fee-waiver statement if needed.
- Hearing or submissionFollow the court's procedure, which may be a scheduled, walk-in or virtual hearing or a submission without a hearing.
- Signed orderAfter the judge signs, the order is filed and you request certified copies or the $10 certificate.
- Update recordsTake the order to Social Security, Texas DPS, voter registration, the passport office and the birth-record office.
The signed order, certified copies and the $10 certificate
Once the judge signs the order, it is filed with the clerk, and you can request certified copies. Most agencies want an original or certified document, so it helps to plan for more than one copy.
Section 45.106 (opens in a new tab) also authorizes a one-page change-of-name certificate. It lists the former and new names, the date of the change, the Social Security and driver's license numbers if any, the court and the clerk. The statutory fee to issue it is $10.
What it costs and how fees can be waived
Filing fees are set county by county, so a figure from one county is only an example. The Travis County Clerk's 2026 civil fee schedule (opens in a new tab) lists $213 in local consolidated fees and $137 in state consolidated fees, a $350 total for an original civil filing. The Harris County District Clerk's fee schedule (opens in a new tab), effective January 1, 2026, lists Harris County's own amounts. Confirm the current fee with your county's clerk before filing.
Hover or tap a row to highlight it.
| Item | Figure or period | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Change-of-name certificate | $10 | Tex. Fam. Code § 45.106 |
| Travis County original civil filing | $350 ($213 local plus $137 state) | Travis County Clerk 2026 schedule |
| Notice before a hearing on a fee-waiver challenge | 10 days | Tex. R. Civ. P. 145 |
| Felony supervision waiting period | At least two years after completion | Tex. Fam. Code § 45.103 |
| Child's written consent | Required at age 10 or older | Tex. Fam. Code § 45.002 |
| Texas DPS license or ID update | Within 30 days of the change | Texas DPS |
| Address Confidentiality Program name-change notice | At least 10 days in advance | Texas Attorney General |
If you cannot afford court costs, Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 145 (opens in a new tab) lets you file a sworn Statement of Inability to Afford Payment of Court Costs. Once it is filed, you cannot be required to pay filing, service, clerk or other court costs unless the court orders payment under the rule, and the clerk must still docket the case. A challenge to the statement requires sworn evidence and a hearing with 10 days' notice.
Debts, lawsuits and public records
A new name does not wipe the slate clean. Section 45.105 (opens in a new tab) provides that a name change does not release you from liability incurred under the former name or defeat rights you held under it, and the divorce-decree route has the same limit. TexasLawHelp notes that judges may ask whether a change is meant to avoid criminal prosecution or payment of a debt.
The adult steps TexasLawHelp describes run from filing to the local hearing or submission to certified copies. Court filings and orders are generally kept in the clerk's records system, subject to confidentiality laws and court orders.
Noncitizens and survivors of family violence
For noncitizens, USCIS naturalization guidance (opens in a new tab) explains that applying for naturalization does not by itself give USCIS authority to change a name. Before naturalization, USCIS can rely on proof of a state-law change, such as a marriage certificate, divorce decree or state court order, and a person may ask for a name change during a judicial naturalization ceremony if the court grants it. To replace a certificate after a later legal change, the Form N-565 instructions (opens in a new tab) call for evidence such as a marriage certificate, divorce decree or court order.
The Texas Attorney General's Address Confidentiality Program (opens in a new tab) serves eligible survivors of family violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, stalking and child abduction with a substitute mailing address and mail forwarding. Participants must notify the program at least 10 days before moving or changing their name. Section 45.103 (opens in a new tab) creates a presumption in favor of a qualifying participant's request, and the order it describes is confidential. If safety is the immediate concern, our guide to getting a protective order in Texas covers that process.
Changing a child's name
A child's name change has its own rules. Under section 45.001 (opens in a new tab), a parent, managing conservator or guardian may petition in the county where the child lives. Section 45.002 (opens in a new tab) requires a verified petition with the child's current name and residence, the requested name, the reason, whether the child is under a court's continuing exclusive jurisdiction, and whether the child is subject to sex-offender registration. A child who is 10 or older must give written consent.
A parent whose rights have not been terminated, a managing conservator and a guardian are entitled to citation under section 45.003 (opens in a new tab), meaning formal notice of the case. Section 45.004 (opens in a new tab) allows the order when the change is in the best interest of the child. When a court already has continuing jurisdiction over the child, for example through a custody or child support case in Texas, that case shapes where and how the request proceeds.
Which records to update after the change
The legal change is only the start. Each agency has its own steps:
- Social Security. SSA's name-change instructions (opens in a new tab) call for proof of identity, proof of the legal name change, and proof of citizenship or lawful status when required. Accepted change documents include a marriage document, divorce decree, Certificate of Naturalization showing the new name, or court order. SSA uses an online process when available, or Form SS-5 with an appointment or office visit.
- Texas driver's license or ID. Texas DPS (opens in a new tab) requires a replacement application within 30 days of the change, with original or certified documents. For changes not tied to marriage, it lists a certified court order, an amended birth certificate or a Certificate of Naturalization.
- Voter registration. VoteTexas (opens in a new tab) offers an online update through Texas.gov for a changed name or address, using your VUID.
- Passport. The State Department's name-change page (opens in a new tab) lists Form DS-5504 for eligible changes within the applicable one-year period, DS-82 when mail renewal applies, and DS-11 for in-person applications.
- Birth certificate. For people born in Texas, DSHS (opens in a new tab) accepts a certified court order to support an amended birth certificate.
After those, banks, employers, insurers, schools and professional licensing boards usually need the new name as well.
Check what you know
Frequently asked questions about changing your name in Texas
A few more points people often ask about.
Do I need a lawyer to file a Texas name-change petition?
TexasLawHelp publishes self-help forms and instructions for adults who file on their own, while noting that its materials are not a substitute for legal advice. Help is also available through the Texas State Law Library, county law libraries, local legal aid providers and the State Bar of Texas Lawyer Referral and Information Service (opens in a new tab).
Is there a Spanish-language version of the forms?
TexasLawHelp has a Spanish guide, Quiero cambiar mi nombre (opens in a new tab), and its Spanish guided forms (opens in a new tab) include an adult name-change interview and a form to request an interpreter.
What does the approved Texas order include?
The Texas Supreme Court approved the adult name-change forms and instructions. The approved adult order form (opens in a new tab) records the court's jurisdiction, the hearing information, your identifying details, the criminal-history findings, the requested name and the judge's order.
Finding a family law firm in Texas
If your situation involves a criminal history, a child, a pending case or a safety concern, a Texas family law attorney can review the petition and the local court's requirements with you. You can search our directory of Texas family law firms by city.
Terms in this guide
Tap a term to see what it means.
Verified petition. A written request to the court that the petitioner swears is true; a Texas adult name-change petition must be verified.
District clerk. The county office where a Texas adult name-change petition is usually filed; the clerk assigns the case to a court.
Fingerprint card. A card with the petitioner's fingerprints that TexasLawHelp's instructions call for with an adult petition.
Certified copy. An official copy of the signed order from the clerk; most agencies want an original or certified document.
Change-of-name certificate. In Texas, a one-page certificate under Family Code section 45.106 listing the former and new names; the statutory fee is $10.
Statement of Inability to Afford Payment of Court Costs. In Texas, a sworn statement under Rule of Civil Procedure 145 that lets a person proceed without paying court costs unless the court orders payment.
Address Confidentiality Program. A Texas Attorney General program that gives eligible survivors a substitute mailing address and mail forwarding.
This guide gives general legal information, not legal advice for your situation. Laws change and differ by state; a lawyer licensed in your state can tell you how they apply to you.