Is It Possible to Legally Change Your Last Name without Getting Married

If one of these entities prevents you from telling them about your legal name change, remind them of your right and offer them a copy of the court order. If necessary, talk to a supervisor. Keep in mind that many financial institutions and creditors will hesitate for fear of identity theft and fraud. Be patient and keep forcing the use of your new name. Eventually, it will prevail permanently. You should also update online profiles, social media accounts (unless you use a nickname or nickname), and all email accounts. Since every state is different in its name change rules, you should check with your local clerk to find out what your state`s requirements are. Take them to your local county clerk`s office. Ask the clerk to archive them. Most locations charge an application fee of $210. Be sure to change your name on all your personal and legal documents such as wills, deeds, titles, trusts, accounts and powers of attorney. Changing your name on estate planning documents will make it much easier for your heirs in the future. While your heirs may not be disinherited due to a name discrepancy, they may need to go through other steps to show your previous name and true identity before receiving their share.

Can you change your last name without getting married? As described above, definitely yes! The most common reason you can`t legally change your name is to scam someone. Typically, you`ll have to pay filing and court fees and anything else it costs to get a new piece of identification, such as an updated driver`s license or health card. Keep in mind that updating your Social Security card doesn`t cost anything. With your revised ID, you can review your voter registration, bank accounts, medical records, and anything else that requires your official name. dmv.ny.gov/driver-license/looking-information-about-changing-your-name Once the law changes your name, there`s still a lot to do. You`ll have a hard time proving that you`re who you say you are when your driver`s license shows your old name. So be sure to contact the Florida DMV. Keep in mind that your Social Security card also needs to be changed, so check with your local Social Security office.

Voter registration may need to be updated, and other government agencies may also want to adjust their records. Contacting them is an important step. Divorce: Each spouse can ask the court to use a name that was used before the marriage in the divorce. New York divorce decrees include an order that allows you to revert to a previous surname or surname, whether or not you apply for permission. If you are applying for a name change, you must publish a notice of your application. An advertisement must appear at least once a week for 4 weeks in a newspaper specified by the court. You must file a notice form and submit the payment to the Superior Court for the notice to be published. Keep a copy of the publisher`s affidavit as proof that your notice has been published. Marriage and divorce are by far the most common reasons why people change their names.

Generally, if you change your name after you get married, a marriage certificate is the only thing you need. A divorce decree is all you need to change your name again after the divorce. The court usually approves the name change unless you want to do something illegal with the new name, such as cheating someone or hiding from debt. The most important thing you need to do to legally change your name is to use your new name. You can do the following: As of December 21, 2021, name change publication work will no longer be required. Instead, your name change will take effect as soon as you file the judge`s order with the county clerk. However, if you are required to pay spousal or family allowances, the court may ask you to send a copy of your name change order to the court that issued the support orders. However, the court cannot require you to send a notice to another person unless it does so in writing and justifies why you must do so.

Finally, you can ask the court to seal your name change documents so that no one can access them without a court order. If you want to do this, you will have to explain to the court why you want your name change log to be sealed. Once you`ve done those last three things, your name change is final. Ready to change its name in the Sunshine State? This is not uncommon and many people do it. Maybe you`ll get married. Maybe you`re going through a divorce and feel like it`s time to go back to your old name. Or maybe you just want to change it – because you have to, because you`ve always wanted to, or just because you`ve made something new shine. Whatever the reason, there is a legal process to follow.

However, we have the solution for you. Here`s how to change your name in Florida, including: If someone is transgender, they probably don`t feel as connected to their birth name anymore. For this reason, many transgender people legally want to change their name to something more masculine or feminine. If so, they must apply to the court. The legal change of your name, whether for marriage, divorce or any other reason, can be a great life event. Each state`s laws are different and you should make sure to do so in accordance with the book, including filing your petition to change your name with the appropriate government agency. Let an experienced family law lawyer guide you through the process. When it`s all over, use your new name! A name change is an important event, so be sure to say it: Generally, you can legally change your name to any name you want, though state marriage laws can also provide additional legal advice. However, there are some exceptions. For example, you can`t: marriage is the most common time to change your name.

As a result, it is the easiest to achieve. Florida allows people to change their name on their marriage license application form. Although forms differ depending on the location, you can usually just type your new name and include your old name on the form. A county official will issue a license once the normal marriage license process is completed in Florida. And this license is all the legal hurdles you have to jump through. It can be used to change your name on your driver`s license, social security card, and other documents (more on that below). Be sure to check your state`s requirements by visiting your state government`s website or calling your clerk. In New York, you can change your name without going to court. You can simply start using your new name. However, it may be best to ask a court to change your name. Most government agencies or companies (such as the DMV, Social Security Administration, and airlines) won`t accept your new name without a court order.

You must ask the Supreme Court of the State of New York to change your name. To do this, you will need to complete and submit these court forms: There are several reasons why a person might want to change their name, often after a marriage or divorce. The process of legally changing your name usually involves requesting your name change and using your new name. Not in most states, but it`s useful. In most states, you can legally change your name by simply using it. You can choose a name and use it simply in social environments and in your business. This may be a completely legal name change. If the court agrees to change your name, you need to do three other things: You need to send notices about your name change to Social Security, DMV, and other agencies that have your records.

Examples of application forms include: The required forms and name change information can be found on the tribunal`s website. Please visit www.nycourts.gov/CourtHelp/NameChange/forms.shtml#test For more information on how to legally change your name, see: The reality is that you want to change your first name for various non-marital reasons, including, for example, the following 3 reasons: What should I do if the court agrees to change my name? Simply enter the new name you choose on your marriage proposal. Any name change outside of marriage or divorce requires a petition to the court. This is a separate court case that may require significant preparation. Florida`s name change law requires all petitioners to undergo a criminal record review. Once you`re done, a petition to change your name should include the following: Then, take your forms to the Supreme Court office. Just like changing your name after a sex change, you may not feel as connected to your birth name for reasons unrelated to gender identity. If so, you can simply apply to the court and then update all relevant documents and identification. If you applied for a name change when you applied for your marriage certificate to take your spouse`s name, your marriage certificate from your county probate court is your legal name change document. You don`t have to apply to the county Supreme Court for another name change.

You can also change your name during divorce proceedings. Florida courts allow a divorced spouse to change their name to a previous name. This can be done with little or no additional cost by informing the court that this is desired.