How to Change Your Middle Name in California
In California, it is necessary to file the appropriate paperwork in court to have your middle name changed. This is referred to as the "court method." Before identity theft was so prevalent, a person could simply change their name by using the designated name and by having the department of motor vehicles (DMV) and the Social Security administration update their records. Today, in most cases, except in some instances when a name change is due to marriage, a person must file a petition with the court.
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Things You'll Need
- Form NC-100, Petition for Change of Name
- Form NC-110,: Attachment to Petition
- Form: CMS-110m Civil Case Cover Sheet
- Court fees or fee-waiver form
- Certified copy of Form NC-130, Decree Changing Name
Instructions
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Complete a Petition for a Change of Name (NC-100) and Attachment to Petition (NC-110). Form NC-100 requires the petitioner to provide basic information, such as your name, address, telephone number and the proposed name. Form NC-110 requires the petitioner to give the reason for the proposed name change and to sign a declaration that they are not required to register as a sex offender.
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Make two copies of each form.
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Complete Civil Case Cover Sheet (CMS-010). The petitioner must include information about the type of civil case and file it with the other forms.
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File the completed paperwork at your county courthouse.
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Bring the appropriate fee or fee-waiver form to the court. The fee is subject to change and may vary.
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Obtain your court date when you file your paperwork.
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Publish your request for a name change in a local paper once per week for four successive weeks. This step is unnecessary if you are a victim of domestic violence.
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Go to court on your court date.
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Bring proof of the publication and Decree Changing Name (NC-130) to your court date. This is the official decree granting your name change that the judge has to approve.
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Obtain a certified copy of the Decree Changing Name from the court.
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Take the decree to the DMV and the Social Security office, so the agencies can update their records.
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Tips & Warnings
Make sure to obtain a list of approved newspapers from the court because not every newspaper is approved by the court.
If you are a low-income petitioner, the court may waive the fee. A fee waiver excuses a petitioner from paying the fee for the request for the name change.
You will have to pay a fee to publish your request for a name change in the newspaper.
If you are a victim of domestic violence, you can keep your request confidential by registering with the Safe At Home program.
It will generally take 6 to 12 weeks to obtain a name change.
A person may object to your request for a name change. Any objection must be in writing and filed with the court at least two days before the petitioner's hearing date. The person making the objection must make an appearance at the hearing. The failure to file a written objection will allow the judge to grant the request without holding a hearing.
In some situations, a judge may refuse to grant a name change; this may arise when the judge believes that the name change is for the purpose of committing fraud or to hide from law enforcement.
