The applicant must complete the Application for Change of Name and have it notarized.^[1] They must also fill out their name, address, and signature on the Order for Name Change (the rest of the form will be completed by the judge).
 
Counties or cities may have additional region-specific forms that must be filed instead (such as Fairfax County).

The completed Application and Order must be submitted via mail or in person to the circuit court in the city or county where the applicant resides.^[2] Filings are subject to fees, which vary by county. In some counties or cities, additional copies of the forms or a self-addressed envelope must be submitted along with the forms.

If the Application is approved, the judge will complete and sign the Order for Name Change.^[3] The court clerk will mail copies of the Order and Application to the State Registrar of Vital Statistics and the Criminal Records Exchange.^[4]

After the Order is signed, the applicant is mailed a certified copy. This certified copy is used to update the applicant’s name on other documents.

A newly married person can change their name by providing their new name on the marriage certificate. The certificate can then be presented to the necessary government agencies to update the name on file.

An individual can also resume their former name in a divorce by requesting a change during the hearing. Like the marriage certificate, the divorce decree serves as proof of the name change and can be used to update records with government agencies.