Indiana Petition for Change of Name

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An Indiana Petition for Change of Name is filed with a person’s local court to request that their name be legally changed. The form requires the person to provide their current name, requested new name, address, date of birth, Indiana ID number, and list any other names they’ve been known by. Before filing, the person must have the petition notarized.

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Indiana Petition for Change of Name

Last updated November 17th, 2025

An Indiana Petition for Change of Name is filed with a person’s local court to request that their name be legally changed. The form requires the person to provide their current name, requested new name, address, date of birth, Indiana ID number, and list any other names they’ve been known by. Before filing, the person must have the petition notarized.

Eligibility Requirements

  • US citizen
  • Permanent resident of Indiana
  • Age 17 or older
  • Not a prisoner or registered sex offender
  • Not for fraudulent purposes

How to Legally Change a Name in Indiana

Step 1 – Complete and Notarize Petition

To request a legal name change, the following forms must be completed:

  • Appearance by Unrepresented Person
  • Verified Petition for Change of Name
  • Order Setting Hearing
  • Notice of Filing Proof of Publication
  • Notice of Petition for Change of Name
  • Order on Verified Petition for Change of Name

The Verified Petition requires notarization before filing. The Adult Name Change Packet includes all of the required forms.

Step 2 – File Petition

The petition and supporting documents must be filed with the petitioner’s local court clerk.[1] The clerk’s office will need to be contacted in advance to verify the documents, copies, ID, and fees they require.

At the time of filing, the clerk will provide a case number for the petition, stamp the forms, and provide a hearing date, which must be entered on the Notice of Petition for Change of Name.

Step 3 – Publish Notice

The petitioner is required to arrange for notice of the pending name change to be published in a local newspaper once a week for three weeks, with the last publication date occurring at least thirty days before the hearing date.[2]

After the publication requirement has been fulfilled, the newspaper will send a proof of publication notice to the petitioner. The proof of publication must be attached to the Notice of Petition for Change of Name and filed with the court.[3]

Step 4 – Name Change Hearing

The petitioner must attend their court hearing, where they may be asked to answer questions regarding their background and the reasons for changing their name.

If the court approves the name change, they will sign and date the Order on Verified Petition for Change of Name and send copies to the Indiana Department of Health and the local county health department.[4]

The petitioner will need additional copies of the Order to update their name with agencies, banks, and employers.

Marriage and Divorce

A person’s last name can be changed to adopt their spouse’s during marriage or to revert to the previous name during divorce in the paperwork for the respective process. The name change will be represented and proven on the person’s marriage license or divorce decree.

Sources

  1. §§ 34-28-2-1, -2-2, -2.5