To file for a name change in Alaska, a person must complete the following forms:

The completed forms must be filed with the appropriate fee at the superior court in the judicial district where the petitioner resides. If Truefiling (an e-filing service) is available in the petitioner’s jurisdiction and they are not exempt, they must use it to submit the petition.^[2] Otherwise, filing can be completed in person or by mail.

Unless exempt in accordance with Alaskan court rules, name change petitioners must use TrueFiling to apply for a name change.^[3] This involves creating a TrueFiling account and uploading and sending the documents electronically.

Whether filing was done online or in person, the petitioner will receive an Order for Hearing, Posting, and Additional Service (CIV-701). This form will contain the hearing date, which will be set at least 40 days from the date the order was issued.

The petitioner’s name change request will be posted on the court’s website for four weeks. (This does not apply if the court approved the petitioner’s request to waive posting.)

In some cases, the order will require the petitioner to send notice to a specific person, entity, or newspaper, although this is generally reserved for situations where the judge determines it would be in the best interests of third parties or the general public to be notified.

The petitioner must attend the scheduled court hearing where the judge will review the case. As long as the paperwork is in order and no one contests the name change, the judge will grant the order for name change.

Before the petitioner can use their new name, the written judgment must be posted on the court’s website for one week. After that week, a Certificate of Name Change (CIV-705) will be issued to the petitioner, who can then use this certificate to update their Social Security card, IDs, licenses, and other important records.

After getting married, a spouse must obtain a certified copy of their Certificate of Marriage from Vital Records. Then, they can bring it to the Social Security Administration and complete Form SS-5 to obtain a new Social Security card with their updated name.^[4] After that, they can use their SS card to update other IDs and licenses.

When getting a divorce, a spouse can restore their previous name by requesting it in their divorce paperwork. If approved, the judge will include the restored name in the final divorce decree.^[5]