Arkansas Petition for Change of Name

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An Arkansas Petition for Change of Name is a form used by residents to legally change their name through their county’s circuit court. To request a name change, the petitioner must provide their current name, new name, and the reasons for making the change. It’s recommended that name change petitioners have this document notarized before filing.

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Arkansas Petition for Change of Name

Last updated November 18th, 2025

An Arkansas Petition for Change of Name is a form used by residents to legally change their name through their county’s circuit court. To request a name change, the petitioner must provide their current name, new name, and the reasons for making the change. It’s recommended that name change petitioners have this document notarized before filing.

Eligibility Requirements

  • Must be filed with circuit court
  • Must provide sound reasoning

How to Legally Change a Name in Arkansas

Step 1 – Complete Forms

A person wishing to legally change their name must first complete a Circuit Court Civil Cover Sheet, a Petition for Change of Name, and an Order for Change of Name. The petitioner may need to wait to sign the Petition before a notary public.

Step 2 – File Forms

The petitioner must take all forms to the circuit court in their county and file them with the clerk for a fee (varies by county). The court clerk should inform the petitioner about the process of presenting the Order for Change of Name to a judge, if applicable. This may be in the form of an informal procedure or a court hearing.

Step 3 – Judge’s Order

When the petitioner is given the opportunity to present their case to a judge, the judge will review the documents and ask questions. If the judge determines that the petitioner is entitled to the name change, they will approve and sign the Order for Change of Name.

Step 4 – File Order

A redacted version of the petitioner’s Order (i.e., no confidential information) will be filed in the public records, and an unredacted copy sent to the Arkansas Crime Information Center, Arkansas Driver Control, and the Division of Vital Records to update the petitioner’s records.[1]

Marriage and Divorce

When taking a spouse’s name after marriage, the person changing their name can enter their preferred name on their marriage license application. A certificate will be provided after the marriage, serving as proof of the legal name change.

An individual can also resume their former name after a divorce.[2] The court will include their former name in the judgment, which can be used to update their Social Security card, driver’s license, and other IDs and records.

Sources

  1. § 9-2-101(a)
  2. § 9-12-318