To initiate the process, the petitioner must fill out the Petition to Change Name and attach a copy of their birth certificate. Petitioners may have the form digitally generated by answering an online interview. The petitioner must sign the completed form in front of a notary public.

Before filing, the petitioner must also complete a Civil Coversheet and an Order to Change Name.

The petitioner must bring a copy of their Petition, coversheet, and filing fee to their local Chancery Court.^[1] Individuals who can’t afford the filing fee can request that it be waived by filing a Pauper’s Right to Waiver of Filing Fees.^[2] The chancery clerk will file the forms for the petitioner and give a date and time for the petitioner’s hearing. In some cases, a hearing may not be required.

The petitioner must bring the Order to Change Name to the hearing. The petitioner should be prepared to answer questions about their name change to the judge. If granted, the judge will sign the Order.

The signed Order must be filed with the chancery clerk’s office. Copies of the Order will be used to update the petitioner’s name on their official identification, with government entities, financial institutions, and other vital records.

Individuals may change their name through marriage by indicating it on their marriage license. The final divorce decree can be used by those who want to restore their former name at the dissolution of their marriage.