Texas Petition for Change of Name of Adult
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Our name change document set fully complies with the laws of the state of Texas. It is appropriate for use in any Texas county by any resident over the age of 18 who has not been convicted of a felony and who is not required to register as a sex offender. A Petition for Change of Name of Adult must be filed in the office of the District Clerk located in the county in which the petitioner (i.e., the person seeking to change his or her name) lives. With few exceptions, any lawful reason that the petitioner deems a benefit will satisfy the court, provided that the name change does not conflict with the interests of the state. For example, the petitioner may prefer a new name due to social or religious reasons. The petitioner may not change his or her name to evade creditors or if the name change will violate the rights of others.
Governing Law
The law that governs the change of name of an adult within the state of Texas, including the requirements for a valid petition, is codified in Texas Family Code, Chapter 45, Subchapter B.
Required Fees
Depending on the county in which you reside, the filing costs in Texas will vary between approximately $150 and $300. Your county may require you to pay for fingerprinting and a criminal record background check. You may wish to contact the District Clerk in the county in which you reside to verify the current filing fees and other local requirements.
Court Costs or Fee Waiver. If you are receiving public benefits or if you qualify as low-income under Federal poverty guidelines, you may be eligible for a fee waiver. You may submit a request for a fee waiver by completing the form Statement of Inability to Afford Payment of Court Costs or an Appeal Bond. Once filed, this statement becomes public record. Agencies who are paying you a public benefit will have access to your answers. You must complete this form accurately.
Required Forms
(1) a Petition for Change of Name of Adult
(2) a Decree Granting Change of Name of Adult
(3) Application for Amended Birth Certificate Based on a Court Ordered Name Change
(4) Expedited Mail Application for Birth and Death Record
(All four of these documents are included with the purchased version of this form set.)
Change of Name in Divorce Suit
If you are filing for divorce, it is unnecessary to file a separate name change petition to restore your previous name. Doing so will unnecessarily result in additional court filing fees. Texas law provides for the judge to order a name change when granting the final decree of divorce. Make sure that your petition for divorce contains a request to restore your prior name. (See Tex. Fam. Code § 45.105.) If your divorce is already final, and the judge did not order your name changed in the divorce decree, then your name has not been changed, and you will need to file a name change petition.
What to Do After the Court Grants the Name Change
You will want to change your name as it appears on your various forms of identification, such as your Texas Driver's License, your U.S. passport, and your Social Security card.
1. Update Your Texas Birth Certificate. The State of Texas requires you to file an Application for Amended Birth Certificate Based on a Court Ordered Name Change (Form VS-2318.1a). This form can be filed by mailing it to Texas Vital Records, Department of State Health Services, 1100 W. 49th Street, Austin, TX 78756. Include in your mailing: (1) an original certified copy of the Decree Granting Change of Name of Adult that was signed by the judge, (2) a copy of your valid (non-expired) government-issued photo identification, and (3) payment in the form of a personal check, money order, or cashier's check. The current cost to file the Application to Amend Birth Certificate is $15. To obtain a copy of the amended birth certificate reflecting the new name, include in your mailing an Expedited Mail Application for Birth and Death Record. The cost to receive a certified copy of the newly updated birth certificate is $22.
2. Update Your Texas Driver's License. The Texas Department of Public Safety provides detailed instructions on how to change your name as it appears on your Texas Driver's License.
3. Update Your U.S. Passport. The U.S. Department of State provides detailed instructions on how to change your name as it appears on your U.S. passport.
4. Update Your Social Security Card. The Social Security Administration provides detailed instructions on how to change your name as it appears on your Social Security card.
Original Petition for Change of Name of Adult
| State of Texas County of ________________ | Court _____________________________ Docket No. ________________________ |
| Name of Petitioner:_____________________________ | In re: Change of Name of Adult |
| From: _____________________________ To: _______________________________ |
Petitioner makes the following declaration:
1. Birth Date and Place: Petitioner was born on _______________________, ______ in ________________________ [city], ________________________ [county], ________________________ [state]. A certified copy of petitioner's birth certificate is attached to this petition.
2. Birth Name: Petitioner was named ____________________________________________ at birth, and as of the date of this petition, the Petitioner has always been known by that name, with the following exceptions, if any:
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
[list all legal names previously held].
3. Residence: Petitioner resides at _______________________ [insert residential address] and has lived at this address for ________ [insert length of time in months or years at this address].
4. Petitioner's Parents: The father of the Petitioner is named ______________________________________________, and he resides at _____________________________________________________________________________ [insert residential address of father]. The mother of the Petitioner is named ______________________________________________, and she resides at _____________________________________________________________________________ [insert residential address of mother].
5. Reason for Name Change: Petitioner seeks to change his or her name to ______________________________________________ and offers the following reason(s) for seeking to do so:
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________.
6. Legal and Creditor Status: Petitioner does not have any outstanding judgments, has never been convicted of a crime, and is not involved in any pending legal actions.
7. Additional Declarations: In addition to the foregoing statements, the Petitioner further declares:
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
[insert additional declarations, if any].
NOW, THEREFORE, the Petitioner requests that the court order the Petitioner's name changed as follows:
From: ____________________________________________ To: ______________________________________________ |
Verification
I, ______________________________________________[name of Petitioner], affirm under penalty of perjury that I am the Petitioner in the foregoing Petition to Change Name of Adult and that all statements in this Petition are accurate to the best of my knowledge.
| _____________________________________________ | _________________ |
| Petitioner's Signature | Date |
_____________________________________________ Petitioner's Address, Line 1 _____________________________________________ | |
| Petitioner's Address, Line 2 |
Subscribed and sworn to before me on this ____ day of __________________, 20_____.
__________________________________
Notary
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