To ask the Court to change your name or your child's name, you need to give the Court the following:
- Court papers asking for the change, this includes: Name Change Petition and Proposed Order. The petition must be filled out and signed in front of a Notary Public. You may need additional forms to change a child's name. You may also need to give a self-addressed, stamped, business-size envelope to the Court.
- Proof of Birth
- Court fee ($210 in Supreme and County Courts; $65.00 in New York City Civil Court). If you are unable to pay this fee, you ask the court for a fee waiver.
- In Supreme Court, you must also submit a Request for Judicial Intervention (RJI) to have a Judge assigned to the case. There is no fee to file this form.
- Depending on your situation, there may be additional papers that you need to give the court.
If you want to change your name and sex designation, read the Sex Designation Change section.
If you are concerned for your safety or your children's safety, read about Privacy.
Note: You may not need to ask the Court to change your name if you already Changed Your Name Through Marriage, Divorce, Adoption or Citizenship.