California Name Change Forms – PDF Templates

• Name Change Forms
  • Civil Case Cover Sheet – CM-010
  • Decree Changing Name
  • Petition – NC-100
    • Attach NC-110
  • Order to Show Cause – NC-120

If you’re interested in changing your name you can do so in California without a court order; you just start giving and using the name you want to use. However; if you want the name to be recognized by certain legal institutions such as banks; Dmv; Insurance Agency’s; and other government institutions you will indeed need a court approved name change. The forms and instructions are in pursuant with the State Statutes (1275-1279.6)

Instructions to Change Your Name

• Step 1

You must fill out a petition for a legal name change; you can do this at your local Superior County Clerks office this form is the petition with attachment which is a pdf that you can fill out on your computer or after printing out. To fill out this form you must have your courts branch name; which you can get by looking up the county clerks office. The attachment also has other lines on it if you’re interested in also changing a close relatives name; like if maybe you have a child. You will file your petition at your local county clerks office; and you will be given a court date.

• Step 2 

Please be aware that some courts may require more local forms filed for a name change petition; you should ask the county clerks office to become more aware of what you need to complete upon your situation. All forms are filed at the clerk’s office so they will be able to answer all questions; here is where you will also be paying any all fees for processing of your petition and sometimes those fees can vary.

• Step 3

Now you must make your name change public by placing an ad about it under the legal section of your local newspaper. It must run for 4 constant weeks straight without fail; you may ask your county clerks office for names of newspapers that let you place publish legal ads; please keep in mind this is another fee you have to pay for; but instead its with the newspaper.

• Step 4

Be sure to bring with you a very important form you need when you actually go to court called the Decree Changing Name  (NC-130) that you should get from the county clerks office. Also make sure you have with you proof that you published your legal for the time required of you; to the court date. If the judge authorizes your petition for a name change he will then also sign the decree as well. You may get the Decree also from the clerks office; it will be the official document that you may start to give to all legal institutions that wouldn’t take the name change before without it being legal.