A legal name change in Minnesota typically costs between $322 and $325, made up of a $310 statewide filing fee plus a small county law library surcharge. Add $14 for each certified copy of the court order you’ll need afterward, and, in some cases, the cost of publishing a notice in a legal newspaper. The name change cost in Minnesota drops to zero in a few specific situations, including reverting to your birth name after a divorce or qualifying for a low-income fee waiver.
What You’ll Pay to File
The base filing fee for a name change petition in any Minnesota district court is $310.1Minnesota Judicial Branch. District Court Fees Most counties tack on a law library surcharge, so the real total depends on where you file. In Hennepin County, the combined fee comes to $322.2Minnesota Judicial Branch. Fees – Hennepin County District Court In Lake of the Woods County, it’s $325.3Minnesota Judicial Branch. District Court Fees – Lake of the Woods County You can check your county’s exact total on the Minnesota Judicial Branch fee page before filing.
That single payment covers the court’s handling of your petition through the hearing. It does not cover certified copies, publication, or any records updates you’ll need afterward.
Certified Copies and Publication
Once the court grants your petition, the signed order is your proof of the change. Agencies, banks, and employers usually want a certified copy before they’ll update your records, and each certified copy costs $14.1Minnesota Judicial Branch. District Court Fees Three or four copies is a reasonable starting point, since you’ll often submit originals to several places at once rather than wait for one to come back.
Publication is the other variable. If the court orders a notice of your name change published in a legal newspaper, you pay the newspaper directly at its own rates, so there’s no single statewide figure to quote. For adults, publication isn’t usually required. For a minor’s name change where the non-applicant parent can’t be personally served, publishing the Notice of Hearing in a legal newspaper is required and adds both cost and time.4Minnesota Judicial Branch. Frequently Asked Questions – Name Change
When You Can Avoid the Fee
Three paths let you skip some or all of the cost.
Low-Income Fee Waiver
If you can’t afford to file, you can request an In Forma Pauperis (IFP) waiver. You may qualify if your income is at or below 125% of the federal poverty level, you receive public assistance, or you can show that you simply don’t have the money. You’ll need to provide proof, such as a pay stub, tax return, or documentation of benefits. A judge reviews the request and can waive all or part of the court fees.5Minnesota Judicial Branch. Fee Waiver (IFP)
Reverting to Your Birth Name After Divorce
If you’ve been through a divorce and want to go back to the name on your birth certificate, Minnesota has a streamlined process with no filing fee. You file an application in the district court of the county where you live, along with certified copies of your dissolution certificate and your birth certificate. The court generally won’t require two witnesses for this type of name change unless there’s a concern about fraud.6Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Statutes 259.14 – Postdissolution Name Change The catch: you can only change back to the name on your birth certificate, not to a different name.
Taking a New Name at Marriage
If you’re getting married, you can record your new surname on the marriage license application before the ceremony. The marriage certificate then serves as proof of the change, with no separate court filing or fee. Miss that window, and you’ll have to go through the full court petition process to make the change later.
Costs Tied to Special Situations
A few circumstances change what you’ll pay or add steps that have costs of their own.
For a minor’s name change, publication costs come in when the non-applicant parent can’t be served personally, as noted above. If that parent is completely unknown, the applicant must bring a certified copy of the child’s birth certificate to the hearing to show the judge that no second parent appears on it.4Minnesota Judicial Branch. Frequently Asked Questions – Name Change That’s another $14 if you don’t already have one.
If you have a felony conviction under Minnesota, federal, or another state’s law, you must serve notice of your name change application on the prosecuting authority that obtained the conviction, and on the Minnesota Attorney General if the conviction came from outside Minnesota. Service of process has its own costs, and if the prosecutor objects within 30 days, you’ll need to prove by clear and convincing evidence that the request isn’t fraudulent, isn’t made in bad faith, won’t injure anyone, and won’t compromise public safety.7Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Statutes 259.13 – Persons With Felony Conviction Name Changes An attorney is worth considering at that point.
If you’re currently confined in a correctional facility, you can request a name change only once during your confinement, and you can proceed without paying the filing fee only if denying the name change would infringe on a constitutional right.8Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Statutes 259.12 – Correctional Inmates Name Changes Limited
What the Filing Fee Covers
For your $310 plus the county surcharge, the court accepts your petition, schedules a hearing, and issues a signed order if it grants the change. You submit the standard forms (NAM102 Application, NAM103 Criminal History Check Release, and NAM107 Proposed Order), available from the Minnesota Judicial Branch.9Minnesota Judicial Branch. Name Change Forms You must appear in person at the hearing and bring at least two witnesses who can confirm your identity.10Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Statutes 259.10 – General Requirements A friend, coworker, or family member works. There’s no fee for the witnesses themselves, but factor in any time off work you or they need.
After the Order: Costs to Finish the Job
Granted order in hand, you’ll spend time (and a bit more money) updating records. The Social Security Administration and the Minnesota Department of Public Safety are the usual first stops, since most other institutions want to see an updated Social Security card, driver’s license, or state ID, or will accept a certified copy of the court order directly. Each certified copy you need is another $14.
If you own land in Minnesota and the court order describes that property, you’ll need to file a certified copy of the order with the county recorder in each county where the land sits.11Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Statutes 259.11 – Order Filing Copies County recording fees apply there, separate from your court costs.
If you have a criminal record in Minnesota or any other state, both you and the court must notify the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension within ten days after the name change is granted. Failing to report the change to the BCA is a gross misdemeanor.11Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Statutes 259.11 – Order Filing Copies That step itself doesn’t carry a fee, but it’s the one easiest to overlook once the court’s part is done.