Changing your name in Missouri usually runs somewhere between $150 and $500 once you add up the court filing fee, mandatory newspaper publication, certified copies of the court order, and the cost of replacing whichever IDs you carry. Where you land in that range depends on your county and which documents you need to update afterward. Some costs everyone pays. Others only apply if, say, you hold a passport.
Court Filing Fee
Your first payment goes to the circuit court clerk when you file your Petition for Change of Name. Missouri’s name change procedure is set by RSMo 527.270, which requires a verified petition in the circuit court of the county where you live.1Missouri Revisor of Statutes. Missouri Code 527.270 – Petition, Where Presented – Contents – Proceedings The statute doesn’t set the fee; each county does. Clay County, for example, charges $105.50. Most Missouri counties fall in the $100 to $200 range. Call your circuit court clerk before you file to confirm.
Newspaper Publication
Missouri law requires you to publish notice of your name change at least three times in a newspaper published in your county, and the notice must run within twenty days after the court’s order.2Missouri Revisor of Statutes. Missouri Code 527.290 – Notice of Change to Be Given, When and How – Not Required, When If no newspaper is published in your county or any adjacent county, the notice runs in a paper published in St. Louis or at the state capital. Papers charge their regular classified rate, so expect somewhere around $30 to $100.
Publication is not required if you are a victim of domestic violence, child abuse, or abuse by a family or household member. The court can also keep the name change off public electronic case systems in those situations.2Missouri Revisor of Statutes. Missouri Code 527.290 – Notice of Change to Be Given, When and How – Not Required, When
Certified Copies of the Court Order
Once the judge signs the order, every agency that needs proof of your new name will want an official copy. Fees vary by county. Jackson County charges $0.30 per page for copies and $4.00 for a certified and attested copy. Plan on three or four copies to cover Social Security, your driver’s license, passport, birth certificate, and bank accounts. Budget roughly $15 to $25.
Driver’s License or State ID
After the order is granted, take a certified copy and your current license to a Missouri Department of Revenue license office. A standard Class F driver’s license costs $16.50 for a three-year term or $25.50 for a six-year term. A nondriver ID card costs $24.3Missouri Department of Revenue. Permit/Driver License/Nondriver ID Fees
Passport
If you hold a U.S. passport, the cost depends on how recently it was issued. If your name changed within a year of the issue date, submit Form DS-5504 by mail at no charge for routine processing. Expedited processing adds $60.4U.S. Department of State. Name Change for U.S. Passport or Correct a Printing or Data Error
If more than a year has passed, you have to apply for a new passport. Adults eligible for renewal by mail (Form DS-82) pay $130 for a passport book, with no execution fee. If you’re not eligible for renewal by mail and must apply in person on Form DS-11, the application fee is still $130 but you also pay a $35 acceptance fee. Expedited processing adds $60, and optional 1-to-3-day delivery adds $22.05.5U.S. Department of State. Passport Fees
Updates That Are Free
A replacement Social Security card with your new name costs nothing. You can apply online, by mail, or at your local Social Security office with your certified court order and a valid ID.6Social Security Administration. What Does It Cost to Get a Social Security Card? Do this early. Many other agencies will ask for your updated Social Security information before they process their own changes.
Updating voter registration is free and mandatory. You can do it through your state’s process at vote.gov, by mail using the National Mail Voter Registration Form, or in person at your local election office.7USAGov. How to Update or Change Your Voter Registration
You don’t need to contact the credit bureaus. When you update your name with your bank and creditors, they report the change on your behalf. A name change doesn’t affect your credit score, and your former name stays on file as a historical alias.
Birth Certificate Amendment
Missouri lets you amend your birth certificate to reflect a legal name change. Send a certified copy of the court order, a signed cover letter requesting the amendment, and the required fee to the Bureau of Vital Records in Jefferson City.8Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. Correct/Amend a Vital Record The bureau directs applicants to a separate fee schedule for the exact amount. Call the Bureau of Vital Records at 573-751-6387 (option 2) to confirm before you mail anything.
Fee Waivers if You Can’t Afford the Costs
If the filing fee is out of reach, Missouri law lets you ask the court to proceed as a “poor person” under RSMo 514.040. The court can waive filing fees and other court costs if the judge is satisfied you can’t pay all or part of the case expenses.9Missouri Revisor of Statutes. Missouri Code 514.040 – Plaintiff May Sue as Pauper, When File a motion and affidavit describing your finances at the same time you file your petition. The court considers your income, assets, and whether you receive public assistance.
If a legal aid organization or law school clinic that primarily serves low-income clients represents you, costs can be waived automatically once the organization certifies you qualify, without a judge’s approval.9Missouri Revisor of Statutes. Missouri Code 514.040 – Plaintiff May Sue as Pauper, When Jackson County’s circuit court also waives copy fees for anyone proceeding in forma pauperis, and many other counties do the same.
Do You Need to Pay an Attorney?
You don’t need a lawyer to change your name in Missouri. The petition is straightforward and most people file on their own. An attorney is useful when things get complicated: an objection from another party, a criminal record, or a domestic violence publication waiver. Missouri attorneys handling routine name changes typically charge a flat fee, and the amount varies by firm and location. For an uncontested case with no unusual issues, hiring counsel is a convenience rather than a requirement.