The cost to change your name in NC runs roughly $215 to $550, depending on your county and situation. The required government fees alone come to about $215 to $250: a $120 court filing fee, roughly $52 for fingerprinting and two background checks, plus certified copies of your order. Newspaper publication, if your county still requires it, adds $50 to $200. Updating your driver’s license, birth certificate, and passport can add another $70 to $250. Hiring an attorney is optional and, for many petitioners, ends up costing more than every government fee combined.
Court Filing Fee
Every adult name change begins with a petition filed at the Clerk of Superior Court in the county where you live. The filing fee is $120, payable by cash, money order, or certified check.1Dare County, NC. Legal Name Changes – Section: Special Proceedings Forms are available at the clerk’s office or on the North Carolina Judicial Branch website.2North Carolina Judicial Branch. Application for Adult Name Change
If $120 is a hardship, you can ask the court to waive fees by filing a Petition to Proceed as an Indigent. You qualify automatically if you receive Supplemental Security Income, Work First Family Assistance (North Carolina’s version of TANF), or SNAP benefits. Even without one of those programs, a judge can grant the waiver based on an affidavit showing you cannot afford court costs.3North Carolina Judicial Branch. Petition To Proceed As An Indigent
Background Checks and Fingerprinting
North Carolina requires two criminal background checks before your petition can be processed: one from the State Bureau of Investigation and one from the FBI. Both reports must be dated within 90 days of when you file, so timing matters.
You’ll need two sets of fingerprints from your county sheriff’s office, typically about $10 per set, or $20 total. The SBI check costs $14 and the FBI check costs $18.4FBI. Identity History Summary Checks Frequently Asked Questions5North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation. FAQ – Background Checks on Myself Budget about $52 for this stage.
Newspaper Publication
Publication has historically been part of a North Carolina name change: petitioners posted notice in a local newspaper before the court would rule. The North Carolina General Assembly modified the notice provisions of G.S. 101-2 through Session Laws 2025-54, which repealed subsection (b) of the statute.6North Carolina General Assembly. North Carolina Code 101-2 – Procedure for Changing Name Because that change is recent, ask your county clerk whether publication still applies to your case.
If it does, expect $50 to $200. Papers in Charlotte, Raleigh, and other metro areas charge more than rural weeklies, and you pay the newspaper directly. Choosing a smaller-circulation paper that still meets any legal notice requirement is where petitioners typically save.
Certified Copies of Your Court Order
Once the judge signs the order, you’ll need certified copies to show every agency that updates your name. The Clerk of Court charges $3.00 for the first page and $0.25 for each additional page per copy.7Dare County, NC. Court Costs Order at least three or four so you can update multiple agencies in parallel instead of waiting for one to send your original back.
Updating Your Identification
Birth Certificate
If you were born in North Carolina, NC Vital Records charges a nonrefundable $39 fee to amend your record, which includes one certified copy of the amended certificate.8NCDHHS. NC Vital Records – Change a Record Payment is by money order or certified check, and you’ll submit a certified copy of your court order. If you were born in another state, contact that state’s vital records office for its fees.
Driver’s License
As of July 2024, a five-year North Carolina license costs $32.50, an eight-year license costs $52.00, and a duplicate license or ID card costs $16.75.9NCDOT. NCDMV Fees to Increase July 1, Per State Law Which fee applies depends on whether your current license is near renewal or you’re replacing it mid-cycle. Bring your court order and current license to any NCDMV office.
Social Security Card
Updating your Social Security card is free. The Social Security Administration requires you to report a legal name change so earnings are recorded correctly, but there’s no charge for a replacement card.10Social Security Administration. Replace Social Security Card Do this early, since employers and other agencies verify names against Social Security records.11Social Security Administration. How Do I Change or Correct My Name on My Social Security Number Card
Passport
Cost depends on age. If your passport was issued less than one year ago, you can submit Form DS-5504 by mail at no charge, or add $60 for expedited processing.12U.S. Department of State. Name Change for U.S. Passport or Correct a Printing or Data Error If your passport is older than one year, you’ll typically need to apply for a new one: $130 in application fees plus a $35 acceptance facility fee, or $165 total for a passport book.13U.S. Department of State. Passport Fees
A Cheaper Path After Divorce
If you’re resuming a former name after a divorce, you don’t file the full name change petition. North Carolina law lets any divorced person resume a former surname by filing a simpler application with the Clerk of Court in the county where they live or where the divorce was granted.14North Carolina General Assembly. North Carolina Code 50-12 – Resumption of Maiden or Premarriage Surname The route is open to both men and women, but the name options are limited: your maiden name, a prior spouse’s surname (if you have children with that surname), or your premarriage surname.
The application is a single form from the NC Judicial Branch.15North Carolina Judicial Branch. Application and Notice of Resumption of Former Name It skips background checks and any newspaper publication, so it’s substantially cheaper than a standard petition. Ask your county clerk for the exact filing fee; it’s set by statute and runs well below $120.
Changing a Minor’s Name
The court filing fee for a minor is the same $120 as an adult petition, and background checks on the petitioning parent are typically required. A minor who is at least 16 can file their own petition with the consent of the custodial parent; for younger children, a parent or legal guardian files.
Cost gets unpredictable when the other parent is involved. If both parents have parental rights, the non-petitioning parent must either consent or receive formal notice and a chance to object. Serving papers on a parent who won’t agree or can’t be found adds both money and time. In a contested situation, an attorney consultation before you file often saves more than it costs by preventing procedural missteps that force you to start over.
Attorney Fees
A lawyer is optional for a straightforward adult name change. Forms are online, and clerks can answer basic procedural questions. An attorney handles the paperwork, ensures filings happen in the right order, and represents you if the clerk or judge has questions.
Most North Carolina attorneys charge a flat fee, and rates vary widely. Simple uncontested adult name changes at the lower end of the market run a few hundred dollars for legal services alone; contested minor name changes or unusual circumstances push fees higher. Attorney quotes usually don’t include the court filing fee, background checks, or publication, so ask what’s covered before you commit. For many people, the attorney is the single largest line item, which is why most uncontested petitions are filed without one.
Total Cost at a Glance
- Court filing fee: $120
- Fingerprinting (two sets): approximately $20
- SBI background check: $14
- FBI background check: $18
- Newspaper publication (if required): $50 to $200
- Certified copies of court order: $3 to $5 each
- Birth certificate amendment (NC-born): $39
- Driver’s license: $16.75 to $52
- Social Security card: free
- Passport (if applicable): $0 to $165
Without an attorney, required government fees come to roughly $215 to $250 before publication. Add publication and full ID updates, and a realistic total lands between $300 and $550. The divorce name-resumption route is considerably cheaper, since it drops background checks and publication out of the equation entirely.