The cost to change your name in Colorado starts at a $98 court filing fee, and most adults end up spending roughly $200 to $350 once fingerprint background checks, newspaper publication, and certified copies of the final order are included. Updating your driver’s license, passport, and other documents afterward adds more, though a few of those steps are free.
The $98 Court Filing Fee
Colorado charges $98 to file an adult name change petition.1Colorado Judicial Branch. List of Fees You pay it when you submit your paperwork at the courthouse in the county where you live. State law lets you file in either the district court or the county court in that county.2Justia. Colorado Code 13-15-101 – Petition for Change of Name
That $98 is just the entry ticket. Three other required expenses drive the total up.
Background Checks, Publication, and Certified Copies
Fingerprint-Based Background Checks
Every petitioner over 14 has to submit criminal history reports from both the Colorado Bureau of Investigation and the FBI. Ordered together through the Colorado Applicant Background Service, the combined fee runs about $38.50 to $39.50.3Colorado Bureau of Investigation. Fees and Forms Information4Colorado Judicial Branch. Adult Name Change The reports have to be dated within 90 days of the day you file, so don’t order them too early.
Newspaper Publication
Unless the court waives it, you have to publish notice of your name change at least three times within 21 days in a newspaper in your county.5Justia. Colorado Code 13-15-102 – Publication of Change Rates vary by paper, but expect $50 to $150. This is usually the single most variable line item in the budget.
Certified Copies of the Final Order
Once the judge signs your order, you’ll want at least one certified copy, because the Social Security Administration, DMV, and most other agencies require the original or a certified copy rather than a photocopy. Each certified copy costs $20.1Colorado Judicial Branch. List of Fees Ordering two or three at once is cheaper than returning to the courthouse later.
Add it up: $98 filing + about $39 for background checks + $50 to $150 for publication + $20 to $60 for a couple of certified copies. That’s why most petitioners land in the $200 to $350 range.
If You Can’t Afford the Fees
Colorado lets low-income petitioners ask the court to waive the filing fee by submitting Form JDF 205, Motion to Waive Fees. You qualify automatically if you receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Temporary Aid for Needy Families (TANF), SNAP, Aid to the Needy and Disabled, Old Age Pension, or Aid to the Blind Colorado.6Colorado Judicial Branch. Motion to Waive Fees (JDF 205) Without one of those benefits, the court looks at your monthly income, expenses, and household assets to decide whether you qualify as indigent, and it may ask for proof of income before ruling.
A fee waiver covers court fees but does not cover the CBI/FBI background check fees or the newspaper’s publication charge, since those are paid to outside agencies.
When Publication Can Be Skipped
Because publication is often the biggest single cost, it’s worth knowing when the law allows you to skip it. You do not need to publish if you are changing your name to conform with your gender identity.5Justia. Colorado Code 13-15-102 – Publication of Change The same exemption applies if you are a victim of domestic violence, child abuse, or domestic abuse, or if you were adjudicated as a dependent or neglected child. You can also ask the court to waive publication for good cause.
Getting the waiver granted can trim $50 to $150 off your total.
Costs After the Court Order
The court order itself doesn’t update your name with any agency. You do that one at a time, and the costs vary.
Social Security Card: Free
Update the Social Security Administration first. You can do it online through your my Social Security account, or by taking a paper Form SS-5 to a local office with your court order and proof of identity. There is no fee.7Social Security Administration. How Do I Change or Correct My Name on My Social Security Number Card Do this step first because other agencies verify your name against Social Security records.
Colorado Driver’s License or ID
Wait 24 to 48 hours after Social Security updates before visiting the DMV, since the DMV verifies against SSA data.8Department of Revenue – Motor Vehicle. Update, Change, and Manage Your Name on Your Driver License, Permit, or ID Card A duplicate license that keeps your current expiration date costs $12.30. A full REAL ID renewal costs $32.00.9Department of Revenue – Motor Vehicle. State DMV Fees Bring your certified court order and your updated Social Security card.
U.S. Passport
Passport cost depends on timing. If your passport was issued less than a year ago and your name change is also less than a year old, you file Form DS-5504 by mail with your current passport, a certified copy of the court order, and a new photo. There is no fee for this route unless you pay $60 for expedited service.10U.S. Department of State. Name Change for U.S. Passport or Correct a Printing or Data Error
If more than a year has passed since either the passport was issued or the name change, you have to renew instead. The current passport book fee is $130, whether you renew by mail with Form DS-82 or apply in person with Form DS-11.11U.S. Department of State. Passport Fees
Everything Else
Banks, credit cards, employer payroll, health insurance, voter registration, vehicle titles, professional licenses. Most charge nothing to update a name, though some may require a certified copy or a notarized form. Handling financial institutions early keeps direct deposits and automatic payments from getting flagged.