To change your last name in Illinois, you file a Petition for Change of Name in the circuit court of the county where you live, publish a legal notice in a local newspaper for three consecutive weeks, and appear at a short hearing where a judge signs the order. You must have lived in Illinois for at least three months by the date the judge rules, a threshold reduced from six months under a 2025 amendment.1Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Compiled Statutes 735 ILCS 5/21-101 Start to finish, most people finish in about two to three months, depending on court scheduling and how quickly the newspaper runs the notice.
Who Can File
Any Illinois resident who is at least 18 can petition, so long as they have lived in the state for at least three months by the hearing date.1Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Compiled Statutes 735 ILCS 5/21-101 You file in the circuit court for the county where you live.
Criminal history can block or restrict a petition. If you were convicted of a felony and have not completed your sentence, you cannot petition unless you were pardoned; the restriction lifts once the sentence is completed, terminated, or discharged.1Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Compiled Statutes 735 ILCS 5/21-101
People required to register under the Sex Offender Registration Act, the Murderer and Violent Offender Against Youth Registration Act, or the Arsonist Registration Act cannot file during the registration period. The court may consider a petition anyway if the change is due to marriage, religious beliefs, status as a trafficking victim, or gender-related identity as defined by the Illinois Human Rights Act, but the judge has discretion to grant or deny, and anyone approved under these exceptions must report the change to the law enforcement agency overseeing their registration.1Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Compiled Statutes 735 ILCS 5/21-101
Preparing and Filing the Petition
The main document is the Petition for Change of Name. Illinois circuit courts publish standardized forms, available through the Illinois Courts website or your local circuit clerk.2Illinois Courts. Circuit Court Standardized Forms The petition asks for your current legal name, the exact new name you want, your address, date of birth, and place of birth. You will sign a sworn statement that the change is not for fraud or to avoid legal obligations. You will also prepare a Notice of Court Date form so the clerk can schedule your hearing.
Since 2018, civil filings in Illinois must be submitted electronically through the Odyssey eFileIL system.3Illinois Courts. How to e-File The platform walks you through uploading forms and paying by card or bank transfer. Convenience fees apply on top of the filing fee: 2.89% of the total (minimum $1) for cards, or a flat $0.25 for bank account payments.4Illinois Courts. How to E-File in Odyssey eFileIL – Step 9 Take Care of Fees
Filing fees vary by county but generally run from $250 to $350. If you cannot afford the fee, Illinois law lets you apply for a waiver. You qualify if you receive public assistance, earn below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines, or would be unable to pay for basic necessities after covering court costs.5Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Compiled Statutes 735 ILCS 5/5-105 To request one, upload an Application for Waiver of Court Fees as a lead document when you e-file.4Illinois Courts. How to E-File in Odyssey eFileIL – Step 9 Take Care of Fees If you lack internet access, some clerks accept in-person filing and cash. Call ahead to confirm.
Publishing Notice in a Newspaper
After filing, Illinois law requires you to publish a legal notice of the intended name change in a local newspaper. The notice runs once a week for three consecutive weeks, and the first publication must appear at least six weeks before your court date. That window gives members of the public time to raise objections.
Publication fees vary by paper and notice length, but most people pay between $30 and $200. When the third notice has run, the newspaper issues a Certificate of Publication. Bring it to your hearing as proof you met the requirement.
The Court Hearing
On your hearing date, you appear before a circuit court judge. Bring the Judgment for Change of Name form (which the judge signs if the petition is granted) and your original Certificate of Publication. The hearing is short. The judge confirms your identity, checks residency, reviews your criminal background, and asks whether the change serves any fraudulent purpose.
If everything is in order, the judge signs the judgment and the change takes effect immediately. Go straight to the circuit clerk’s office afterward and request several certified copies. You will need them to update records at multiple agencies, and coming back later for more means another trip. Certified copy fees vary by county and typically run a few dollars each.
Changing a Minor’s Last Name
Parents and legal guardians can petition to change a child’s name. To file, you must be at least 18, have lived in Illinois for at least three months, and either hold legal custody or have had the child living in your household for at least three years as a recognized adopted child.
Timing depends on whether the other parent agrees. If the other parent and anyone else with physical custody consent and appear in court, the judge can grant the change the same day. If they disagree, the process takes at least eight weeks because the court must provide notice and an opportunity to object. In a contested case, the judge weighs the child’s own wishes, the child’s relationship with each parent, and how the child has adjusted to home, school, and community.
Updating Your Records After the Order
Your first stop should be the Social Security Administration. Until your SSA record shows your new name, other updates run into friction. Submit Form SS-5 with your certified court order (showing both names) and a current photo ID such as a driver’s license or passport. There is no fee for a replacement card. If more than two years have passed since the change, SSA may ask for additional identity documents in your prior name.6Social Security Administration. Learn What Documents You Will Need to Get a Social Security Card
Once SSA is updated, visit an Illinois Secretary of State facility for a corrected driver’s license or state ID. Bring your certified court order and a document showing your new name matches your Social Security record.7Illinois Secretary of State. Corrected Drivers License/ID Card Checklist For a REAL ID-compliant license, the court order serves as the legal documentation of the change; the state retains a copy for seven or ten years depending on storage format.8Federal Register. Real ID Applicant Information and Documentation
How you update your passport depends on timing. If less than one year has passed since both your passport was issued and your name was changed, submit Form DS-5504 by mail with your current passport, a certified copy of the court order, and a new passport photo. No passport fee is required, though expedited processing costs an extra $60.9U.S. Department of State. Change or Correct a Passport If more than a year has passed since either the issuance or the change, you go through regular renewal using Form DS-82 (by mail) or Form DS-11 (in person), plus the $130 adult passport book fee.10U.S. Department of State. United States Passport Fees
If you were born in Illinois and want your birth certificate corrected, the Illinois Department of Public Health handles the request. Submit an Affidavit and Certificate of Correction Request with a valid, unexpired government-issued photo ID and a certified copy of your court order.11Illinois Department of Public Health. Correct Birth Certificate If you are also changing a gender designation, you can do both in one request; the combined fee is $15 and includes one certified copy of the new certificate, with additional copies at $2 each.12Illinois Department of Public Health. Gender Reassignment
A mismatch between your tax return and your SSA record can hold up a refund. Until your SSA update goes through, the IRS recommends filing under your former name; after that, file under your new one. Tell your employer promptly so your W-2 comes out correctly, and ask for a corrected form if one was already issued in your old name.13Internal Revenue Service. Name Changes and Social Security Number Matching Issues Your employer should also record the change on Supplement B of your Form I-9.
Beyond those essentials, plan to notify your bank, credit card companies, mortgage lender, insurance providers, and any professional licensing boards. Update voter registration through your county clerk or election authority. Students receiving federal financial aid should update SSA first, then use the new name on the next FAFSA.