To change your name in Alabama, you file a petition in the probate court of the county where you live, publish a notice of the petition in a local newspaper, and appear at a hearing where a judge signs the order. Filing fees generally run from about $25 to $40, and the publication requirement stretches the process over several weeks. Marriage and divorce offer a shorter path that skips the separate petition entirely.
The Shorter Path: Marriage or Divorce
Not every name change needs a probate petition. If you’re getting married, list your new name on the marriage license application at your county probate office. Once you’re married, the marriage certificate itself is your legal proof of the change. Order several certified copies, because you’ll hand them to the Social Security Administration, the driver’s license office, and other agencies.
In a divorce, ask your attorney to include a name restoration in the divorce agreement and final decree. Standard language reads along the lines of “the wife shall resume the use of her previous name.” Once the divorce is final, the decree works the same way a probate court order would. If you didn’t request the restoration during the divorce, you’ll have to go through the full probate petition described below.
Who Can’t Use the Standard Adult Petition
Alabama’s official name change form requires you to swear that you’ve never been convicted of a criminal sex offense as defined in Alabama Code Section 15-20A-21, a crime of moral turpitude, or a felony.1Alabama Courts. Request to Change Name (For An Adult) If any of those apply to you, the standard form won’t work, and you should talk to an attorney about your options.
Registered sex offenders face a stricter bar. Under Alabama Code Section 15-20A-36, a sex offender cannot change their name at all unless the change results from marriage or is necessary for religious practice, and any permitted change must be reported immediately to local law enforcement in every county where the offender is required to register. Violating this restriction is itself a Class C felony.2Alabama Legislature. Alabama Code 15-20A-36 – Name Change of Offender
Filing the Petition in Probate Court
Probate courts handle name changes under Title 12, Chapter 13 of the Alabama Code. File in the probate court of the county where you live. The official form states this directly: file “in the same county where you live.”1Alabama Courts. Request to Change Name (For An Adult) File in the wrong county and the petition won’t be accepted.
The “Request to Change Name” form asks for your current legal name, your name at birth, and the new name you want. You have to explain why. You also declare that you’re not facing criminal charges, aren’t involved in other court cases, and aren’t seeking the change to avoid debts or commit fraud. Attach a certified copy of your birth certificate and a copy of a photo ID such as a driver’s license or non-driver photo ID.1Alabama Courts. Request to Change Name (For An Adult) Sign the petition in front of a notary.
Filing Fees and Other Costs
Each county sets its own filing fee. Based on published schedules, expect somewhere in the range of $25 to $40 or more. Baldwin County charges $25. Madison County charges $37. Beyond the filing fee, budget for certified copies of the final order (a few dollars each) and the newspaper’s charge for running the legal notice, which you pay directly to the paper.
Publishing the Newspaper Notice
Alabama requires you to publish notice of the petition in a newspaper of general circulation in the county where you filed. The paper must be an English-language publication with its principal editorial office in the county and must have been mailed under publication-class mailing privileges for at least 51 weeks per year.3Alabama Legislature. Alabama Code 6-8-60 – Designation of Newspaper for Publication of Notice; Publication Requirements The paper also has to upload the notice to a statewide legal notice website at no extra charge.
The notice generally runs once a week for four consecutive weeks and includes your current name, your proposed new name, and the hearing date. That four-week window is why the whole process takes as long as it does. When the run is complete, the newspaper gives you an affidavit of publication to file with the court.
Publication costs vary by paper and county. Call the newspaper your probate court works with for a quote before you file. The probate clerk’s office can tell you which papers are commonly used locally.
The Court Hearing
Once publication is complete and the affidavit is on file, the court sets a hearing. You appear in person. The judge reviews the petition and may ask about your reasons to confirm the change isn’t meant to defraud creditors or dodge legal obligations.
If anyone objected during the publication period, that person has to appear at the hearing and present evidence for their opposition. Objections are uncommon in routine cases, but they happen, particularly from former spouses or creditors. Come prepared to answer questions about your background clearly.
Some counties waive the hearing when the case is straightforward and no objections were filed. Shelby County, for example, notes that the hearing may be waived in certain cases, with the court mailing the order directly to you.4Shelby County. Adult Name Change Instructions and Form
Changing a Minor’s Name
Changing a child’s name carries extra safeguards. A parent or legal guardian files the petition, and every person with parental rights must either sign the petition or file separate written consent before the court will grant the change.5Shelby County Alabama. Minor Name Change Instructions and Form A child 14 or older must also sign, consenting to the change.
If one parent won’t consent, the non-consenting parent must be served with notice under the Alabama Rules of Civil Procedure and has 30 days to file an objection or consent with the probate court.6Alabama Legislature. Alabama Code 26-11-3 – Procedure for Change of Name of Child Upon Petition by Father Generally If that parent objects or the court sees a need, a guardian ad litem is appointed to represent the child. In Shelby County, the guardian ad litem security deposit is $525.5Shelby County Alabama. Minor Name Change Instructions and Form
The court then holds a hearing where the parties present evidence, and the judge decides based on the best interest of the child, weighing factors like the child’s relationship with each parent and the practical impact on the child’s identity. Once granted, the judge of probate sends a certified copy of the court minutes to the Office of Vital Statistics and to the county Registrar of Vital Statistics within 30 days.6Alabama Legislature. Alabama Code 26-11-3 – Procedure for Change of Name of Child Upon Petition by Father Generally
Updating Your Records After Approval
The court order is only half the job. Order several certified copies at the time of approval; you’ll be submitting them to different agencies at roughly the same time.
Social Security Administration
Start here. Most other agencies verify names against SSA records. File Form SS-5 with your court order and proof of identity. The SSA requires original documents or copies certified by the issuing agency, and notarized photocopies won’t be accepted.7USAGov. How to Change Your Name and What Government Agencies to Notify A replacement Social Security card is free.
Alabama Driver’s License
After the SSA processes the change, visit a local probate or licensing office, or an ALEA Driver License Office. Bring your name change document (court order, marriage certificate, or divorce decree) and proof that Social Security has already updated your record. A duplicate license fee applies.
Alabama Birth Certificate
To amend an Alabama birth certificate, complete the Application to Change an Alabama Birth or Death Certificate and mail it with valid identification and a $20 fee, which includes one certified copy of the amended record, to the Center for Health Statistics in Montgomery. Additional copies ordered at the same time cost $6 each, and expedited processing adds $15.8Alabama Department of Public Health. Amendment Packet for Alabama Birth and Death Certificates
Passport
If your current passport was issued within the last 15 years and you were at least 16 when it was issued, update it by mail using Form DS-82. Renewal is $130 for the book, $30 for the card, or $160 for both, with $60 added for expedited service.9U.S. Department of State. Renew Your Passport by Mail Otherwise you’ll need to apply in person with Form DS-11.
Voter Registration and Everything Else
Update your Alabama voter registration online through the Secretary of State’s website, by mailing the voter registration form, or by calling the Elections Division at 1-800-274-8683.10Alabama Secretary of State. Register to Vote / Update Your Information Then work through banks, insurance companies, employers, and any professional licensing boards. Some Alabama professional licenses require you to report a name change within 30 days or face penalties.