To change your name in Indiana, you file a petition in the circuit, superior, or probate court in your county, publish notice of the petition in a local newspaper for three consecutive weeks, and attend a court hearing where a judge reviews the request. The filing fee is $157, and the whole process usually takes two to three months. If your change is tied to a marriage or divorce, you can skip court entirely and work directly from your marriage certificate or divorce decree.
If You Just Got Married or Divorced, Skip the Court
A marriage certificate is itself the legal document authorizing a name change. Take a certified copy to the Social Security Administration for a new card, wait at least one business day, then visit the BMV to update your driver’s license. From there, your updated Social Security record and ID handle everything else.1City of Indianapolis and Marion County. Change Your Name
If you want to restore a former name during divorce, include that request in your divorce petition. Indiana law directs the court to grant the restoration in the divorce decree, so no separate name change case is required.2Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code Title 31 Article 15 Chapter 2 – Section 31-15-2-18 This only covers restoring a maiden or previous married name. A different name — one you never held — still requires the standard petition below.
Who Can File a Name Change Petition
Most adult Indiana residents can file, with two exceptions. You cannot petition if you are currently confined in a Department of Correction facility, and you cannot petition if you are a lifetime registered sex or violent offender.3Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code Title 34 Article 28 Chapter 2 – Section 34-28-2-1.5 A narrow exception exists for lifetime violent offenders (not sex offenders) seeking a change based on sincerely held religious belief; that petitioner must give written notice to law enforcement in both the county of conviction and the county of residence.
A registered sex or violent offender who changes a name through marriage rather than court petition must register the new name with local law enforcement within seven days.4Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code Title 11 Article 8 Chapter 8 – Section 11-8-8-16
What Goes in the Petition
File in the circuit, superior, or probate court of the county where you live. The petition is signed under penalty of perjury before a notary.5Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code Title 34 Article 28 Chapter 2 – Section 34-28-2-2
If you are at least 17, your petition must include:
- Your date of birth, current address, and Indiana driver’s license or ID number
- Every previous name you have used
- Proof of U.S. citizenship and a statement about whether you hold a valid passport
- A description of every felony conviction against you in any state or federal court
These requirements sit in Indiana Code 34-28-2-2.5.6Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code Title 34 Article 28 Chapter 2 – Section 34-28-2-2.5 The controlling question the court will apply is whether the name change is sought in good faith and without fraudulent intent.
The filing fee is $157 for a civil case, or $185 if you need the sheriff to serve papers on another party.7Indiana State Board of Accounts. 2025 Court Costs and Fees by Case Type Newspaper publication is a separate cost, and certified copies of the final order typically run about $11 per page.
Publishing Notice in a Newspaper
After filing, publish notice of the petition in a newspaper of general circulation in the county where you filed. It must run once a week for three consecutive weeks.8Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code Title 34 Article 28 Chapter 2 – Section 34-28-2-3 The notice states your current name, your requested name, and that anyone may appear at the hearing to object.
When the run is complete, the newspaper sends a proof of publication. File that proof with the court along with a verifying affidavit from a disinterested person. The last publication date must fall at least 30 days before your hearing. That waiting period is what usually pushes the timeline to two or three months.
The Hearing
Once your proof of publication is on file, the court hears the petition and issues an order it considers just and reasonable.9Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code Title 34 Civil Law and Procedure – Section 34-28-2-4 Bring your Indiana driver’s license or ID for identity verification, plus any citizenship documentation referenced in your petition.
Most adult hearings are brief. The judge confirms your identity, checks that publication was completed properly, and asks about your reason. Absent fraud, the court generally grants the change. If someone filed a written objection, the hearing is longer and the judge weighs both sides.
When the order is signed, request several certified copies right away. You will need one for nearly every agency and account you update.
Extra Steps if You Have a Felony Conviction
Every petitioner 17 or older must disclose all felony convictions in the petition itself, regardless of when they occurred.6Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code Title 34 Article 28 Chapter 2 – Section 34-28-2-2.5 The petition is sworn, so omitting one risks both denial and criminal liability. A felony record alone doesn’t disqualify you; the good-faith test still governs.
If any of those convictions came within the ten years before you file, you must also give notice at least 30 days before the hearing to:
- The sheriff of the county where you live
- The prosecuting attorney of the county where you live
- The Indiana central repository for criminal history information
The notice to the central repository must include your full current name, the requested name, date of birth, address, physical description, and a full set of classifiable fingerprints.8Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code Title 34 Article 28 Chapter 2 – Section 34-28-2-3 Certify to the court that you’ve completed the notifications before the hearing.
Safety Exception: Sealing the Case and Waiving Publication
Newspaper publication creates an obvious problem for people leaving domestic violence or other dangerous situations. Under Indiana’s Access to Court Records Rule 6, you can ask the court to seal the case records and waive the publication requirement when public access would create a substantial risk of harm.
You file a written request explaining the danger, along with a supporting memorandum. The court holds a public hearing on the sealing request, with notice posted in the courthouse at least 30 days in advance. If the judge finds the risk is real, the court can seal the record and waive newspaper notice. This runs in parallel to the underlying name change petition, so build extra time into your plan.
Name Changes for Minors
A parent or legal guardian files a verified petition explaining in detail why the change is requested. Both parents (or the guardian if both parents are deceased) must be served with the petition under Indiana’s trial rules.5Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code Title 34 Article 28 Chapter 2 – Section 34-28-2-2 The written consent of the non-petitioning parent is filed with the petition; if it isn’t provided, the court sets a hearing and notifies that parent. Consent isn’t required in certain circumstances listed under Indiana Code 31-19-9.
The court decides based on the child’s best interests. Indiana law creates a presumption favoring a parent who has been making support payments and meeting other court-ordered duties and who objects to the change.9Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code Title 34 Civil Law and Procedure – Section 34-28-2-4 The petitioning parent can still win, but the burden is heavier when the other parent stays actively involved and opposes the request.
Updating Your Records After the Order
Start with the Social Security Administration. Bring the original court order or a certified copy — photocopies and notarized copies are not accepted — plus proof of identity such as your driver’s license or passport. If the change happened more than two years ago (four years for someone under 18), you may also need an identity document in your former name.10Social Security Administration. Learn What Documents You Will Need to Get a Social Security Card
Wait at least one business day, then update your driver’s license or ID at an Indiana BMV branch. You must do this within 30 days of the change.11Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Amending Your Driver’s License or Identification Card Bring your court order and the BMV’s standard identity documents.
For taxes, the name on your return must match Social Security records, so updating SSA first heads off IRS delays.12Internal Revenue Service. Update My Information If a W-2 or 1099 arrives in your former name, ask your employer for a corrected form; you can also correct the name on the copies you file with your return.13Internal Revenue Service. Name Changes and Social Security Number Matching Issues
If you hold an Indiana professional license, some licensing boards require notification within 15 days.14Legal Information Institute. 844 IAC 10-4-2 – Address; Change of Name The exact deadline varies by board; check with the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency for your credential. Submit a copy of your court order, marriage certificate, or divorce decree as proof. Practicing under a name that doesn’t match your license creates compliance problems you don’t want.
Banks, credit card issuers, and mortgage lenders each need a certified copy of your court order. Colleges and universities have their own procedures for transcripts and diplomas, typically a written request plus a copy of the order. Handle these updates in the first few weeks after the hearing; the longer you wait, the more likely a mismatch will surface during a background check, credit application, or licensing review.