To change your name in Texas, file a verified petition in the district court of the county where you live, attend a brief hearing, and use the signed order to update your Social Security record, driver’s license, and other documents. Texas Family Code Chapter 45 sets the requirements. If your name change is tied to a marriage, divorce, or annulment, you can usually skip the petition entirely and work directly from your marriage certificate or divorce decree.
If Your Name Change Is Tied to Marriage or Divorce
Most people who search for a Texas name change are doing it after a life event, and many of them don’t need a court petition at all.
Taking a spouse’s last name after marriage doesn’t require a court filing. Your marriage certificate is enough to update your records at the Social Security Administration, the Texas Department of Public Safety, and other agencies.
Reverting to a former name after divorce or annulment can be handled inside the divorce case itself. If you ask the court to include the name change in the decree and you want to return to a name you previously used, the court must grant it. The judge can only deny the request for a specific stated reason, and cannot refuse simply to keep everyone in the family under one last name.1State of Texas. Texas Family Code 45.105 – Decree If your divorce is already final and the decree didn’t include a name change, you’re back to the standard petition process below.
Who Can File and Where
Any adult can file a name change petition, and it goes in the district court of the county where you live.2State of Texas. Texas Family Code 45.101 – Who May File The statute doesn’t impose a minimum residency period, but the filing must go in your current county of residence.
For a child, a parent, managing conservator, or guardian files in the county where the child lives.3State of Texas. Texas Family Code 45.001 – Petition
What Goes in the Petition
Texas Family Code Section 45.102 lists what the petition must contain: your current name, where you live, the name you want, and the reason for the change. You must also disclose whether you have a final felony conviction and whether you’re required to register as a sex offender.4State of Texas. Texas Family Code 45.102 – Requirements of Petition
The petition must also include a set of personal identifiers, or a reasonable explanation for any that are missing:
- A legible, complete set of fingerprints on a card acceptable to both the Texas Department of Public Safety and the FBI. Most local police departments will take these for a small fee.
- Every driver’s license number issued to you in the last 10 years.
- Your Social Security number.
- Your date of birth, sex, and race.
- Your FBI number, state identification number, or other criminal history reference numbers, if you know them.
- Any charge above a Class C misdemeanor, along with the case numbers and courts.
These items exist so the court can run a background check before granting the change. Incomplete petitions get rejected or delayed.4State of Texas. Texas Family Code 45.102 – Requirements of Petition
The petition must be verified. The standard form on TexasLawHelp uses an unsworn declaration signed under penalty of perjury as defined by Texas Penal Code Section 37.02, so a notary isn’t required.5TexasLawHelp.org. Petition to Change the Name of an Adult Lying on the petition is a criminal offense.
Filing, Fees, and the Hearing
Attorneys must e-file civil and family cases in every Texas district court.6eFileTexas.Gov. Official E-Filing System for Texas Self-represented filers can still submit in person at the district clerk’s office in some counties, but check locally first, since the trend is toward universal e-filing.
Filing fees generally run between $150 and $300, and the exact figure varies by county. Call your district clerk for the precise number. If you can’t afford the fee, file a Statement of Inability to Afford Payment of Court Costs to ask for a waiver.
After the petition is filed, you’ll appear at a short hearing sometimes called a prove-up. It isn’t a trial. You confirm the facts in your petition, answer any clarifying questions, and hand up the proposed order. The judge looks at whether the change serves your interest and the public interest — a legitimate request, not an attempt to dodge debts, evade law enforcement, or commit fraud. If satisfied, the judge signs on the spot.
Extra Rules for Felony Convictions and Sex Offenses
The requirements tighten if you have a criminal record.
For adults without a final felony conviction or a sex offender registration requirement, the court must grant the change as long as it serves both your interest and the public interest.
With a felony conviction, you must have completed your entire sentence, including any probation or parole, and at least two years must have passed since that completion before you can petition. The court also has more discretion.
Registered sex offenders must notify the appropriate local law enforcement authority of the proposed change and provide the court with proof of that notice.7State of Texas. Texas Family Code 45.004 – Order
Petitions for a Child
A parent, managing conservator, or guardian files the petition in the county where the child lives.3State of Texas. Texas Family Code 45.001 – Petition The petition must include the child’s current name, place of residence, the requested name, the reason for the change, and disclosure of any continuing court jurisdiction over the child under Chapter 155, which covers custody and support orders. If the child is 10 or older, their written consent must be attached.8State of Texas. Texas Family Code 45.002 – Requirements of Petition
The judge must find the change is in the child’s best interest before signing the order. The other parent generally needs to be served with notice of the petition if they haven’t consented. When the other parent can’t be located, the court may allow service by publication in a newspaper. This is one of the few situations where a Texas name change involves newspaper publication, and it’s about giving the absent parent a chance to object rather than any general notice requirement.
Updating Your Records After the Order
The signed order is the legal foundation. The real work is updating every record tied to your old name, and the sequence matters. Ask the district clerk for several certified copies of the decree before you leave; you’ll need them for multiple agencies, and the per-copy cost varies by county.
Social Security First
Update your Social Security record before anything else. Other agencies check your name against SSA’s database, so a mismatch here creates problems everywhere downstream. Bring your certified court order (or marriage certificate) to a local SSA office. SSA requires original documents or copies certified by the issuing agency, not photocopies or notarized copies.9Social Security Administration. Your Social Security Number and Card – Name Change Replacement cards are free.
Texas Driver’s License or State ID
After SSA has processed the update, visit a DPS driver license office within 30 days to change your license or state ID. You have to appear in person with an original document proving the change — a certified court order for a court-ordered change, or a marriage certificate for a marriage-related change. DPS does not accept photocopies.10Texas Department of Public Safety. How to Change Information on Your Driver License or ID Card Since May 2025, a REAL ID-compliant license is required for boarding domestic flights and entering federal buildings, so keeping this current matters.
U.S. Passport
The right form and fee depend on when your passport was issued and how the name changed. The State Department uses Form DS-5504 for corrections at no charge in certain circumstances, Form DS-82 for renewals, and Form DS-11 for new applications.11U.S. Department of State. United States Passport Fees Use the State Department’s fee calculator to identify which one applies to you.12U.S. Department of State. Passport Fees
Immigration Documents
Permanent residents file Form I-90 with USCIS to replace a green card in the new name. The current fee is $415 online or $465 by mail, and fee waivers are available for applicants who can show financial hardship. Naturalized citizens use Form N-565 to get an updated Certificate of Naturalization. USCIS requires the certified state court order as evidence of the legal change. Federal processing runs on its own timeline, separate from the state court, so build in extra time if you need the new documents for travel or work.
Banks, Employers, and the Rest
Once the government IDs are done, work through the rest: banks, credit cards, insurance, employer payroll, voter registration, and the Texas Bureau of Vital Statistics if you want your birth certificate updated. Make sure SSA has processed the change before your next tax return, because a name mismatch can delay a refund. Contact each of the three credit bureaus separately; updating one does not update the others. Your credit history is tied to your Social Security number, so the name change won’t affect your score or your accounts.
A Name Change Doesn’t Erase Debts
This question comes up often enough to answer directly. A name change has no effect on financial obligations. Debts, judgments, tax liens, and contracts follow your Social Security number, not your name. A judge who suspects the petition is motivated by an attempt to avoid creditors can deny it, and false statements on the verified petition are a criminal offense.