How to Change Your Name on a California Birth Certificate

To change your name on a California birth certificate, you take one of two paths: for a misspelling or clerical error, you file a sworn affidavit directly with the California Department of Public Health – Vital Records (CDPH-VR); for any actual name change, you first get a court order in superior court and then apply to CDPH-VR to amend the record. Plan on roughly four months from start to finish once court publication, the hearing, and state processing are added up.

Figure Out Which Path You Need

The reason for the change decides the process, and picking wrong means weeks of returned paperwork.

If the name was recorded incorrectly at birth — a misspelling, a transposed letter, a wrong middle name — you can correct it by affidavit without going to court. California law lets anyone who identifies an error on a registered certificate submit a sworn statement, backed by a second person with direct knowledge of the correct information, to fix the record.¹ The form is VS 24 (Affidavit to Amend a Record), signed by two people under penalty of perjury.² Supporting documents like a parent’s birth certificate or hospital records help verify the correct information.

If you want to change the name itself — after marriage, after divorce, or for any personal reason — you need a court order first. The same is true if you want to update a parent’s name on a child’s certificate after that parent’s own legal name change. Once the decree is in hand, you apply to CDPH using Form VS 23 (Application to Amend a Birth Record After a Court Order Name Change) with a certified copy of the court order.³ For broader amendments that go beyond a straight court-ordered change, Form VS 24B covers a wider range of updates.⁴

One boundary worth flagging: a gender marker change on a California birth certificate does not require a court order. You apply directly to the State Registrar with a sworn affidavit under California’s Gender Recognition Act.⁵ If you also want a name change alongside it, the name portion still needs the court order.

Get the Court Order

This is the step people underestimate. From filing to signed decree usually runs six to twelve weeks once publication and hearing scheduling are factored in.

File the Petition

File in the superior court of the county where you live. If you were born in California but now live in another state, you can still file in a California superior court to change the name on your California birth certificate.⁶ The petition lists your place of birth, current residence, present name, the name you want, and your reason.

You fill out these forms:⁷

NC-100, Petition for Change of Name
NC-110, Name and Information About the Person Whose Name Is to Be Changed
NC-120, Order to Show Cause – Change of Name
NC-130, Decree Changing Name (you fill in the header and item 3; the judge finishes it at the hearing)
CM-010, Civil Case Cover Sheet, required by some courts

The filing fee runs $435 to $450.⁸ If you cannot afford it, request a fee waiver on Form FW-001. You qualify if you receive public benefits like Medi-Cal or CalFresh, your household income is under the threshold on the form, or paying the fee would keep you from meeting basic needs.⁹

Publish in a Newspaper

California law requires you to publish the Order to Show Cause once a week for four consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in the county where you filed, before the hearing date.¹⁰ Publication fees vary by newspaper and are not covered by a court fee waiver. Publication can be skipped if you are enrolled in the Address Confidentiality Program (Safe at Home) or the State Witness Protection Program because of domestic violence, stalking, sexual assault, or human trafficking concerns.

Attend the Hearing

The court schedules the hearing six to twelve weeks after you file.⁶ If nobody objects, most hearings are brief. The judge reviews your paperwork, confirms there is no fraudulent purpose, and signs the NC-130 decree. Ask the clerk for certified copies of that decree; you will need at least one for CDPH and probably more for other agencies later.

Apply to CDPH After the Court Order

With a certified decree in hand, prepare the state application.

For a court-ordered name change, use Form VS 23.³ For a clerical correction by affidavit, use Form VS 24.² For other amendments, including adding a parent’s new court-ordered name to a child’s certificate, use VS 24B.⁴

Fill in the identifying information exactly as it appears on the existing birth certificate, even if part of it is wrong. The form has separate fields for the corrected or new information.² Include a certified copy of the court decree if you are using VS 23; CDPH does not accept photocopies or notarized copies, only the court’s original certification. For a VS 24 correction, attach supporting documents that show the correct information, such as a parent’s birth certificate or hospital records.⁴

To receive a certified copy of the amended certificate, also complete a notarized Sworn Statement, Form VS 20, which you can download from the CDPH website.³

What CDPH Charges

CDPH sets fees by form and, for corrections, by how long after the birth you file.¹¹

Form VS 23 (court-ordered name change): $26, includes one certified copy of the amended certificate. Additional copies are $31 each.
Form VS 24 filed within one year of birth: no amendment fee, no free copy included. Certified copies are $31 each.
Form VS 24 filed after one year from date of birth: $26, includes one certified copy. Additional copies are $31 each.
Sex field or parent designation correction: $26 regardless of when the request is submitted.

Pay by check or money order made out to CDPH Vital Records. Cash is not accepted.³ Order extra certified copies up front; you will need them for the DMV, Social Security, and a passport.

Where to Send It

CDPH processes amendments by mail only. Send the application, supporting documents, Form VS 20 if you want certified copies, and payment to:

California Department of Public Health
Vital Records – MS 5103
P.O. Box 997410
Sacramento, CA 95899-7410¹²

Use certified mail so you have proof of delivery and a tracking number.

How Long CDPH Takes

CDPH currently estimates 9 to 11 weeks to process a complete amendment request.¹³ If something is missing, expect roughly 12 to 14 weeks before CDPH sends a letter asking for it, and another 8 to 10 weeks after you respond.

The amended certificate returns by USPS First Class mail, which does not include tracking. If you want tracking, include a self-addressed prepaid envelope with tracking service when you submit. If you have a passport application, school enrollment, or another deadline waiting on this document, count on at least four months of lead time from the day you mail the packet.

Name Changes for a Child

The court process for a minor is the same NC-100 track, but consent rules add steps. If both parents sign the petition, both must appear at the hearing. If only one parent files, that parent must serve the other with copies of all filed documents at least 30 days before the hearing.¹⁴ A parent who objects must appear as well. If both parents are deceased and there is no guardian, a close relative or friend can file on the child’s behalf.⁶ After the decree is signed, submit Form VS 23 to CDPH with a certified copy of the NC-130 to update the child’s certificate.

Update Your Other Records

The amended birth certificate is the starting point. The order of the next updates matters.

Do Social Security first. File Form SS-5 at your local Social Security office. There is no fee.¹⁵ Bring proof of the legal name change — the court order, marriage certificate, or divorce decree — and a current photo ID. Social Security accepts only original documents or agency-certified copies, not photocopies.¹⁶

Then the DMV. You can make an appointment or walk in. For a REAL ID, bring proof of identity, your Social Security number, and two proofs of California residency. For a standard card, you only need proof of your current legal name; be ready to show documentation of any earlier legal name changes as well.¹⁷

For a U.S. passport, the form depends on timing. If both your current passport and the legal name change happened within the past year, use Form DS-5504 with no fee, unless you want expedited service ($60). If more than a year has passed, renew by mail with Form DS-82 or apply in person with Form DS-11 and pay the standard passport fee. Include the original or a certified copy of the name change document either way.¹⁸

Tell your employer so they can update your Form I-9. Doing Social Security first avoids E-Verify mismatches if your employer runs that check.¹⁹

1
California Legislative Information. California Health and Safety Code Division 102 Part 1 Chapter 11 Article 1
2
California Department of Public Health. Affidavit to Amend a Record Form VS 24
3
California Department of Public Health. Application to Amend a Birth Record After a Court Order Name Change
4
California Department of Public Health. Application to Amend a Birth Record VS 24B
5
California Legislative Information. SB 179 Gender Recognition Act
6
California Legislative Information. California Code of Civil Procedure Title 8 Part 3
7
California Courts. Start the Name Change Process
8
California Courts. File Your Name Change Petition
9
California Courts. Ask for a Fee Waiver
10
California Courts. Publish Your Request to Change Your Child’s Name
11
California Department of Public Health. Vital Records Fees
12
California Department of Public Health. Contact CDPH Vital Records
13
California Department of Public Health. Vital Records Processing Times
14
Superior Court of California, County of Orange. Name Change for Minors
15
Social Security Administration. Application for Social Security Card
16
Social Security Administration. Learn What Documents You Will Need to Get a Social Security Card
17
California Department of Motor Vehicles. Update Information on Your Driver’s License or ID Card
18
U.S. Department of State. Name Change for U.S. Passport or Correct a Printing or Data Error
19
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Recording Changes of Name and Other Identity Information for Current Employees