How to Complete and File a Name Change Petition in Washington State

To file a name change petition in Washington state, submit a Petition for Name Change and a proposed Order for Name Change to the district court in any judicial district where you live, pay the filing and county auditor recording fees, and appear at a brief hearing where a judge signs your order. Most petitioners leave the courthouse the same day with certified copies of their new legal name. A few categories of petitioner file in superior court instead, and those files are automatically sealed.

Where to File

For a standard name change, you file in the district court of any judicial district in the state where you reside.¹ The statute uses the phrase “any judicial district in the state,” so you are not confined to your home county the way many states require.

You must file in superior court, not district court, if any of these apply:

The name change is related to gender expression or identity.
The name change stems from an experience of, or reasonable fear of, domestic violence, stalking, unlawful harassment, or coercive control.
You are an emancipated minor under chapter 13.64 RCW.
You have received asylum, refugee, or special immigrant juvenile status.

These categories go to superior court because the statute requires the court to seal the file automatically. No public access is allowed to any record of the filing, proceeding, or order, and that confidentiality applies whether the petition is granted or denied.¹ A sealed file can only be reopened by later court order for good cause, or at the request of the person whose name was changed.

Forms to Complete

You need two documents at minimum: a Petition for Name Change and a proposed Order for Name Change. The petition states your current legal name, your desired new name, your reason, and a required affidavit declaring that you are not seeking the change to defraud anyone, dodge a debt, avoid legal process, or hide illegal activity.¹ The order is what the judge signs if the petition is granted. Both are available from your local court clerk’s office.² Some counties include local instructions or cover sheets, so check with the clerk before filing.

Fill in every field carefully. Include your full legal name exactly as it appears on your current ID, the precise spelling of your new name, your date of birth, and your Social Security number. A misspelling on the petition follows through onto the court order, and that creates real problems when you go to update your driver’s license or Social Security card. Review the form twice before you submit it. Bring a valid government-issued photo ID when you file; the clerk uses it to verify your identity.

Filing Fees and Fee Waivers

You pay two separate fees: a court filing fee and a county auditor recording fee. The recording fee indexes the name change in public records.

For superior court petitions, state law sets the base civil filing fee at $200, and some counties add surcharges.³ District court filing fees are lower and vary by county, roughly $55 to $75. The auditor recording fee is typically around $203.50 under current county schedules.⁴ A district court name change usually runs $260 to $280 all in; a superior court filing costs more.

If you cannot afford the fees, request a waiver under General Rule 34. You fill out a financial statement disclosing household income and basic expenses.⁵ You qualify if your household income is at or below 125 percent of the federal poverty guideline, or if your recurring expenses make paying the fees impossible. A judge reviews the request and can waive some or all fees. If a qualified legal services provider represents you, their declaration of eligibility can substitute for the detailed financial statement.⁶

Consent and Notice Rules

Any person can petition to change their own name or the name of their child or ward. For a minor’s name change, both biological or legal parents must approve, either by appearing in person or by submitting a sworn affidavit. If one parent’s location is unknown, the petitioner must show the court an attempt to give notice by sending the petition via certified mail to the parent’s last known address.⁷ A judge can waive the second parent’s consent for good cause, but expect to explain why.

If you are under the jurisdiction of the Department of Corrections, you must give DOC a copy of your name change application at least five days before the hearing. The court will not grant the petition without proof of that notice.¹ Registered sex offenders have separate notification obligations under RCW 9A.44.130, which requires updating registration information after a name change.

The Hearing

After you file and pay the fee, or receive a fee waiver, the clerk schedules a hearing. Timing varies by county. Some courts schedule hearings weekly on a set day; others may fit you in within days.

The hearing itself is short, usually a few minutes if your paperwork is complete. The judge or court commissioner asks you to confirm your identity, state your current name and desired new name, and affirm under oath that the petition is truthful and not filed for fraudulent purposes. If everything checks out, the judge signs the Order for Name Change on the spot.⁴

Judges rarely deny name change petitions in Washington; the statute strongly favors granting them. Denials happen when the anti-fraud affidavit raises concerns, when a petitioner under DOC jurisdiction fails to give the required five-day notice, or when the paperwork is incomplete.

Getting Certified Copies

Once the judge signs your order, you need certified copies. These are the documents agencies, banks, and government offices accept as proof of your legal name change. Most counties include three certified copies as part of the filing fee.⁷ Some courts hand them to you at the hearing; others mail them. Additional copies typically cost $5 each.⁴

Get at least three or four. You will send originals to the Social Security Administration, your bank, and possibly the passport agency, and some will not return them promptly. Extras save a trip back to the courthouse.

Updating Your Records

The court order changes your legal name, but it does not automatically flow through every database. Update each agency and institution individually, and start with the Social Security Administration, because several other agencies — including the Washington Department of Licensing — require SSA to have your new name on file before they will process their own updates.

Social Security

Complete Form SS-5 and bring it to a local SSA office with your certified court order and a document proving your identity, such as a driver’s license or passport. All documents must be originals or copies certified by the issuing agency; SSA does not accept photocopies. If your name change happened more than two years ago, you may also need to show an identity document in your old name.⁸ There is no fee for a replacement card, and name change cards do not count toward the normal limit of three replacement cards per year.

Washington Driver’s License or ID

Wait at least five business days after updating SSA, then make an appointment at a Washington Department of Licensing office. Bring your original court order; photocopies are not accepted. If you have a sealed name change order from a Washington Superior Court, contact DOL’s Identity Management Team at dol-psdidentitymanagement@dol.wa.gov before visiting; they follow a specialized process to protect your privacy.⁹ A replacement card fee may apply.

U.S. Passport

Which form you use depends on when your passport was issued. If it was issued less than one year ago, use Form DS-5504 with no fee, unless you request expedited processing for $60. If more than a year has passed, renew by mail using Form DS-82 with standard renewal fees, or apply in person using Form DS-11 if you are not eligible for mail renewal.¹⁰ Include a certified copy of your court order in every case.

Washington Birth Certificate

If you were born in Washington and want the birth certificate updated, submit a Court Order Legal Name Change Request (Form 422-126) to the Washington Department of Health with a certified copy of your court order.¹¹

Credit Bureaus

Contact each of the three major credit bureaus individually. Updating one does not notify the others. At Equifax, for example, you use the myEquifax Dispute Center to submit a name update, uploading a copy of your court order or updated driver’s license. Register using your former name so the system can find your existing file. Processing takes up to 30 calendar days.¹² Your credit history carries over. Nothing is lost or reset.

Banks

Visit your bank with your updated government-issued ID and a certified copy of your court order to update checking, savings, and investment accounts. Most banks require you to come in to sign a new signature card. Acceptable documentation is typically a court order with an official seal, stamp, or signature of authority.¹³

Taxes

If you have not yet filed your federal return for the year, the updated name flows through automatically once SSA notifies the IRS. If you have already filed, use your new name on the next return. A court-ordered name change does not require a new EIN or special notification for individual filers; just make sure SSA records are updated first so your name and Social Security number match when the IRS processes your return.

What a Name Change Does Not Do

A legal name change does not erase records attached to your former name. Criminal records, court filings, and other public records stay linked to the name under which they were created. Background check systems often use name-based searches, so a search under only your new name may not surface older records, but employers frequently use alias searches that cross-reference by Social Security number. Changing your name adds a new name to your identity record. It does not seal or remove criminal history.

1
Washington State Legislature. RCW 4.24.130 – Action for Change of Name – Fees
2
Washington State Courts. Court Forms – Name Change
3
Washington State Legislature. RCW 36.18.020 – Fees for Superior Court Filing
4
Pend Oreille County. Pend Oreille County District Court – Name Change
5
Washington Courts. General Rule 34 – Waiver of Court and Clerk’s Fees and Charges in Civil Matters on the Basis of Indigency
6
Washington State Courts. GR 34 Request for Waiver of Civil Filing Fees and Surcharges
7
Snohomish County, WA – Official Website. Name Changes
8
Social Security Administration. Learn What Documents You Will Need to Get a Social Security Card
9
Washington Department of Licensing. Change Name or Address on Enhanced Driver License (EDL)
10
U.S. Department of State – Bureau of Consular Affairs. Change or Correct a Passport
11
Washington State Department of Health. Sex Designation Change on a Birth Certificate
12
Equifax. How to Change or Update Your Name on Your Equifax Credit Report
13
U.S. Bank. How Do I Change My Name on My Checking or Savings Account