The Maryland name change form CC-DR-60, formally the Petition for Change of Name of an Adult, is a two-page circuit court filing that any adult can submit to legally change their name. You complete the form, attach proof of your current legal name, pay a $165 filing fee, and wait at least 30 days for a judge to sign the order. Maryland does not require newspaper publication, and if no one objects and your paperwork is in order, many judges approve the change without a hearing.
Where You Can File
You have more choice than you might expect. Maryland Rule 15-901(b) lets you file in the circuit court of any county where you live, work, carry on a regular business, habitually practice a vocation, or were born.1New York Codes, Rules and Regulations. Maryland Rules Rule 15-901 – Action for Change of Name Pick whichever courthouse is most convenient.
One substantive limit: the petition cannot be filed for an illegal or fraudulent purpose. You cannot use the process to evade creditors, duck child support, or avoid criminal prosecution.
Filling Out Form CC-DR-60
Download the form from the Maryland Judiciary website or pick up a paper copy at any circuit court clerk’s office.2Maryland Courts. Name Change It is short, but small mistakes delay things, so work through it carefully.
The caption at the top reads “In the Matter of [your current legal name] for change of name to [your desired new name].” Check the spelling of both. The body of the form then asks for:3Maryland Courts. Maryland Petition for Change of Name of an Adult CC-DR-60
- Your current address, phone number, and email
- Your date of birth
- Your place of birth, including city, county, state, and country
- The name you were given at birth, even if it matches your current legal name
- Any other names you have used, with the circumstances of each (prior marriage name, informal use, prior court-ordered change)
- Whether you have ever been required to register as a sex offender; if yes, every name under which you registered and every state where the requirement originated1New York Codes, Rules and Regulations. Maryland Rules Rule 15-901 – Action for Change of Name
- Your reason for the name change
Courts accept a wide range of reasons: personal preference, gender transition, religious reasons, returning to a family surname. The reason simply cannot be illegal or fraudulent. Sign the petition under oath using your current legal name.
Documents To Attach
You need one document that shows your current legal name. The form accepts a birth certificate, driver’s license, passport, a prior court order for a name change, a divorce decree restoring a former name, or an adoption decree.3Maryland Courts. Maryland Petition for Change of Name of an Adult CC-DR-60 The copy must be legible.
Filing Fee and Waiver
Bring or mail the completed petition and attached documents to the clerk of the circuit court you chose. The filing fee is $165.4Maryland Courts. Summary of Charges, Costs and Fees of the Clerks of the Circuit Court
If you cannot afford the fee, file a Request for Waiver of Prepaid Costs (Form CC-DC-089) with an affidavit of your financial situation.5New York Codes, Rules and Regulations. Maryland Rules, Rule 1-325 – Waiver of Costs Due to Indigence – Generally The waiver form is on the Judiciary website and at any clerk’s office.6Maryland Courts. Maryland Request for Waiver of Costs
What Happens After You File
Maryland does not require you to publish notice of the petition in a newspaper. A committee note to Rule 15-901 confirms this.1New York Codes, Rules and Regulations. Maryland Rules Rule 15-901 – Action for Change of Name That removes a step and the roughly $100 in publication costs that trip people up in other states.
Instead, the court observes a 30-day waiting period. A judge cannot sign the order any earlier than 30 days after you file. During that window, anyone who learns about the petition can file an objection. Objections are rare in practice. If someone does object, you have 15 days after being served with the objection and supporting affidavit to file a response.
The court may schedule a hearing, but it is not automatic. When the petition is complete, the documentation is adequate, and no one objects, many judges approve the name change on the paperwork alone. Start to finish, the process can wrap up in roughly five to six weeks.
The Signed Court Order
Once the 30-day period passes and the judge is satisfied, the court issues a signed order legally changing your name.1New York Codes, Rules and Regulations. Maryland Rules Rule 15-901 – Action for Change of Name This is the master document you will use to update every other record, so request several certified copies from the clerk’s office at the same time. Certified copies cost $5 plus 50 cents per page.4Maryland Courts. Summary of Charges, Costs and Fees of the Clerks of the Circuit Court Four or five copies is a reasonable number. Agencies hold onto them, and you will not always get them back.
Using the Order To Update Your Records
The order changes your name, but it does not automatically update government databases or private accounts. Work through the agencies in order, because later ones check against earlier ones.
Start with the Social Security Administration. Complete Form SS-5 and bring your certified court order along with proof of identity such as a driver’s license or passport. SSA requires original documents or copies certified by the issuing agency; photocopies and notarized copies are not accepted.7Social Security Administration. Learn What Documents You Will Need To Get a Social Security Card You can start online, but you will need to visit a local office or mail in originals to finish. A new card usually arrives in 5 to 10 business days.8Social Security Administration. Change Name With Social Security
Once SSA processes the change, visit the Maryland MVA with your certified order and current license to get a replacement driver’s license or state ID in your new name.
For a U.S. passport, the form depends on timing. If both your passport was issued and your name was changed within the past year, use Form DS-5504 at no fee (expedited service is $60). If more than a year has passed since either event, renew by mail using Form DS-82 or apply in person using Form DS-11, with standard passport fees.9U.S. Department of State. Change or Correct a Passport
The IRS has no separate name-change form; it pulls from SSA records. Once Social Security has your new name, use it on your next return with the same Social Security number. If you file before SSA has processed the change, use your former name to avoid delays.10Internal Revenue Service. Name Changes and Social Security Number Matching Issues
Credit bureaus do not learn about the change on their own. Contact Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion separately, each with a copy of the court order or your updated driver’s license. Processing can take up to 30 days per bureau.11Equifax. How Transgender People Can Change Their Name on Their Equifax Credit Report
From there, work through your bank, employer, insurers, mortgage servicer, and any attorney holding estate-planning documents. Contracts, deeds, and wills signed in your old name remain legally valid, but keeping institutions updated prevents mismatches when you apply for credit, housing, or benefits.
If You Are Also Changing Your Gender Designation
CC-DR-60 is the adult name change form only. If you also want a judicial declaration of gender identity, Maryland Rule 15-902 lets you request both in a single petition, with disclosure requirements that overlap with CC-DR-60.12New York Codes, Rules and Regulations. Rule 15-902 – Action for Judicial Declaration of Gender Identity A combined petition saves a second filing fee and produces one order covering both changes.