How to Fill Out and File the Iowa Petition for Name Change

To file an Iowa petition for name change, download the free “Petition for Change of Name” form from the Iowa Judicial Branch website, complete it with the information required by Iowa Code § 674.2, sign it in front of a notary, and submit it through the state’s electronic filing system with a $195 fee. For an adult with a straightforward request, a judge can grant the decree as soon as 30 days after filing, and no hearing is required unless the court has questions.¹

Who Can File

Any Iowa resident who is 18 or older and has no civil disabilities can petition to change their own name.² You file in the district court of the county where you live.³

If you are married, you must give your spouse legal notice of the filing in the same manner as an original notice in a civil case. Consent is not required, but notice is.⁴

Where to Get the Form

The Iowa Judicial Branch publishes free, fillable name change forms for both adults and children on its website.⁵ The same page offers Iowa Interactive Court Forms (IICF), an interview-style tool that asks you questions and generates a completed petition from your answers. Either produces an acceptable filing. Look for the document titled “Petition for Change of Name.”

Information the Petition Requires

Iowa Code § 674.2 spells out seven categories of information that must appear in the petition. Missing any of them can delay your case.³ Gather these before you start filling out the form:

Your current legal name and county of residence. For a minor’s petition, add your name and relationship to the child.
A physical description: height, weight, hair color, eye color, race, sex, and date and place of birth.
Your current address and every address you’ve had for the past five years.
A brief reason for the change. Honest explanations such as personal preference, marriage, divorce, or gender identity are accepted; the reason cannot be fraudulent.
The proposed new name.
A legal description of every piece of real property you own in Iowa. If you own none, say so.
A certified birth certificate attached to the petition. If a certified copy is not available, explain why and attach other identification; the statute specifically allows immigration documents as substitutes.

The real-property requirement exists because the clerk must send a certified copy of the final decree to the county recorder in every Iowa county where you own land, so property titles stay accurate.¹

Getting the Petition Notarized

The petition must be “verified,” which under Iowa law means you sign it under oath or affirmation in front of a notarial officer.⁶ Do not sign the form in advance. The notary needs to watch you sign, confirm your identity, and apply their seal.

Banks, shipping stores, and law offices commonly offer notary services, and many Iowa public libraries notarize documents for free.

Filing Through EDMS

Iowa requires electronic filing for civil cases.⁷ You submit the petition through EDMS, the Electronic Document Management System operated by the Iowa Judicial Branch.⁸

Create an EDMS account if you don’t already have one, upload the notarized petition and your certified birth certificate as PDFs, and pay the $195 filing fee during submission.⁹ The fee is set by Iowa Code § 602.8105(1)(a). If the name change is part of a dissolution of marriage, you pay only the dissolution filing fee instead.¹⁰

Once the filing is accepted, you receive a case number. The clerk forwards a copy of the petition to the state registrar of vital statistics at the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services.¹

What Happens After You File

A judge cannot grant the decree until at least 30 days after the petition is filed.¹ For a straightforward adult petition with no objections, there is no hearing. The judge reviews the paperwork and issues the decree if everything is in order. The court may contact you or set a hearing if something needs clarification, but that is the exception.

The decree itself repeats your physical description, your old and new names, date and place of birth, your spouse and any affected minor children, and the legal description of any Iowa real property you own.¹

The clerk handles two things automatically after the decree is granted. An abstract of the decree goes to the state registrar so your birth certificate can be updated, and a certified copy goes to the county recorder in every Iowa county where you own real property. You receive a certified copy for your own records; order extras from the clerk, because other agencies will want originals rather than photocopies.

Name Changes for Minor Children

A parent can include a minor child in their own petition or file a standalone petition on the child’s behalf.² Consent rules depend on the child’s age:

A child 14 or older must give their own written consent, included with the petition.⁴
For a child under 14, both parents listed on the birth certificate must file written consent.⁴

If one parent will not consent, the court schedules a hearing with at least 20 days’ notice to that parent. A judge can waive the consent requirement if the evidence shows the parent abandoned the child, was ordered to pay child support and failed to do so without good cause, or does not actually object after receiving proper notice.⁴

When a Court Can Deny the Petition

Iowa courts have broad discretion over name changes. A judge can reject a petition that appears designed to defraud creditors, evade law enforcement, or mislead the public.

Chapter 674 does not bar people with criminal histories from filing, and Iowa does not require a criminal background check. If you are on the sex offender registry, federal law requires you to keep your registration current, and a granted name change must be reported. Some states prohibit name changes for registered sex offenders outright; Iowa’s statute does not contain that blanket prohibition.

Updating Your Records After the Decree

The certified decree is the master document for updating everything else. Start with Social Security, because many other agencies require your Social Security record to match before they will process a change. File Form SS-5 at your local Social Security Administration office with the certified decree and proof of identity. A replacement card is free.

For an Iowa driver’s license, visit your county treasurer’s office with the certified decree. For a U.S. passport, the correct State Department form depends on when your current passport was issued. Each agency wants to see an original certified copy of the decree, not a photocopy, which is why ordering several certified copies from the clerk at the outset saves time later.

1
Iowa Legislature. Iowa Code Chapter 674 – Changing Names
2
Iowa Legislature. Iowa Code 674.1 – Authorization
3
Iowa Legislature. Iowa Code 674.2 – Petition to Court
4
Iowa Legislature. Iowa Code 674.6 – Notice – Consent
5
Iowa Judicial Branch. Name Change
6
Iowa Legislature. Iowa Code Chapter 9B – Notarial Acts
7
Iowa Judicial Branch. Electronic Filing
8
Iowa Judicial Branch. Iowa Rules of Electronic Procedure
9
Iowa Judicial Branch. Civil Court Fees
10
Iowa Legislature. Iowa Code 602.8105 – Fees for Civil Cases and Other Services