Michigan Form PC 51 is the Petition for Name Change you file with the family division of circuit court to legally change your name, or the name of your spouse and minor children. The State Court Administrative Office publishes the form, and you can download the current version from the Michigan Courts website or pick up a paper copy at your local circuit court clerk’s office.1Michigan Courts. Name Change Proceedings Forms After a judge grants the petition, you receive Form PC 52, the signed order that serves as legal proof of your new name.
Who Can File
Under MCL 711.1, every person named in the petition must have lived in the county where you file for at least one year.2Michigan Legislature. Michigan Compiled Laws 711.1 – Order Changing Name of Adult, Minor, or Spouse and Minor Children If you moved recently, you either wait until the one-year mark or file in your previous county.
You also need a legitimate reason. The statute does not list acceptable ones, so courts have broad discretion. Marriage, divorce, personal preference, affirming gender identity, and cultural or religious reasons all commonly qualify. What the court will not allow is a change sought to evade debts, dodge law enforcement, or commit fraud.
If you have any criminal record, including pending charges, you must disclose it. County courts note that a criminal history shifts a practical burden onto you: expect the judge to ask why the change is not being sought for a fraudulent purpose, and be ready with a straight answer.3Kalamazoo County, MI. Name Changes
Choose Between PC 51 and PC 51c
Most petitioners use the standard PC 51. Use Form PC 51c instead if publishing notice of your hearing could put you or someone else in physical danger, or expose you to unlawful discrimination or retaliation. PC 51c combines the petition with an ex parte request for nonpublication and a confidential court record.4Michigan Courts. Petition for Name Change and Ex Parte Request for Nonpublication and Confidential Record
Under Public Act 229 of 2024, effective April 2, 2025, the court must grant nonpublication if the petition shows good cause. Good cause is presumed when any of the following applies:
- You or an endangered individual is a victim of an assaultive crime, domestic violence, harassment, human trafficking, or stalking.
- You are seeking to affirm your gender identity.
- Publication could place you or another person in physical danger or at risk of unlawful retaliation or discrimination.
The court cannot require proof of an arrest or prosecution to find good cause.4Michigan Courts. Petition for Name Change and Ex Parte Request for Nonpublication and Confidential Record If you are unsure which form fits your situation, filing PC 51c lets the judge decide whether your circumstances qualify.
Complete the Petition
Use the current SCAO version (Rev. 5/25). The form has several sections, each doing specific work at the hearing.5Michigan Courts. Petition for Name Change
Header and Case Information
Leave the case number blank; the clerk assigns one at filing. Fill in the county and judicial circuit. If you are a married person including your spouse or minor children in the same petition, check the box near the top.
Residency and Scope
Item 2 confirms that each person named has lived in the county for at least one year. Item 3 identifies whether the petition covers an adult only, a minor only, or a married person along with a spouse and children.
Reason for the Change
Write a brief, honest explanation. Personal preference is enough in many cases, but a blank line is not. If the change relates to marriage, divorce, or gender identity, say so directly. Vague answers invite follow-up questions at the hearing.
Criminal Record Disclosure
Item 8 asks about your criminal record, including pending charges. List every offense: convictions, dismissed charges, and anything currently open. The form also asks about the criminal history of any spouse or minor children included in the petition. Leaving this section incomplete or inaccurate is one of the fastest ways to have your petition denied, because the court can check your disclosure against state and federal criminal databases.2Michigan Legislature. Michigan Compiled Laws 711.1 – Order Changing Name of Adult, Minor, or Spouse and Minor Children If you have no record, say so on the form.
Proposed Names
Enter the current legal first, middle, and last name for each person, then the proposed new name. Proofread carefully. Whatever the judge signs on the order is what appears on your new Social Security card, driver’s license, and (if you request it) a new birth certificate. The form includes a line directing the State Registrar to issue a new birth certificate and seal the original, so confirm the name-at-birth fields are accurate.
Signature and Consent
You sign under penalty of perjury. If the petition includes a spouse, the spouse must also sign a consent section. If it includes a minor age 14 or older, that minor’s written consent must be filed with the court before a judge can sign the order.2Michigan Legislature. Michigan Compiled Laws 711.1 – Order Changing Name of Adult, Minor, or Spouse and Minor Children
File the Petition and Pay the Fee
File your completed PC 51 or PC 51c with the family division of circuit court in the county where you live. The filing fee is $175.6Michigan Legal Help. I Want to Change My Name Some courts accept filings by mail; call the clerk’s office to confirm local preferences and payment methods.
If you cannot afford the fee, submit Form MC 20 (Fee Waiver Request) with your petition. You qualify if you receive means-tested public assistance such as Medicaid, SSI, or Food Assistance, if you are represented by a legal services program because of indigence, or if you can show the court you are otherwise unable to pay.7Michigan Courts. Michigan Fee Waiver Request Form MC 20 Once the clerk processes your filing, you receive a case number and a hearing date.
Publication of the Hearing Notice
Michigan law still requires notice of your hearing to be published in a newspaper in the county where you filed. You contact the newspaper, pay the publication fee (separate from the court filing fee), and file an Affidavit of Publication with the court. Newspaper fees vary; expect anywhere from roughly $90 to several hundred dollars depending on the publication.
The exception: if you filed PC 51c and the court grants your nonpublication request, you skip this step. Since the April 2025 statutory change, the waiver is mandatory when the petition meets the good-cause criteria.8Michigan Legislature. Michigan Compiled Laws 711.3 – Publication or Availability of Record of Proceeding
The Hearing and the Order
A judge or referee reviews your petition and asks questions to confirm you meet the statutory requirements. Uncontested adult name changes are usually brief. Bring a valid photo ID.
Many Michigan courts hold these hearings by video. If yours does, the clerk sends you a link or call-in details. You can ask to appear in person instead; contact the clerk’s office to find out the local procedure, since there is no statewide standard. If a technology problem prevents you from participating in a remote hearing, the court must reschedule.9Michigan Legal Help. Remote Hearings
If the judge approves the petition, they sign Form PC 52, the Order Following Hearing Regarding Petition for Name Change. That order is your legal proof of the name change.10Michigan Courts. Order Following Hearing Regarding Petition for Name Change Before you leave, ask the clerk for several certified copies; you need them to update your identity documents. Each certified copy carries a small clerk’s fee.
Filing for a Minor
A parent or legal guardian files PC 51 on the child’s behalf. Residency and criminal-disclosure rules apply the same way. Parental consent adds another layer.
When both parents consent, both sign the petition. If one parent is deceased, only the surviving parent signs. If a parent has been declared mentally incompetent, their court-appointed guardian may consent.11Michigan Legal Help. Changing Your Minor Child’s Name
If a parent with joint legal custody refuses to sign, the court cannot grant the change. If the nonconsenting parent is a noncustodial parent, a judge may approve the petition without that parent’s consent in limited circumstances:
- The noncustodial parent failed to provide substantial support for at least two years despite the ability to do so, and also failed to maintain substantial contact or visitation during that period.
- The noncustodial parent was convicted of an offense in which the child or a sibling was the victim, including child abuse or sexual assault.
- The noncustodial parent was convicted of first- or second-degree murder.
The noncustodial parent must receive formal notice. You mail copies of the Notice of Hearing and the petition, then file a Proof of Service with the court. If you cannot locate the other parent, the court may require publication of the notice. A parent who receives notice and does not respond or appear waives the right to object.11Michigan Legal Help. Changing Your Minor Child’s Name
A child age 14 or older must sign a separate consent before the judge issues the order.2Michigan Legislature. Michigan Compiled Laws 711.1 – Order Changing Name of Adult, Minor, or Spouse and Minor Children For younger children, the judge may consider the child’s preference but is not required to.
After the Order
The court order is the beginning of the paperwork, not the end. Take certified copies of PC 52 to every agency that holds records under your old name. A workable sequence: Social Security first (free, and other agencies rely on it), then the Michigan Secretary of State for your driver’s license ($9) or state ID ($10),12State of Michigan. License or ID Name Correction then your birth certificate through Form DCH-0847 and a $50 fee to the State of Michigan,13State of Michigan. Correct a Birth Record – FAQs then your U.S. passport (Form DS-5504 if both passport and order are less than a year old, otherwise Form DS-11 in person).14U.S. Department of State – Bureau of Consular Affairs. Change or Correct a Passport From there, work through banks, your employer, health insurance, mortgage, utilities, voter registration, the IRS, and any professional licenses. A written checklist keeps an account from turning up months later still showing your old name.