Name Change Article


Name Change in Arizona

If, for any good reason, you wish to change your name or the name of a minor who you are responsible for, the steps can be quite simple. Name change should not be used for reasons like: avoiding responsibilities and obligations, avoiding creditors or the other parent/guardian of a child. This article does not focus on name change as part of a marriage or a divorce, as those cases can be different. The article first summarizes the steps for a name change with the Arizona courts and then some general information about following up to change your birth certificate, social security card, and driver license.

Steps with the Arizona Courts
  1. Get the name change forms.
    You can go online at https://www.azcourts.gov/selfservicecenter/Forms/Name-Change or in person at a court location closest to where you live. If you don't know where your court is you can use the court locator to find your local court https://www.azcourts.gov/AZ-Courts/AZ-Courts-Locator.

    It is best to double check with your court’s staff if the forms are still relevant and up to date. For Maricopa County, this is the current website https://superiorcourt.maricopa.gov/llrc/civil-court-forms/. For Pima County, their law library can provide you with this information https://www.sc.pima.gov/default.aspx?tabid=60.

  2. Fill out the forms, which may ask for personal information like your contact information, birth, children, marital history, criminal history, etc.

  3. File the completed forms with your court and pay a filing fee.

  4. Inform any interested parties mentioned in the forms. For example, another parent of a minor child.

  5. Attend a hearing for the judicial officer to sign the court order with the name change and pay a fee for one or more certified copies of the order.

Following Up with Other Places
  1. To change your birth certificate, follow up with your relevant birth records office.
    For those born in Maricopa County, this is the current website https://azdhs.gov/licensing/vital-records/index.php#corrections-amendments-registrants-name. For those born in Pima County and 1996 or before that, also follow up with the Phoenix office; for those born in Pima County and 1997 to now, follow up with the Tucson office http://www.agave.cosc.pima.gov/home.asp?include=pages/name_changes.htm.

  2. To change your social security card, this is the current website with details https://faq.ssa.gov/en-us/Topic/article/KA-01981.

  3. To change your driver license, this is the current website with details https://azdot.gov/motor-vehicles/driver-services/driver-license-information/change-your-address-or-name. Since the Arizona Department of Transportation uses the Social Security computer system to check for your name change, you need to change your name with Social Security first and wait at least 2 days for the Social Security system to be updated. Only then can you change your driver license.

Contributing Attorney: Ke Huang-Isherwood is an attorney who is an independent legal and communication researcher.

Comments:

QUESTIONS

  • When I was 5 my mom married a man who was not my father, we moved to Wisconsin, and when my mom registered me for school, she just used her married name for me. I am now having problems because my birth cert doesn't match- trying to get a license here in AZ, I am married and the marriage license has my name on it, I have not used the last name on my birth cert since I was 5. How can I change my last name permanently and legally. I am living in AZ now, again. Thank you
  • I want to know if I change my name back to my birth name, if I can still use both names. i.e. Birth Name changed from Ernest (info removed), I want to continue using both names. i.e. My current legal name is Merrick (info removed)
  • I want to change my 3 year old son's middle name. He was born in AZ, I'm currently in TX . Am I able to do it online or do I need to be present in court?
  • My divorce was final in March of 2009 and I opted to not take my maiden name back at that time. I have since changed my mind. How can I go about restoring my maiden name?
  • I was born in Oregon and reside in Arizona. My birth name was my Mom's maiden name however, I would now like to take my Dad's last name. Where do I file for a name change Oregon or Arizona? If Oregon do I have to appear for the court date if I don't live in Oregon?
  • How much would it cost to change your last name after marriage through the court?
  • So my daughters father and i where together when she was born naturally i gave her his last name. On Septemeber 29, 2015 he was arrested and charged with his 3rd domestic. There's a 2 year order of protection in place he gets visitation within that op. Due to all this id like to not change but at least hyphenate her last name can i do this?
  • I agreed to allow my son's father to change his last name. I signed the paperwork a full year ago, but he never processed it. Is there a statute of limitations on the petition I signed? My son was 20 months at the time and has since learned his full given name, so no longer wish to change his name
  • Hi I was married for 9 years...After the divorce I removed my husband last name ...I feel devastated now that I did that ..can I change and add my husband last name again?
  • I am recently married and want to legally change my name. What documents do I need to complete?

STORIES

LegalLEARN

FIND LEGAL HELP

  • Please select your county of residence below.

    County:
     

OTHER LEGAL RESOURCES

  • State Bar of Arizona
    www.azbar.org
  • Maricopa County Bar
    www.maricopabar.org
    Referral number 602-257-4434
  • Pima County Bar
    www.pimacountybar.org
    Referral number 520-623-4625
  • National Domestic Violence Hotline
    800-799-7233
  • Bankruptcy Court Self Help Center
    866-553-0893
  • Certified Legal Document Preparer Program
    Link

ORGANIZATIONS

RELATED ARTICLES

How To Change Your Name

Where to Find an Attorney for Specific Legal Advice

LINKS

Birth Certificates - Arizona Office of Vital Records

Maricopa County Judicial Branch

Maricopa County Judicial Branch Self-Service Center Online

Arizona Supreme Court Programs Unit

Arizona 2-1-1

See More...