Legal Name Change
Requirements
- Must be a Livingston County resident for one year prior to filing.
- $185.00 filing fee. Includes one certified copy of the Order Changing Name.
- Fingerprints and an additional fingerprinting fee are required for individuals 22 years of age of older.
Minors
Both the birth mother and the birth father must consent. Both must sign the Petition or give their consent by signing a Waiver & Consent Form PC 561. If you are unable to get the other parent’s consent, there is additional paperwork and instructions that the Clerk’s staff can provide. The other non-consenting parent must be provided notice of the name change request for a minor.
Filing Instructions
Complete the following forms that apply and then file at our Office.
- Name Change Petition (PC 51)
- One petition per name change. An adult petition may also include the spouse and /or minor child(ren) from the same family may be listed on the same petition.
- Adults and minors over the age of 14 must sign the petition and appear for the hearing.
- Publication & Notice of Hearing (PC 563)
- Required for every Name Change Petition. Our Office will provide a hearing date and time.
- You will be responsible to pay a publication fee to the newspaper.
- Notice of Hearing (MC 326)
- Needed only for Minor name changes when the Petition does not include the other parents consent or signature.
- Our Office will provide a hearing date and time.
- Circuit Court Praecipe
- Will be provided by the Clerk when filed.
- Order Following Hearing on Petition to Change Name (PC 52)
- Required for every Name Change Petition. Complete only the first line with name as it is now and #13 with name as it is now, proposed name, and date of birth.
Fingerprinting
Every person 22 years of age or older whose name appears on the “Petition to Change Name” must follow these instructions before the Court can act on the petition.
Under Michigan law, every person 22 years of age or older who is requesting a name change must have a complete set of fingerprints taken at a local police agency. These fingerprints will be used by the Michigan State Police and Federal Bureau of Investigation to check criminal records. The Michigan State Police will send a report to the Court regarding any criminal records.
If you have a criminal record, it will be presumed that you are seeking the name change with fraudulent intent. You must prove to the court that the name change is not being sought with fraudulent intent.
- File the Petition to Change Name (Form PC 51) at the Circuit Court Clerk’s Office.
- Make a copy of the Petition to Change Name (Form PC 51)
- Go to your local law enforcement agency and ask to be printed on a RI-8 Applicant Fingerprint Card and complete the card entirely. Write Name Change in Segment E “other” block and mark the box under “search requirements” for FBI & State. Write the name of the Court in segment F “send response to.” Take a copy of the Petition to Change Name with you.
- After being fingerprinted, mail the Petition to Change Name, the completed Fingerprint Card, and the fee of $43.25, payable to the Michigan State Police, to the following address:
- Michigan State Police
CJIC Identification Section
P.O. Box 30266
Lansing, MI 48909
(517) 241-0606
- Michigan State Police
- The Michigan State Police will review their criminal records and forward to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Once the Federal Bureau of Investigation has reviewed their records and reported the information to the Michigan State Police, the Michigan State Police will send a report to the Court. Please allow 3-5 weeks.
