How much does it cost to change your name in Texas?

Texas court filing fee is $311. Texas provides a fee waiver / in forma pauperis option for petitioners who cannot afford the fee. District court fee; county / statutory probate court fees lower.

Do you need a lawyer to change your name in Texas?

No. Texas allows pro se (self-represented) name-change petitions. Most uncontested adult petitions resolve without an attorney. An attorney is helpful for contested cases, complex minor name changes, or when seeking a publication waiver under a safety-concern statute.

Is newspaper publication required in Texas?

Texas does not require newspaper publication for adult name changes.

What's the waiting period in Texas?

Texas typically takes 60 days from filing to court order for an uncontested adult petition. Background-check turnaround drives the timeline.

State name-change procedure

Texas name-change procedure

Texas requires a fingerprint-based state and FBI background check (Tex. Fam. Code §45.103) and an in-person hearing, but no newspaper publication. Background-check turnaround typically drives the timeline to ~60 days.

Procedure researched from primary state-legislature sources. Independent family-law attorney review pending.

At a glance

Texas at a glance

Filing court: District / County / Statutory Probate Court of the petitioner's county.
Filing fee: $311. District court fee; county / statutory probate court fees lower. Fee waiver available for indigent petitioners.
Typical timeline: 60 days from filing to order for an uncontested adult petition.
No newspaper publication required.
In-person hearing required.
Fingerprint or criminal-history check required before order issues.

Petition requirements

Three-step (file + publish + hearing)

Last verified: 2026-05-06

Filing court: District / County / Statutory Probate Court of the petitioner's countyState court self-help →
Filing fee: $311District court fee; county / statutory probate court fees lower.Fee waiver available (Statement of Inability to Afford Payment of Court Costs)
Waiting period: 60 daysBackground-check turnaround drives the timeline.
Publication: Not required
Hearing: In-person hearing
Background check: RequiredTex. Fam. Code §45.103 requires petitioner to provide a complete set of fingerprints to DPS for state and FBI background check before order issues.

Statute

Tex. Fam. Code §45.101Verified 2026-05-06

District / county / statutory probate court grants change of name on verified petition; FBI fingerprint background check required.

Minor name changes

Both parents must consent or be served; best-interest standard. Subchapter D of Chapter 45.

Common questions

Texas name-change FAQ

Reasons for legal name change

Reasons for legal name change in Texas

Listed alphabetically. The procedure above applies the same way to every reason — courts evaluate the petitioner against the statute, not against the reason.

Divorce / restore prior name

Restoring a birth name or prior surname after divorce. Many states allow restoration to be requested in the divorce decree itself; if missed, a separate name-change petition (or post-decree motion) is the path.

Gender affirmation

Changing legal name to match gender identity. Procedurally identical to other reasons in most states; some states' publication requirement is waivable on documented safety grounds.

Identity, religious, or cultural reasons

Reclamation of a heritage or cultural name, religious conversion, or any other personal-identity reason. Procedurally the same as any other reason — courts do not evaluate the merit of the reason, only whether the petitioner satisfies the statute.

Marriage

Most states accept the marriage certificate as sufficient evidence to update SSA, DMV, and passport without a separate court petition. A petition is needed only when seeking a name not derived from the marriage record (e.g., a hyphenation not on the certificate).

Minor name change

Changing a child's legal name. Procedurally distinct in nearly every state — typically requires other-parent consent or notice, a best-interest-of-child standard, and sometimes a guardian ad litem. See the Minors pillar.

Personal preference

Any other personal-preference reason. Courts do not require justification; they evaluate against the statute (no fraud, no creditor evasion, no minor without consent, etc.).

Post-emancipation

Newly emancipated minor choosing a different legal name. Standard adult petition once emancipation is on record.

Post-naturalization

Choosing a name different from the port-of-entry record after becoming a US citizen. May be done at the naturalization ceremony (no separate petition) or via the standard state petition later.

Full equal-weight reasons guide: /reasons-without-judgment

After-court update sequence

Once the Texas court order is signed, update SSA → DMV → passport → employer → banks → licenses → voter.

Open the checklist →

Minor name changes in Texas

Both parents must consent or be served; best-interest standard. Subchapter D of Chapter 45.

Minors pillar →

Optional: hire someone

Have an attorney handle it

Filing the petition yourself is allowed in every state. If you'd rather have a licensed family-law attorney prepare the paperwork and appear at any required hearing, our affiliate partner LegalZoom connects you with one.

See attorney options

Affiliate disclosure: we earn a referral fee. This does not change the price you pay.

Verification. Statute and procedural data on this page were verified against primary state-legislature sources on 2026-05-06. Filing fees and procedural rules can change between fee schedules — confirm the current fee with the Texas court self-help office before filing. This page is informational, not legal advice.

After the order

Done in Texas? Update your records.

Social Security first, then DMV, then passport, then everything else. The After-court Checklist is a printable, calendar-exportable sequence.

Open the after-court checklist Back to all states

Informational, not legal advice.