How to file forms with the court
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Take your forms to the court clerk
- If you live in California, go to the superior court in the county where your child lives
If there are different locations, check your court’s website, talk to your self-help center ↗️ (link opens in a new tab) , or find the closest court ↗️to you where civil cases are filed.- If you live out of state, you typically file in the county that issued your child's birth certificate. Get more information about where to file if you live out of state.
- Give the court clerk your forms
At the courthouse, give the court clerk the original and the copies of your forms. The clerk will stamp the forms, keep the original and return the copies to you. - The clerk will give you a court date
When the clerk files the Order to Show Cause—Change of Name (form NC-120) ↗️, they will write a court date on it. This is when the judge will make a decision on your request to change your child's name.- You will need the Order to Show Cause to publish in the newspaper before the court date.
Yes, you can file by mail. Mail the original and 3 copies to the clerk. You need to include the filing fee (or request for a fee waiver) and a self-addressed stamped envelope so the clerk can mail your copies back to you. Make sure to include enough postage. If you do not include a self-addressed stamped envelope, you will have to go to the courthouse to pick up your copies.
Some courts allow online filing. You can find out if your court has online filing on your court's website ↗️.
- If you live in California, go to the superior court in the county where your child lives
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Pay a filing fee
💵 You’ll need to pay a fee of $435-$450 to the clerk when you file your forms.
If you can’t afford the fee, you can ask the clerk for a fee waiver ↗️. You may qualify for a fee waiver if:
- You receive public benefits
- Your income is less than a set amount
- You can’t afford the fee and meet your basic needs
📌 The fee waiver will cover court fees, not the fee to publish in the newspaper.
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Ask the clerk about your court's next steps
You will have to serve your child's other parent(s) and publish the request in the newspaper. Click on those steps below to learn more.
There are also other steps that can vary by court.
- In some courts, you must go to your court date listed on the paperwork to get the judge's decision.
- In others, you only go to the court date if someone objects. In these courts, if no one objects and you followed all steps, you can pick up a signed name change order from the court clerk.
📌 When you file your forms, ask the clerk how your court handles this final step.
Child's name change when 1 or more parents don't sign the request
What's next?
Once you’ve filed your forms, you need serve the other parent(s) and publish your request in a newspaper.
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Go back to an overview
See all the steps to change your child's name.
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Serve the other parent(s)
You have to serve the parent(s) who did not sign the petition. Get step-by-step instructions to serve the other parent(s) with your request.
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Publish your request in a newspaper
Get step-by-step instructions for publishing your request in a newspaper.