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Start the process of changing your child's name and recognize their gender identity

You start the process of changing your child's name and asking the court to recognize their gender identity by filling out court forms.

These instructions are only if you want to change your child's name and gender identity and both parents with sign the petition. There are different instructions if only one parent will sign the petition, or you only want to change their name to match their gender identity.

How to fill out your court forms

Download the forms or complete them online
Download and fill out these forms:
- Petition for Recognition of Minor’s Change of Gender and Issuance of New Birth Certificate, (form NC-500). Both parents must sign. Your child may also sign it.
- Attachment to Petition for Change of Name (form NC-110). Both parents must sign this attachment. Then, attach to the NC-100.
- Order to Show Cause for Change of Name to Conform to Gender Identity (form NC-125 / NC-225)
- Decree Changing Name and Order Recognizing Change of Gender and for Issuance of New Birth Certificate (form NC-230) (fill out the boxes at the top and items 3 and 4).
- Civil Case Cover Sheet (form CM-010) (some courts do not require this form)
You can download the forms or you can use an online program to fill them out.

Fill out forms online

Your court’s Self-Help Center

may be able to review your forms to make sure you’ll filled them out correctly before moving forward.
In some cases, you may be able to.

If you are changing your name and you are in the:

State Witness Program, or

Safe at Home address confidentiality program and are changing your name to avoid domestic violence, stalking, or human trafficking, or are a victim of sexual assault,

then, you can keep your name change confidential.

Make sure you explain your reason in the Attachment to Petition for Change of Name (form NC-110). It will affect the steps you have to follow to change your child's name.

Read more on item 7 form NC-100-INFO and on the Information Sheet for Name Change Proceedings Under Address Confidentiality Program (Safe at Home) (form NC-400-INFO).

If you want the process to be confidential you must attach a Confidentiality Cover Sheet (form NC-400) at the front of all your filed documents.
Find out if you have any local forms to fill out

Some courts have more local forms you have to use.

Contact your court clerk’s office, check your court’s website, or talk to your Self-Help Center to ask if they have any local forms you need to use.
Make copies

Make at least 2 copies of all of your forms. When you file them, the court will keep the original and return the copies to you, stamped.

Keep one of the copies for yourself and give one to your child’s other parent.

Change a child’s gender and change their name

What's next?

Once you’ve completed the forms, you’ll file them with the court clerk.

Go back to an overview

Return to an overview of the whole process for legally recognizing a child’s gender and changing their name, when both parents will sign the request
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Once you’ve completed the forms, you’ll file them with the court clerk

Start the process of changing your child's name and recognize their gender identity

These instructions are only if you want to change your child's name and gender identity and both parents with sign the petition. There are different instructions if only one parent will sign the petition, or you only want to change their name to match their gender identity.

Download the forms or complete them online

Your court’s Self-Help Center

Find out if you have any local forms to fill out

Make copies

Go back to an overview

Send this page to yourself

Go to the next step

Have a question about Gender recognition?