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Family · Name Change

Adult Name Change in Illinois

How to legally change your name as an adult in Illinois: whether you must publish notice, the approximate court fee, whether a background check is required, and the steps. Cited to the statute or court.

Official statuteRead word-for-word
against 735 ILCS 5/21‑101 · ilga.gov
Read from the official source · Jul 17, 2026How we verify →
Adult name change · Illinois
As of March 1, 2025, changing your name in Illinois no longer requires newspaper publication — Public Act 103-1063 repealed that step. You file a petition with the circuit court, must have lived in Illinois for three months by the time of the hearing, and pay a county-set filing fee of roughly $300 or more. No fingerprint or criminal background check is required.
No publication required
Publication?No publication required
Filing fee~$300+ (varies)
Statute735 ILCS 5/21‑101

The name-change process in Illinois

The steps in order, whether publication or a background check applies, and the waivers.

The processWhat it means
1. File the petitionFile a Request for Name Change (Adult) with the circuit court in your county and pay the filing fee, or request a fee waiver.
2. Meet the three-month residencyYou must have resided in Illinois for three months at the time of the name-change hearing under 735 ILCS 5/21-101. Public Act 103-1063 shortened this from six months and now measures it at the hearing.
3. Hearing or approvalAt the hearing the judge reviews the petition. Since March 1, 2025 there is no newspaper-publication step; if there is no fraud, the judge signs a Judgment Order for Name Change.
4. Certified copies and updatesObtain certified copies of the judgment and update Social Security, your Illinois driver license or ID, passport, and other records.
Requirements and waiversWhat it means
No newspaper publication (since 2025)Public Act 103-1063 repealed former 735 ILCS 5/21-103, which had required publishing notice once a week for three consecutive weeks. Adult name-change petitions filed on or after March 1, 2025 have no general publication requirement.
No fingerprint background checkIllinois does not require fingerprints or a criminal background check for a standard adult name change.
Record impoundment for safetyUnder 735 ILCS 5/21-103.8, the court can impound the name-change record where publicizing it would put the petitioner’s health or safety at risk.
Residency and no fraudYou must have resided in Illinois for three months by the hearing and file in your county of residence, and you may not change your name to escape creditors or a criminal record. People required to register as sex offenders or under related registries face additional restrictions.
Timeline and county fees
Without the old three-week publication and six-week pre-hearing lead time, an uncontested adult name change now turns mainly on how quickly the court sets the hearing. The filing fee is county-set, so confirm the current amount with the circuit clerk, and budget certified-copy costs separately.

What you can do right now

Concrete, neutral steps to start a name change in Illinois. This is legal information, not legal advice.

  1. File in your circuit court

    File a Request for Name Change (Adult) with the circuit court in your county, and ask for a fee waiver if you cannot afford the fee.

  2. Confirm you meet the three-month residency

    You must have lived in Illinois for three months by the date of your hearing. Public Act 103-1063 shortened this from six months and measures it at the hearing.

  3. Ask to impound the record if safety is a concern

    If publicizing the change would put your health or safety at risk, ask the court to impound the name-change record under 735 ILCS 5/21-103.8.

  4. Get certified copies of the judgment

    After the judge signs, buy several certified copies for Social Security, your driver license or ID, and other records.

Find help in Illinois

Court forms, fees, and publication rules are set locally. This resource points to the court self-help or an attorney who can guide you.

→ Illinois Legal Aid Online · Changing Your Name

This is general legal information, not legal advice. Fees, publication, and background-check rules are set by local courts and change, so confirm the current requirements with your clerk or a licensed attorney.

The Illinois name-change process in detail

Illinois no longer requires newspaper publication for an adult name change. Public Act 103-1063 repealed former 735 ILCS 5/21-103 — the section that had required publishing notice once a week for three consecutive weeks — effective March 1, 2025, so petitions filed on or after that date skip publication entirely. You file a Request for Name Change (Adult) with the circuit court in your county under 735 ILCS 5/21-101, and you must have resided in Illinois for three months by the time of the hearing; the same Act shortened the old six-month rule and now measures residency at the hearing. At the hearing, if there is no fraud, the judge signs a Judgment Order for Name Change. Illinois requires no fingerprints or background check, unlike Texas and Florida. Where publicizing the change would put your health or safety at risk, the court can impound the record under 735 ILCS 5/21-103.8. You cannot change your name to evade creditors or a criminal record, and people required to register as sex offenders or under related registries face extra restrictions. The filing fee is county-set, roughly $300 or more, so confirm the exact amount with the circuit clerk and budget certified copies separately.

Common questions

Do I have to publish a name change in the newspaper in Illinois?

No. Public Act 103-1063 repealed the newspaper-publication requirement (former 735 ILCS 5/21-103) effective March 1, 2025, so adult name-change petitions filed on or after that date no longer require publication.

How much does a name change cost in Illinois?

About $300 or more for the court filing fee, which is set by each county, so confirm the current amount with the circuit clerk. Certified copies are a separate cost, and a fee waiver is available.

How long do I have to live in Illinois before changing my name?

Three months. Under 735 ILCS 5/21-101, you must have resided in Illinois for three months at the time of the name-change hearing — Public Act 103-1063 shortened this from six months.

Do I need a background check for an Illinois name change?

No. Illinois does not require fingerprints or a criminal background check for a standard adult name change.

Primary source
→ 735 ILCS 5/21-101 et seq.
Illinois General Assembly · 735 ILCS 5/21-101 · ilga.gov
Cholilurrohman
Every figure on this page is checked line-by-line against the current statute. Editorial standards →

Not legal advicePlainStatute provides plain-language summaries of public law for general information only. This is not legal advice. Statutes change; always confirm current requirements with the official source linked above before acting.

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