Family · Name Change
Adult Name Change in New York
How to legally change your name as an adult in New York: whether you must publish notice, the approximate court fee, whether a background check is required, and the steps. Cited to the statute or court.
The name-change process in New York
The steps in order, whether publication or a background check applies, and the waivers.
| The process | What it means |
|---|---|
| 1. File the petition | File a name-change petition with the Supreme Court or county court where you live. In New York City you may also use any borough branch of the NYC Civil Court, which has the lowest fee. |
| 2. Publication usually skipped | Since December 21, 2021, most applicants no longer publish. A judge may still order notice in limited situations, and where publication would jeopardize safety, the court seals the record. |
| 3. Hearing or approval | Many name-change orders are granted on the papers without a hearing. The judge signs an Order Granting Change of Name. |
| 4. Certified copies and updates | Obtain certified copies of the order and update Social Security, the DMV, your passport, and other records. |
| Requirements and waivers | What it means |
|---|---|
| No fingerprint background check | New York does not require fingerprints or a criminal background check for a standard adult name change. |
| Safety-based sealing | If an open record would jeopardize the applicant’s personal safety, considering the risk of violence or discrimination, including transgender status or a domestic-violence history, the court seals the record under §64-a. |
| No fraudulent or interfering purpose | You must be a New York resident with a lawful reason, and you may not change your name to defraud, to interfere with others’ rights, or to escape creditors or a criminal record. |
What you can do right now
Concrete, neutral steps to start a name change in New York. This is legal information, not legal advice.
- Choose the right court
In New York City, the NYC Civil Court fee is far lower than Supreme Court. Elsewhere you file in the Supreme or county court where you live.
- Do not assume you must publish
Since December 2021 most adults no longer publish. Any older source telling you to place a newspaper notice is out of date.
- Ask for sealing if you are at risk
If publication or an open record would jeopardize your safety, ask the court to seal the record under §64-a.
- Get certified copies of the order
After the judge signs, buy several certified copies for Social Security, the DMV, and other records.
Court forms, fees, and publication rules are set locally. This resource points to the court self-help or an attorney who can guide you.
→ NY Courts — Name Change HelpThis 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 New York name-change process in detail
New York changed the name-change process materially in December 2021, and the old advice is now wrong. For most adults, newspaper publication is no longer required: you file a petition with the Supreme Court or county court where you live, or in New York City with the lower-cost NYC Civil Court, and the judge often grants the order on the papers without a hearing. A judge can still order notice in narrow cases, but the blanket publication rule is gone, so any pre-2022 source telling you to publish is outdated. Where an open record would jeopardize your personal safety, considering the risk of violence or discrimination, including transgender status or a domestic-violence history, §64-a lets the court seal the record. New York requires no fingerprints or background check. The cost is where you feel the difference: about $65 in the NYC Civil Court against up to about $210 in Supreme or county court, so confirm the fee for your specific court. This is the standalone adult petition, separate from taking a spouse’s name in marriage or restoring one in a divorce.
Common questions
Do I have to publish a name change in the newspaper in New York?
Usually no. Since December 21, 2021, most adults no longer publish. A judge can still order notice in narrow cases, and safety-based sealing is available under §64-a.
How much does a name change cost in New York?
Roughly $65 in the NYC Civil Court up to about $210 in Supreme or county court. The fee varies by court, so confirm the amount for the specific court where you file.
Do I need a background check for a New York name change?
No. New York does not require fingerprints or a criminal background check for a standard adult name change.
Can I seal my New York name-change record?
Yes, if an open record would jeopardize your personal safety, considering the risk of violence or discrimination. Under §64-a the court will seal the record on request or on its own motion.
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.