Family · Name Change
Adult Name Change in North Carolina
How to legally change your name as an adult in North Carolina: 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 North Carolina
The steps in order, whether publication or a background check applies, and the waivers.
| The process | What it means |
|---|---|
| File with the clerk in your county | You file an application before the clerk of superior court in the county where you live and show good cause, under G.S. 101-2(a). A sworn statement confirms you are a bona fide resident of and domiciled in that county. North Carolina sets no minimum number of days or months of residency. |
| Two citizens vouch for your character | G.S. 101-4 requires proof of good character made by at least two citizens of the county who know your standing. This is a live requirement for adults and is waived only for children under 16. |
| State and national background check | Under G.S. 101-5(a)(2) you supply the results of a state and national criminal history record check conducted within 90 days by the SBI, the FBI, or an FBI-approved Channeler. The clerk instructs you on how to get fingerprints taken and submitted. You pay for this check yourself. |
| Sworn statements the clerk reviews | The application states your true name, county and date of birth, your parents’ names, the new name, your reasons, and whether you have outstanding tax or child support obligations. Owing money is not automatically disqualifying, but the clerk weighs everything under the good-and-sufficient-reason review in G.S. 101-5(c). |
| Requirements and waivers | What it means |
|---|---|
| Sealed record for people at risk | G.S. 101-2(c) keeps the entire record out of the public file for a participant in the Chapter 15C address confidentiality program and for anyone who provides evidence of being a victim of domestic violence, a sexual offense, or stalking. Those records are opened only by court order or with the applicant’s written consent. |
| Registered sex offenders cannot apply | G.S. 101-6(c) flatly prohibits a person registered under Article 27A of Chapter 14 from obtaining a name change under Chapter 101. |
| One change per lifetime | G.S. 101-6(a) allows an adult to change a name under this Chapter only once, though a person may always resume a former name by going through the same process again. A minor child’s name may be changed up to two times. |
| Widows and widowers have a cheaper route | G.S. 101-8 lets a widowed person resume a maiden or prior surname by filing a copy of the death certificate, for a $10.00 fee under G.S. 7A-308(a)(6). That is not a Chapter 101 name change and does not consume the once-per-lifetime allowance. |
What you can do right now
Concrete, neutral steps to start a name change in North Carolina. This is legal information, not legal advice.
- File the application with your county clerk
Apply before the clerk of superior court in the county where you live and show good cause under G.S. 101-2(a). There is no residency waiting period.
- Line up two character references and the background check
Get two county citizens to attest to your good character under G.S. 101-4, and obtain a state and national criminal history check within 90 days of applying.
- Budget about $120 plus extras
Plan for roughly $120 in statutory court costs, plus the cost of the background check, fingerprinting, and certified copies of the order at $3.00 each.
- Ask about a sealed record if you are at risk
If you take part in the address confidentiality program or are a victim of domestic violence, a sexual offense, or stalking, ask the clerk to keep the record confidential under G.S. 101-2(c).
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 North Carolina name-change process in detail
Changing your name as an adult in North Carolina became noticeably quieter on December 1, 2025, when S.L. 2025-54 removed the last public-notice step from the statute. You now file an application before the clerk of superior court in the county where you live, show good cause, and there is no newspaper ad and no courthouse posting of any kind. North Carolina never actually required a newspaper advertisement, so anyone who told you otherwise was working from an outdated description. What the state does still ask for is substantial. Under G.S. 101-4 at least two citizens of your county must attest to your good character, and under G.S. 101-5(a)(2) you must supply a state and national criminal history record check run within the previous 90 days, which you pay for and which involves fingerprints the clerk explains how to submit. The court costs run about $120, assembled from three line items in G.S. 7A-306(a) rather than printed as a single figure. Two limits set North Carolina apart. An adult may change a name under Chapter 101 only once in a lifetime, and a person on the sex offender registry cannot use this process at all. If your safety is a concern, G.S. 101-2(c) lets the clerk seal the entire record.
Common questions
Do I have to publish a name change in the newspaper in North Carolina?
No. Since December 1, 2025 there is no newspaper ad and no courthouse posting requirement of any kind. You simply file an application with the clerk of superior court in the county where you live.
How much does a name change cost in North Carolina?
Roughly $120 in statutory court costs, built from three line items in G.S. 7A-306(a). You also pay separately for the required criminal background check, fingerprinting, and certified copies at $3.00 each.
Do I need a background check for a North Carolina name change?
Yes. Under G.S. 101-5(a)(2) you must supply a state and national criminal history record check conducted within 90 days of your application, and the clerk tells you how to get fingerprints submitted.
Can I change my name more than once in North Carolina?
Generally no. G.S. 101-6(a) allows an adult only one name change under Chapter 101, although you may always resume a former name by going through the same process again.
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.