There are many laws in place to change your name legally. You might want to do so because of many reasons. However, this is usually found more in the case of women since they change their names when they get married and can revert after a divorce.
If you want to know how much does it cost to change your name legally, you have clicked on the correct link. This article will learn how to change your name legally in the US. You will also get to know the costs of doing so.
Contents
- 1 How Much Money Does It Cost To Change Your Name?
- 2 How Much Does It Cost To Change Your Name With The Federal Government
- 3 How Much Does It Cost To Change Your Name With The State Government
- 4 How Much Does It Cost To Change Your Last Name After Marriage
- 5 How Much Does It Cost To Change Your Name After A Divorce
- 6 How Much Does It Cost To Change Your Name To A New Name
- 7 Frequently Asked Questions:
- 8 Conclusion
How Much Money Does It Cost To Change Your Name?
Before you know how much it costs to change your name, you should know what fees you will pay. This is important because the legal procedures and prices for changing your name vary from state to state in the US. However, its base charges and documentation processes mostly remain the same.
The first fee associated with changing your name is the cost of hiring an attorney or a legal expert if you want. They must take care of all the legal proceedings and help you with documentation. Legal fees also vary from county to county in each state.
For example, if you want to know how much does it cost to change your name in California, it costs at most $435. However, if you want to know how much does it cost to change your name in Texas, it costs anywhere between $150 to $300.
Some of the other fees involved are:
- Filing certified copies of the court order and getting them approved.
- Some Southern American states like Texas issue fingerprint cards.
- Payment for getting your background check done by government officials.
- Some states require you to publicly announce your name change in a small column of your local newspaper.
- Other extra court costs differ in each state.
How Much Does It Cost To Change Your Name With The Federal Government
Depending on your purpose, you can change your name with the federal government in various places. They can be:
Changing Your Name On The Social Security Card
If you want to change your name on your social security card, there are two ways to do so. However, note that both these processes are free.
- You can apply for the process of changing your name online by sending an email to the authorities containing all the documents that you will be filing.
- You can visit the local Social Security Office in person and speak with the officials.
Changing Your Name On Your Passport
Changing your name on your passport can be done for free if you recently created your passport and it was in your possession for less than a year.
However, it will cost money if you have had it for longer than a year. It will cost you $110 for a brand new passport. Also, you can create a new passport card with the new name, which will cost you $30.
Do not forget shipping costs, since they can range from $20 to $60 depending on which state and county you reside.
Change Your Name In Internal Revenue Services (IRS)
You can change your name in your income tax reports for free by notifying the IRS officers after legally changing your name. After that, all you need to do is file your following ITR papers use your new name instead of your old one.
How Much Does It Cost To Change Your Name With The State Government
Even the state government has many files and documents to change your name if you want to. They are:
Drivers License/ Photo ID
Since the federal government does not control your driver’s license and Photo ID proof, the state government handles these requests. For this, you need to issue a new driver’s license and Photo ID proof from the state officials, paying $25 to $50 in the process.
Voter Registration Card
The cost for changing your name on your voter registration card is free because they often get automatic updates and issues when you update your driver’s license.
How Much Does It Cost To Change Your Last Name After Marriage
Women change their names after a wedding. They can do so by changing their surname to match their husbands. They can also add their husband’s surname to her full name with a hyphen.
This process can be long, but it starts with creating the marriage license. This costs around $10 to $115, depending on which state you are getting married to. However, these are generally borne by the husband.
After this process is over, you need to use your marriage license and request the name change services for your documents, which have been explained in this article.
How Much Does It Cost To Change Your Name After A Divorce
It might seem joyous at first for women to get married and take on a new name, but divorces can be pretty painful for women as well.
You need to go to the Marriage registrar with your divorce certificate to revert your name. Then get the name change approved by the registrar. This costs the same as above – around $10 to $115 depending on your state. After that, you need to change your name in your documents and pay their respective costs.
How Much Does It Cost To Change Your Name To A New Name
If you want to know how much does it cost to legally change your name, then the process is lengthy. Changing your name to something entirely new out of free will can be a complex process in many states. For this process, you will need to file a court order.
You can do this by going to your local county office and visiting the clerk over there. The clerk will then help you file a name change petition. After it is filed, you will be given a date to appear before the judge in court.
However, some states require you to publish this court hearing in a local newspaper before the hearing date. After the hearing, your new name will be approved by the judge. This entire process costs anywhere between $250 to $300. However, in some cases, it can go up to $500, but never more than that.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Conclusion
Changing your name is not as daunting as many seemingly say it to be. All you need to do is notify the proper authorities about where you want to change your name. This is because all documents have different processes and prices for changing the printed name and getting a new one issued. However, changing your real name can take longer and cost more.
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