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Legal name change in Colorado

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  • Page changed: Change Your Sex Identifier (read via Internet Archive snapshot of January 9, 2026) (2026-09-28) · #16
Change your legal name
Yes
Publication requirementA rule in some states that a name-change petition be printed in a newspaper before it is granted. Many states waive it for trans petitioners or for safety.
Not required
Court hearing
Sometimes
Sealed recordA court file that is kept confidential and not available to the public.
Not offered

Colorado adults can change their name to match their gender identity by filing a petition in the county court where they live. You must first get an FBI and Colorado fingerprint background check (about $90), and the filing fee is $98 (fee waiver available). Newspaper publication is not required for a gender-identity name change.

Main cost
$98, can be waived
Apply
In person
Typical wait
1 to 3 weeks

Draft from official sources, September 24, 2026. Not yet checked by a person. How we verify

On this page
  1. How it works
  2. Steps
  3. Costs and fee waivers
  4. Free help
  5. Forms
  6. Requirements
  7. Minors
  8. After you finish
  9. Tips
  10. Laws and other guides
  11. Sources

How it works

Name changes in Colorado are handled by the county court (or, for more money, the district court) in the county where you live, under C.R.S. § 13-15-101. The process is the same for everyone, with two important protections for trans people:

  • No newspaper publication. Since January 1, 2020 (Jude's Law, HB19-1039), a person changing their name to conform with their gender identity does not have to publish a notice (C.R.S. § 13-15-102(4)). You ask for the waiver on the petition and the court must grant it.
  • A prior felony is no longer a bar when the new name matches your gender identity (HB24-1071, 2024), though you use a different packet and the court may still order publication.

The main extra step compared with other states is the fingerprint-based background check from both the Colorado Bureau of Investigation and the FBI, dated within 90 days before you file. Most courts then sign the decree without a hearing, but some counties schedule a short one.

Steps

  1. Get fingerprinted and order your CBI and FBI background checks[6][1][18][21]

    Book a fingerprint appointment with Colorado Fingerprinting (coloradofingerprinting.com) or IdentoGO, and order a fingerprint-based criminal history check from both the Colorado Bureau of Investigation and the FBI. The Center on Colfax in Denver has on-site fingerprinting.

    The FBI result usually arrives by email in a few days; the CBI result can take about two weeks. You must file within 90 days of the report dates, so do not order them too early.

    Cost
    $89.50 fingerprint-based background checks (CBI and FBI, together)
    Time
    1 to 3 weeks

  2. Fill out the petition packet[6][7][17]

    Fill out JDF 433 (petition) and the captions of JDF 427, JDF 426, and JDF 448. In item 9 of the petition, state that publication is not required because you are changing your name to conform with your gender identity (C.R.S. § 13-15-102(4)). Attach the FBI report as Exhibit A and the CBI report as Exhibit B.

    The Colorado Name Change Project has a free form generator that fills these in for you.

  3. Ask for a fee waiver if you qualify[12][13][6]

    Optional

    File JDF 205 and JDF 206 with your petition. If you receive SNAP, TANF, SSI, or another program listed in Section 6, you qualify automatically. If you are not found indigent, the court can still let you pay the filing fee in two or three installments.

  4. Sign in front of the clerk and file at your county court[6][7][18]

    Take the packet to the county court in the county where you live (district court also works but costs $268 instead of $98). Sign the petition in front of the clerk, or have it notarized beforehand. Pay the filing fee or hand in your fee waiver request. Keep a stamped copy.

    Cost
    $98 filing fee, county court; $268 filing fee, district court (same process, more expensive)

  5. Attend a short hearing if your court schedules one[6][18]

    Optional

    Most courts decide on the paperwork, but some counties hold a brief hearing. If yours does, the court will send the date. The judge reviews the papers, may ask a few questions, and waives publication. Arrive early to get through security.

  6. Receive the signed decree and buy certified copies[6][9][18]

    The court mails you the signed decree (JDF 448). Order at least two or three certified copies ($20 each); Social Security, the DMV, and the passport agency each need to see one.

    Cost
    $20 certified copy of the decree (each)

  7. Update your other documents, in this order[6][20]

    1. Social Security first. The Colorado DMV pulls your name from the SSA database, so wait at least 24 hours after SSA updates before going to the DMV.
    2. Colorado DMV driver's license or ID (in person; see the driver's license guide).
    3. Birth certificate, if you were born in Colorado (CDPHE; see the birth certificate guide). Send a certified copy of the decree.
    4. Passport, bank, employer, insurance, voter registration, school records.

Costs and fee waivers

Can’t afford it? You may not have to pay.[12][13][6]

You qualify automatically if you are enrolled in SNAP, TANF, SSI, Aid to the Needy and Disabled (AND), Aid to the Blind, or Old Age Pension. Otherwise the court looks at your household income, expenses, and assets on JDF 205 and decides whether you are indigent. If not, it can allow payment in two or three installments.

File JDF 205 and JDF 206 with your petition. The waiver covers court filing and copy fees only, not fingerprinting or newspaper costs.

JDF 205JDF 206

WhatCostNotes
Fingerprint-based background checks (CBI and FBI, together)[18]$89.50About $34.50 for the CBI check and $55 for the FBI check, paid to the fingerprint vendor and agencies, not the court. A court fee waiver does not cover this.
Filing fee, county court[6]$98Can be waived
Filing fee, district court (same process, more expensive)[6]$268Can be waived
Certified copy of the decree (each)[6][13]$20Can be waivedA granted fee waiver covers "reasonable copy fees."

Free help

Legal clinics, organizations, and funds that help with this.

  • Colorado Name Change Project[17]

    Volunteer-run nonprofit with free automated forms for adult and minor name changes, gender marker guides, workshops, a county-by-county list of court hearing practices, and microgrants for trans and nonbinary Coloradans.

    • Free

    Serves: Statewide

  • Bread and Roses Legal Center[23]

    Denver social justice legal center offering gender-affirming legal services, record sealing, and criminal defense, with fees based on ability to pay. Helpful if you have a criminal record.

    • Sliding scale

  • The Center on Colfax, Transgender Program[21][22]

    Denver LGBTQ center with on-site fingerprinting for name change background checks, referrals to LGBTQ-friendly attorneys, and weekly trans support groups. 1301 E. Colfax Ave; 303-733-7743.

    • Free
    303-733-77431301 E. Colfax Ave, Denver, CO 80218

  • Colorado Legal Services[24]

    Statewide free civil legal aid for low-income Coloradans and people 60 and older; runs an ID project. Call to ask whether they can help with your name change.

    • Free
    303-837-1313

  • Denver County Court Civil Self Help Center[25][26]

    Free in-person help with court forms for people without a lawyer. 1437 Bannock St, Room 281, Denver; weekdays 8 am to 4 pm; 720-865-7819.

    • Free
    720-865-78191437 Bannock St, Room 281, Denver, CO 80202

  • Trans Lifeline microgrants[27]

    National peer-support line (877-565-8860) that relaunched its microgrant program in December 2025 to help trans people with costs such as name changes and ID updates.

    • Free
    877-565-8860

More detail

Forms11 forms: JDF 432, JDF 433, JDF 426, JDF 427, and more

Open a form for tips on filling it out.

Forms everyone files (4)

JDF 433Petition for Change of Name (Adult)Required

How to fill it out

  • Items 1 to 5: current name exactly as on your ID, the new name, date of birth, and your county of residence.
  • Item 6: attach your FBI report as Exhibit A and your CBI report as Exhibit B. Both must be dated within 90 days of filing.
  • Item 7 (reason): a short statement is enough, for example "to conform my name with my gender identity." You do not need a doctor's letter.
  • Item 9 (publication): check the second option, "Publication of my name change request is not required," and write: "I am changing my name to conform with my gender identity, C.R.S. § 13-15-102(4)." The court must then waive publication.
  • Do not sign yet. The petition must be signed in front of a court clerk or a notary.

Open JDF 433[7][6][2][18]

JDF 426Order for Publication for Change of NameRequired

Fill in the case caption only. The court still expects it in the packet even when publication is waived.

Open JDF 426[6][8][18]

JDF 427Public Notice of Petition for Change of NameRequired

Include it with the packet; it is only published if the court does not waive publication.

Open JDF 427[6][18]

JDF 448Name Change DecreeRequired

Fill in the caption only; the judge completes the rest. This is the document you will show to every agency.

Open JDF 448[6][9]

Forms only some people need (7)

JDF 432Guide to Adult Name Changes (instructions)Optional

Read this first. It lists every form, the fees, and the steps.

Open JDF 432Official Spanish version[6]

JDF 386Petition for Name Change for a Prior FelonSometimes required: Only if you have a felony conviction or felony-level juvenile adjudication.

Only if you have a felony conviction or felony-level juvenile adjudication. Read the JDF 385 guide first. In item 8(b), check "To conform my name with my gender identity," and in item 9 you can ask the court to waive publication for the same reason.

Open JDF 386[10][11][3]

JDF 205Motion to Waive FeesOptional

Only if you cannot afford the filing fee.

How to fill it out

  • Section 6: if you receive SNAP, TANF, SSI, Aid to the Needy and Disabled, Aid to the Blind, or Old Age Pension, check it and skip to Section 11. That is automatic qualification.
  • Otherwise fill in Sections 7 to 10 (home, household, monthly income and expenses, what you own).
  • File it together with JDF 206 (fill in only the caption).

Open JDF 205Official Spanish version[12]

JDF 206Order re Court FeesOptional

Goes with JDF 205; the judge or court staff decides.

Open JDF 206Official Spanish version[13]

JDF 421Petition for Name Change for a MinorSometimes required: For anyone under 18. Item 8 has a checkbox to waive publication because the change…

For anyone under 18. Item 8 has a checkbox to waive publication because the change conforms with the child's gender identity.

Open JDF 421Official Spanish version[14]

JDF 422Notice to Non-Custodial Parent (Minor Name Change)Sometimes required: If the other parent has not consented, they must be given notice of the hearing.

Open JDF 422[14][15]

JDF 423Consent of Non-Custodial Parent (Change of Name of Minor)Sometimes required: If the other parent agrees; can be filed with the petition.

Open JDF 423[14][16]

RequirementsWhere you live, age, criminal record, newspaper notice, hearing, background check, privacy and sealing, timeline
Where you live
File in the county where you live in Colorado.[6][1][3][10]
Age
18 or older for the adult packet. A parent or guardian files for anyone under 18 (see Minors).
Criminal record
The standard adult petition (JDF 433) is only for people with no felony conviction or felony-level juvenile adjudication. If you have one, use the prior-felony packet (JDF 385 guide, JDF 386 petition). Since HB24-1071, changing your name to conform with your gender identity counts as good cause to choose a name other than the one you were convicted under. That packet also requires adding the new name as an alias on your CBI record and notifying the district attorney.
Newspaper publication
No.

Ordinary name changes must be published three times within 21 days in a local newspaper. A petitioner "need not give public notice" when changing their name to conform with their gender identity (C.R.S. § 13-15-102(4)). Since July 1, 2026, no petitioner under 18 has to publish (SB26-018). For people with a prior felony, the court may still order publication.

In item 9 of JDF 433 (item 8 of JDF 421 for minors), state that the change is to conform with your gender identity and cite C.R.S. § 13-15-102(4). The court must grant it.

[2][6][7][14][4][3]
Court hearing
Sometimes.

Not required by statute for adults. The state guide says most courts do not hold one but some counties do. Minor name changes almost always have a hearing, especially when a parent has not consented.

[6][19][15]
Background check
Yes.

Every petitioner over 14 must attach a certified, fingerprint-based criminal history check from the CBI and the FBI, dated within 90 days before filing (C.R.S. § 13-15-101(1)(a)(II)). You pay for it yourself. The only exception is a simplified process for people 70 and older seeking a name change to get an ID card.

[1][6]
Privacy and sealed records
Not available.

Adults filing now: no Colorado law automatically seals or suppresses an adult's name change record, and the court file is public.

Minors: since July 1, 2026, every name change petition for someone under 18 is a suppressed court record (SB26-018), visible only to judges, court staff, the parties and their lawyers, and people with a court order or sworn consent. Courts may never publish the child's old or new name online. This does not apply to a minor with a felony-level adjudication who uses the prior-felony process.

Petitions filed before July 1, 2026: SB26-018 says that if a person asks the court to suppress the record of a name change petition filed before that date, the court "shall grant the request."

For a petition filed before July 1, 2026, file a written request in the same case asking the court to suppress the record under C.R.S. § 13-15-101(7)(b)(III). Legal aid groups listed below can help.

[4][5]
How long it takes

Plan on 2 to 3 weeks for fingerprint results, then a few weeks to a couple of months for the court to sign the decree, depending on your county and whether it schedules a hearing.

MinorsA parent or guardian files JDF 421 in the county court where the child lives (or in the court that already has a custody or child support…

A parent or guardian files JDF 421 in the county court where the child lives (or in the court that already has a custody or child support case about the child). Children 14 and older need the same CBI and FBI fingerprint checks as adults. The other parent must either sign a consent (JDF 423) or be given notice of the hearing (JDF 422); if they cannot be found, ask the court about notice by publication. The court decides based on the child's best interests, and a hearing is almost always held.

Since July 1, 2026 (SB26-018), minors never have to publish the name change, and the court record is automatically suppressed.

[14][15][16][1][4][19]
After you finishStart with Social Security (bring the certified decree and photo ID; the name changes, but the sex field currently cannot).

Start with Social Security (bring the certified decree and photo ID; the name changes, but the sex field currently cannot). Wait at least 24 hours, then go to the Colorado DMV in person with the certified decree. If you were born in Colorado, send CDPHE the birth certificate correction form, a certified copy of the decree, and the fees; you can change the sex designation in the same request. Then update your passport (name changes are still processed; sex marker changes are not, as of September 2026), bank, employer, insurance, voter registration, and school records.

Tips4 tips from people who have done this
  • Time your fingerprints. The reports expire for this purpose after 90 days, so order them once you are ready to file.
  • File in county court, not district court. The process is the same and the fee is $170 less.
  • The Colorado Name Change Project offers free form automation, workshops, and microgrants to help trans and nonbinary Coloradans with fees.
  • Every court has a self-help center that can check your forms for free (in Denver, Room 281 of the City and County Building).
Laws and other guides5 laws, 3 other guides

Laws and rules

Other trusted guides

Sources

27 sources. Numbers in the text, like [1], point here.Show all
  1. C.R.S. § 13-15-101, Petition, proceedings, applicability (2024 edition text)Colorado.Public.Law (from the Office of Legislative Legal Services CRS 2024), Law. accessed
    “If the petitioner is over fourteen years of age, the petition shall also include the results of a certified, fingerprint-based criminal history record check ... within ninety days prior to the date of the filing of the petition.”
  2. C.R.S. § 13-15-102, Publication of changeColorado.Public.Law (from the Office of Legislative Legal Services CRS 2024), Law. accessed
    “A petitioner need not give public notice of a name change ... if the petitioner is changing the petitioner's name to conform with the petitioner's gender identity.”
  3. HB24-1071, Name Change to Conform with Gender IdentityColorado General Assembly, Law. accessed
    “Good cause includes changing the petitioner's name to conform with the petitioner's gender identity.”
  4. SB26-018, Legal Protections for Dignity of Minors (signed April 20, 2026)Colorado General Assembly, Law. accessed
    “Beginning July 1, 2026, if a petitioner is under eighteen years old at the time of filing the petition, a court record associated with a petition seeking to change the petitioner's name is a suppressed court record.”
  5. 101 bills that passed and failed in Colorado's legislature this yearThe Colorado Sun, News. accessed
    “The measure also lets anyone who filed a petition for a name change prior to July 1 ask the court system to seal their records, and the courts must oblige.”
  6. JDF 432, Guide to Adult Name Changes (revised March 9, 2026)Colorado Judicial Branch, Form. accessed
    “Filing Fee $98 - County Court (most common choice); $268 - District Court (same process, more expensive); Certified Copy $20”
  7. JDF 433, Petition for Change of Name (Adult)Colorado Judicial Branch, Form. accessed
  8. JDF 426, Order for Publication for Change of NameColorado Judicial Branch, Form. accessed
  9. JDF 448, Name Change DecreeColorado Judicial Branch, Form. accessed
  10. JDF 385, Guide to Name Changes (prior felon)Colorado Judicial Branch, Form. accessed
  11. JDF 386, Petition for Name Change for a Prior FelonColorado Judicial Branch, Form. accessed
    “If not, why are you requesting a name change? To conform my name with my gender identity. C.R.S. § 13-15-101(3)(b)(II).”
  12. JDF 205, Motion to Waive FeesColorado Judicial Branch, Form. accessed
    “Are you enrolled in one of these programs? ... Supp. Security Income (SSI), Temporary Aid for Needy Families (TANF), Supp. Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Aid to the Needy and Disabled (AND)”
  13. JDF 206, Order re Court FeesColorado Judicial Branch, Form. accessed
  14. JDF 421, Petition for Name Change for a MinorColorado Judicial Branch, Form. accessed
    “This name change is done to conform with the child's gender identity. C.R.S. § 13-15-102(4).”
  15. JDF 422, Notice to Non-Custodial Parent (Minor Name Change)Colorado Judicial Branch, Form. accessed
  16. JDF 423, Consent of Non-Custodial Parent (Change of Name of Minor)Colorado Judicial Branch, Form. accessed
  17. Colorado Name Change ProjectOrganization. accessed
  18. Adult name changeColorado Name Change Project, Organization. accessed
    “Fingerprints (FBI + CBI): $89.50 total ($34.50 CBI + $55 FBI)”
  19. Minor name changeColorado Name Change Project, Organization. accessed
  20. Change Your Sex Identifier (read via Internet Archive snapshot of January 9, 2026)Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles, Official page. accessed
    “If you changed your name, please visit the Social Security Administration, then wait 24 hours before visiting a Driver License Office.”
  21. Transgender ProgramThe Center on Colfax, Organization. accessed
  22. Bread and Roses Legal CenterOrganization. accessed
  23. Colorado Legal ServicesOrganization. accessed
  24. Civil (Official Name Changes; Self Help Center)Denver County Court, Court. accessed
  25. ContactDenver County Court, Court. accessed
  26. Trans LifelineOrganization. accessed