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Legal name change in Indiana

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  • Page changed: Name change forms (2026-10-12) · #243
  • Page changed: How to ask a court to keep a case private (2026-10-12) · #242
  • Page changed: Filing fee frequently asked questions (2026-10-12) · #240
  • Page changed: Ind. Code 34-28-2-4 (proof of publication, timing of decree, objections, minors) (2026-10-12) · #234
  • Page changed: Ind. Code 34-28-2-3 (notice by publication; felony-conviction notice) (2026-10-12) · #233
  • Page changed: Ind. Code 34-28-2-2 (petition for a minor) (2026-10-12) · #231
  • Page changed: Ind. Code 34-28-2-2.5 (petition contents, age 17 and older) (2026-10-12) · #229
  • Page changed: Ind. Code 34-28-2-1.5 (persons who may not petition) (2026-10-12) · #227
  • Page changed: Ind. Code 34-28-2-4 (proof of publication, timing of decree, objections, minors) (2026-09-28) · #38
  • Page changed: Ind. Code 34-28-2-3 (notice by publication; felony-conviction notice) (2026-09-28) · #36
  • Page changed: Ind. Code 34-28-2-2 (petition for a minor) (2026-09-28) · #35
  • Page changed: Ind. Code 34-28-2-2.5 (petition contents, age 17 and older) (2026-09-28) · #34
  • Page changed: Ind. Code 34-28-2-1.5 (persons who may not petition) (2026-09-28) · #33
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.
Sometimes
Court hearing
Required
Sealed recordA court file that is kept confidential and not available to the public.
Possible

You can change your name in Indiana by filing a petition in the circuit or superior court of your county. The law requires a newspaper notice for three weeks and a hearing, but you can ask the judge to seal the case and skip the newspaper for your safety, and Indiana appeals courts have granted this for transgender petitioners. The filing fee is about $157, and it can be waived if you cannot afford it.

Main cost
$157, can be waived
Apply
Online or in person

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

Indiana name changes go through a court under Indiana Code 34-28-2. You file a sworn (notarized) petition with the clerk in the county where you live, publish a notice in a local newspaper once a week for three weeks, and go to a short hearing. The judge then signs an order changing your name.

For trans people, the most important step is optional: you can file three extra papers at the start asking the court to keep the whole case confidential and to waive the newspaper notice. Indiana Legal Services wrote a memorandum for this, and the Indiana Court of Appeals has held that the general risk of harassment and violence against transgender people is enough to justify sealing (In re Name Change of A.L., 2017; In re M.E.B., 2019).

Indiana courts can change your name. Changing your sex on Indiana documents is a different matter: since 2025 the state health department is not changing sex on birth certificates and since February 12, 2026 the BMV does not change it on licenses. Ask for a name-only order (see the tips).

Steps

  1. Fill out the adult packet and the confidentiality forms[6][7]

    Download the adult packet from Indiana Legal Help and read the instructions. If you want the case sealed and no newspaper notice, also fill out the confidentiality forms at the back of the instructions. Indiana Legal Help estimates 1 to 2 hours. Check your county's local rules for how many copies to bring.

  2. Sign the petition in front of a notary[7]

    The Verified Petition must be sworn. Many banks, public libraries, and the clerk's office offer notary service, often free.

  3. File with the clerk and pay the fee or ask for a waiver[7][9][14]

    Take the originals and copies to the Clerk of Court in your county (or e-file). Pay the filing fee (about $157) or file the fee waiver motion. The clerk stamps your copies and the court sets a hearing date. Bring your Indiana driver's license or ID.

    Cost
    $157 court filing fee (civil case)

  4. Publish the notice (unless the judge waived it)[4][5][7]

    Optional

    If you did not ask for a waiver, or the judge denied it, take the Notice of Petition to the legal-notices desk of a newspaper of general circulation in your county. It must run once a week for three weeks, and the last run must be at least 30 days before the hearing. The newspaper sends you a proof of publication; attach it to the Notice of Filing Proof of Publication and file both.

    Cost
    Varies newspaper publication (three weekly notices)
    Time
    3 weeks of notices, then at least 30 days before the hearing

  5. If you have a felony conviction in the last 10 years, send the required notices[4]

    Optional

    At least 30 days before the hearing, notify the county sheriff, the prosecuting attorney, and the Indiana central repository for criminal history information (with a full set of fingerprints). Skipping this is a Class A misdemeanor.

  6. Go to the hearing[7][14]

    Bring your ID and copies of everything you filed. The judge may ask a few questions to confirm the change is not to avoid debts or commit fraud. If the petition is granted, the judge signs the Order on Verified Petition for Change of Name.

  7. Get certified copies of the order[13]

    Ask the clerk for 3 to 5 certified copies. Indiana Legal Services says certification can cost up to $2 a page.

    Cost
    Varies certified copies of the order

Costs and fee waivers

Can’t afford it? You may not have to pay.[10][9]

The judge decides whether you are unable to pay. Receiving public benefits (SNAP, Medicaid/HIP, TANF, SSI) or having very low income supports the request; list your income, expenses, and benefits on the motion.

File the Verified Motion for Fee Waiver and a proposed Order on Fee Waiver with your petition. A waiver covers court fees; it does not pay the newspaper.

ILH fee waiver packet

WhatCostNotes
Court filing fee (civil case)[9][14]$157Can be waivedVaries by countyIndiana Legal Help lists $157 for a standard civil filing. Confirm with your county clerk.
Newspaper publication (three weekly notices)[4]VariesVaries by vendorSet by the newspaper. Not needed if the judge waives publication.
Certified copies of the order[13]VariesVaries by countyUp to about $2 per page, per Indiana Legal Services.

Free help

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

  • Indiana Legal Services, LGBTQ+ Project[12]

    Free civil legal help for eligible low-income Hoosiers in all 92 counties, including name change packets and help updating IDs. Call 317-829-3180 or email lgbtgroup@ilsi.net, or apply online.

    • Free

    Serves: Statewide

    317-829-3180

  • Indiana Legal Help (court-approved self-help forms)[6][11]

    The Indiana courts' self-help site with free, court-approved name change and fee waiver forms, videos on publication and on keeping a case private, and a link to free legal answers online.

    • Free

  • GenderNexus[15]

    Indianapolis nonprofit whose care coordinators help with legal name and gender marker changes, medical referral letters, and finding affirming providers; also support groups and counseling. Services are free. 3833 N. Meridian St; 317-650-5988.

    • Free
    317-650-59883833 N. Meridian St, Indianapolis, IN 46208

  • Indiana Free Legal Answers[11]

    Ask a volunteer Indiana lawyer a civil legal question online for free, if you meet the income limits.

    • Free

  • Genderbands grants[16]

    Small national grants for transition costs, including name change fees; 18 and older.

    • Free

More detail

Forms4 forms: ILH adult packet, ILH confidentiality forms, ILH fee waiver packet, ILH minor packets

Open a form for tips on filling it out.

Forms everyone files (1)

ILH adult packetAdult Name Change packet (Appearance, Verified Petition for Change of Name, Order Setting Hearing, Notice of Petition, Notice of Filing Proof of Publication, Order)Required

How to fill it out

Read the instructions first: https://indianalegalhelp.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Adult-Name-Change-Packet-INSTRUCTIONS-202409-Update.pdf

  • Verified Petition: fill in your current name, date of birth, Indiana license or ID number, address, every prior name, whether you have a passport, and any felony convictions (or write "I do not have any felony convictions"). You do not have to give a reason or mention your gender.
  • Item 12 (birth certificate): check whether you want the name on your birth certificate changed. If you were born in Indiana, checking "be changed" is useful; the order will say so.
  • Sign the petition in front of a notary.
  • Leave the hearing date and cause number blank; the clerk and court fill them in.
  • Do not add a request to change your sex or gender to this petition (see tips).

Open ILH adult packet[6][7]

Forms only some people need (3)

ILH confidentiality formsRequest to keep the case confidential and waive publication (Notice of Exclusion of Confidential Information, Verified Request to Prohibit Public Access, ILS Memorandum of Law, Public Notice of Hearing, Order)Optional

Included at the back of the adult instructions packet. Strongly recommended if being outed as trans could put you at risk.

How to fill it out

  • Verified Request to Prohibit Public Access: item 1 lets you check transgender, gender non-conforming, or nonbinary. Item 6 lets you check any harm you have personally experienced (physical harm, discrimination, harassment, bullying, threats). You do not need to have been threatened personally; the attached memorandum explains that Indiana appellate courts accept the general risk to trans people.
  • Attach the Memorandum of Law (written by Indiana Legal Services) as an exhibit, unchanged.
  • File all five papers with your petition, before you publish anything. Once a notice is in the paper it cannot be taken back; Indiana public notices are archived online.
  • The court must hold a short public hearing on the sealing request; the court posts a notice of that hearing at the courthouse at least 30 days ahead.

Open ILH confidentiality forms[7][8]

ILH fee waiver packetVerified Motion for Fee Waiver and Order on Fee Waiver (general)Optional

Only if you cannot afford the filing fee. Instructions are at https://indianalegalhelp.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/GeneralFeeWaiver_0420INSTRUCTIONS-4.21.23.pdf

Open ILH fee waiver packet[10]

ILH minor packetsChild Name Change packets (parents agree / parents disagree)Sometimes required: For a child under 17. Use the "with consent" packet if both parents agree and the "no…

For a child under 17. Use the "with consent" packet if both parents agree and the "no consent" packet if a parent does not.

Open ILH minor packets[6]

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. Circuit, superior, and probate courts can all hear name changes; the clerk will direct you.[1][3][4][12]
Age
People 17 and older file for themselves. For a child under 17, a parent or guardian files (see Minors).
Criminal record
You cannot petition while confined in a Department of Correction facility, or if you are a lifetime sex or violent offender registrant (a narrow religious-belief exception exists). If you have a felony conviction in the last ten years you can still file, but you must notify the sheriff, the prosecutor, and the state criminal history repository (with fingerprints) at least 30 days before the hearing.
Other
The statute lists "proof that the person is a United States citizen" among the petition requirements. If you are not a US citizen, talk to Indiana Legal Services before filing.
Newspaper publication
Sometimes.

The statute requires three weekly publications in a newspaper of general circulation in the county, with the last one at least 30 days before the hearing. Judges can waive it when they seal the case for safety under the Rules on Access to Court Records.

File the Verified Request to Prohibit Public Access, the ILS Memorandum of Law, and the related notice and order with your petition. The Court of Appeals has held that the documented risk of violence and harassment against transgender people can be enough (In re Name Change of A.L., 81 N.E.3d 283 (Ind. Ct. App. 2017); In re M.E.B., 126 N.E.3d 932 (Ind. Ct. App. 2019)).

[4][7][8]
Court hearing
Yes.

The court sets a hearing when you file. The decree cannot be entered until 30 days after proof of publication is filed. If you ask to seal the case, there is also a brief public hearing on that request.

[5][7]
Background check
Sometimes.

No background check for most people. If you have a felony conviction in the last ten years, you must send notice with a full set of fingerprints to the state criminal history repository, which forwards your record to the court.

[4]
Privacy and sealed records
Available.

Name change cases are public by default. The judge can exclude the whole record from public access under Rule 6 of the Indiana Rules on Access to Court Records if public access would create a significant risk of substantial harm.

File the confidentiality forms from the Indiana Legal Help adult instructions packet at the same time as your petition.

[3][7][8]
How long it takes

Usually two to three months from filing to a signed order, mostly the three weeks of publication plus the 30-day wait. A sealing request adds its own 30-day notice period.

MinorsA parent or guardian files a verified petition that explains the reason for the change, for a child under 17.

A parent or guardian files a verified petition that explains the reason for the change, for a child under 17. The written consent of the other parent must be filed with it (unless consent is not required, for example after abandonment), and both parents must be served with the petition. If a parent objects or does not consent, the court holds a hearing and decides based on the child's best interest; a parent who is current on child support gets a presumption in favor of their objection. Publication and the option to seal work the same as for adults. Indiana Legal Help has separate packets for "parents agree" and "parents disagree".

[2][5][6][14]
After you finish1. Social Security first (free).
  1. Social Security first (free). The name changes; the sex field cannot currently be changed.
  2. Wait at least one business day, then go to a BMV branch within 30 days with a certified copy of the order ($9 to amend a license). The BMV no longer changes the sex marker.
  3. Birth certificate if you were born in Indiana: bring a certified copy of a name-only order to the health department of the county where you were born, or call IDOH Vital Records at 317-233-2700. Sex changes are not being processed.
  4. Passport, voter registration (indianavoters.in.gov), bank, employer, insurance, school records.
Tips3 tips from people who have done this
  • Ask for a **name-only** order. Indiana Legal Services warns not to use an order that combines a name change and a gender marker change to update your birth certificate, because gender-marker requests are being forwarded to the Attorney General's office. If you already have a combined order, contact the ILS LGBTQ+ Project before using it.
  • File the confidentiality request with the petition, not later. Once a newspaper notice runs it is archived online and cannot be removed.
  • Indiana Legal Services' LGBTQ+ Project (317-829-3180, lgbtgroup@ilsi.net) helps low-income Hoosiers with name changes and can review your forms.
Laws and other guides2 laws, 2 other guides

Laws and rules

Other trusted guides

Sources

16 sources. Numbers in the text, like [1], point here.Show all
  1. Ind. Code 34-28-2-1.5 (persons who may not petition)FindLaw (copy of the Indiana Code), Law. accessed
    “A person may not petition for a change of name if the person: (1) is confined to a department of correction facility; or (2) ... is a lifetime sex or violent offender.”
  2. Ind. Code 34-28-2-2 (petition for a minor)FindLaw (copy of the Indiana Code), Law. accessed
    “the written consent of a parent, or the written consent of the guardian if both parents are dead, must be filed with the petition”
  3. Ind. Code 34-28-2-2.5 (petition contents, age 17 and older)FindLaw (copy of the Indiana Code), Law. accessed
    “(5) Proof that the person is a United States citizen. ... A petition under subsection (a) is subject to Indiana Rules of Court Administrative Rule 9.”
  4. Ind. Code 34-28-2-3 (notice by publication; felony-conviction notice)FindLaw (copy of the Indiana Code), Law. accessed
    “By three (3) weekly publications in a newspaper of general circulation published in the county in which the petition is filed in court.”
  5. Ind. Code 34-28-2-4 (proof of publication, timing of decree, objections, minors)FindLaw (copy of the Indiana Code), Law. accessed
  6. Name change formsIndiana Legal Help (Indiana Supreme Court Coalition for Court Access), Court. accessed
    “You are not required to register as a sex or violent offender.”
  7. Instructions, Adult Name Change (with confidentiality forms and ILS memorandum)Indiana Legal Help, Form. accessed
    “If you feel unsafe publishing in a newspaper (for example, because you are transgender), or having this case public would put you at significant risk of substantial harm, fill out all of the following forms and submit them to the Clerk of Court when you start your name change case.”
  8. How to ask a court to keep a case privateIndiana Legal Help, Court. accessed
  9. Filing fee frequently asked questionsIndiana Legal Help, Court. accessed
    “Standard civil court filing: $157”
  10. General fee waiver instructions and formsIndiana Legal Help, Form. accessed
  11. Self-Service Legal CenterIndiana Judicial Branch, Court. accessed
  12. Name and gender marker changesIndiana Legal Services, Organization. accessed
    “Adults (17 and older) who are not in jail or prison or registered lifetime sex offenders can change their name.”
  13. Updating ID documents packet (rev. 8.7.25)Indiana Legal Services, LGBTQ+ Project, Organization. accessed
    “If your name change and gender marker change are on the same court order, do not use it to update your birth certificate. Contact us right away.”
  14. Indiana identity documentsAdvocates for Trans Equality, Organization. accessed
  15. GenderNexusOrganization. accessed
  16. GenderbandsOrganization. accessed