Trans Resource Navigator

Legal name change in Michigan

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
Sometimes
Sealed recordA court file that is kept confidential and not available to the public.
Possible

Michigan adults who have lived in their county for at least a year can change their name in circuit court. If you say on the petition that the change is to affirm your gender identity, the judge must skip newspaper publication and keep the record confidential. Fingerprinting was eliminated in April 2025, and the judge may grant the change without a hearing.

Main cost
$175, can be waived
Apply
Online, by mail, 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

You file a petition with the family division of the circuit court in the county where you have lived for at least one year (MCL 711.1). Since April 2, 2025 (2024 PA 229):

  • No fingerprints. You only state on the petition whether you have a criminal record or pending charges. The court may run a free name-based check itself.
  • Hearing is up to the judge for adults. Many courts now sign the order without one.
  • Publication can be skipped. Use form PC 51c instead of PC 51 and check "seek(s) to affirm gender identity" in the Statement of Good Cause. The law says the court must presume good cause for that reason, must order no publication, and must make the record confidential. You do not have to prove anything else.

The free Michigan Legal Help Do-It-Yourself Name Change tool fills in all of these forms for you.

Steps

  1. Fill out your forms with the free Michigan Legal Help tool[8][7]

    The Do-It-Yourself Name Change tool asks you questions and produces the petition (PC 51c if you ask not to publish), MC 97a, and the orders. Filling out forms there does not file anything with the court.

  2. Ask for a fee waiver if you cannot pay[7][9]

    Optional

    File MC 20 with your petition. If the waiver is granted, the court must also pay any publication costs, and the $10 order-entry fee is waived. Certified copies may not be covered.

    Form
    MC 20

  3. File at the circuit court in your county and pay the fee[7]

    File PC 51c (or PC 51), MC 97a, MC 21 if applicable, and PC 161 if you are asking not to publish. Depending on the court you can file in person, by email, by mail or drop-off, or through MiFILE e-filing (case-type code NC). Contact the clerk to ask which methods it accepts. Michigan Legal Help lists the filing fee as $175.

    Cost
    $175 circuit court filing fee (petition for name change)

  4. Get the judge's decision on nonpublication[7][2]

    The judge signs PC 161. If granted, skip publication. If denied (unlikely when you checked "affirm gender identity," because the law presumes good cause), you have 14 days to (a) accept and publish using PC 50, (b) dismiss with PC 162, or (c) ask for a hearing with PC 162 to explain why publication would harm you.

  5. Attend a hearing only if the court schedules one[1][7]

    Optional

    For adults the judge decides whether to hold a hearing. If there is one, the court mails you a notice; bring two copies of the order form and your documents. If the judge approves, the judge signs the order.

    Form
    PC 52

  6. Pay the order fee and get certified copies[7]

    There is a $10 fee for the court to enter the order (waived with a fee waiver). Get at least two or three certified copies; Social Security, the Secretary of State, vital records, and the passport agency each need to see one.

    Cost
    $10 fee to enter the signed order; $11 certified copy of the order (each)

  7. Update your other records, Social Security first[10]

    1. Social Security first. The Secretary of State cannot change your name until SSA has it.
    2. Secretary of State driver's license or ID (in person, $9 or $10).
    3. Birth certificate if born in Michigan ($50 through MDHHS Vital Records).
    4. Passport, bank, employer, insurance, schools. Your voter registration updates when your license does.

Costs and fee waivers

Can’t afford it? You may not have to pay.[9][3]

You may qualify if you receive public assistance or your income is low enough that paying the fee would be a hardship; the MC 20 form lists the criteria. If the court waives fees for commencing the case, it must also waive the $25 e-filing fee.

File MC 20 with your petition, or use Michigan Legal Help's Do-It-Yourself Fee Waiver tool.

MC 20

WhatCostNotes
Circuit court filing fee (petition for name change)[7][3]$175Can be waivedVaries by countyMichigan Legal Help's figure for Wayne County; it combines a $150 filing fee and the $25 electronic filing system fee charged on every new civil case. Check with your county clerk.
Fee to enter the signed order[7]$10Can be waived
Certified copy of the order (each)[7][11]$11Varies by countyMichigan Legal Help says $11 and that it may not be covered by a fee waiver; A4TE lists $10. Ask your clerk.
Newspaper publication (only if you publish)[7]VariesCan be waivedVaries by vendorPrice depends on the county and newspaper; some also charge for the affidavit of publication. Not needed if nonpublication is granted.

Free help

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

  • Michigan Legal Help, Do-It-Yourself Name Change[8]

    Free guided interview that produces your completed petition, nonpublication request, and orders, plus county-specific step-by-step instructions and a self-help center map.

    • Free
    Languages: English, Español

  • Transgender Michigan[12]

    Statewide trans organization with a help line (855-345-8464) and TransPages directory that can point you to trans-friendly attorneys and local chapters.

    • Free
    855-345-8464

  • Lakeshore Legal Aid[13]

    Free civil legal services for people with low incomes, older adults, and survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault in southeast Michigan. Apply by phone at 888-783-8190 or online. Name changes are not listed as a core practice area; ask at intake.

    • Free
    888-783-8190

  • Affirmations LGBTQ+ Community Center[14]

    Ferndale LGBTQ+ center whose staff help with basic needs and legal resource referrals. 248-398-7105.

    • Free
    248-398-7105290 W. 9 Mile Rd, Ferndale, MI 48220

  • Genderbands grants[15]

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

    • Free
    • Unverified

More detail

Forms9 forms: PC 51c, PC 51, MC 97a, MC 21, and more

Open a form for tips on filling it out.

Forms everyone files (2)

MC 97aAddendum to Protected Personal Identifying InformationRequired

Filed with the petition; holds the dates of birth so they stay out of the public file.

Open MC 97a[5][7]

PC 52Order Following Hearing Regarding Petition for Name ChangeRequired

The order the judge signs. Ask the clerk which order form your court wants if there is no hearing.

Open PC 52[11][7]

Forms only some people need (7)

PC 51cPetition for Name Change and Ex Parte Request for Nonpublication and Confidential RecordSometimes required: Use this instead of PC 51 if you want no newspaper notice and a confidential record.

Use this instead of PC 51 if you want no newspaper notice and a confidential record. Recommended for trans people.

How to fill it out

  • Item 2 confirms each person has lived in the county at least one year.
  • Item 6 (reason): a short statement is enough, for example "to affirm my gender identity."
  • Item 8: check "has" or "does not have" a criminal record, including pending charges, and list any record.
  • Item 12 (optional): check it if you want the State Registrar to create a new birth certificate that does not show your birth name and to seal the original. If you skip it, a Michigan birth certificate only gets an addendum showing both names.
  • Page 3, Statement of Good Cause: check item 1 (b) "at risk of unlawful discrimination or retaliation" and/or (a) physical danger, then item 2 (b) "seek(s) to affirm gender identity." Add a sentence or two of detail in item 3. The court may not require proof of an arrest or prosecution.
  • Put dates of birth on MC 97a, not on the petition.

Open PC 51c[6][2]

PC 51Petition for Name Change (with publication)Sometimes required: Only if you do not want to ask for nonpublication.

Only if you do not want to ask for nonpublication. You will then have to publish a notice in a newspaper (form PC 50).

Open PC 51[5]

MC 21Confidential Case InventorySometimes required: Only if you have other family-division cases to list; Michigan Legal Help says "if…

Only if you have other family-division cases to list; Michigan Legal Help says "if applicable."

Open MC 21[7]

PC 161Order Regarding Ex Parte Request for Nonpublication and Confidential RecordSometimes required: File with PC 51c. The judge fills in whether the request is granted.

Open PC 161[7][11]

PC 162Request for Hearing or Dismissal Regarding Name Change ProceedingOptional

Only if the judge denies nonpublication. You have 14 days to ask for a hearing or to dismiss.

Open PC 162[7]

PC 50Publication of Notice of Hearing Regarding Petition for Name ChangeSometimes required: Only if you are publishing (you used PC 51, or nonpublication was denied and you chose to…

Only if you are publishing (you used PC 51, or nonpublication was denied and you chose to continue).

Open PC 50[5][7]

MC 20Fee Waiver RequestOptional

Only if you cannot afford the filing fee.

Open MC 20[9]

RequirementsWhere you live, age, criminal record, newspaper notice, hearing, background check, privacy and sealing
Where you live
You (and each person whose name is being changed) must have lived in the county where you file for at least one year.[1][4]
Age
18 or older for your own petition. For minors, parents or a guardian sign; see the Minors section.
Criminal record
A criminal record does not bar a name change and is no longer presumed to show fraud. You must list any record or pending charge on the petition, or state that you have none. Lying on the petition is perjury.
Newspaper publication
Sometimes.

Publication in a newspaper is the default, but if your petition shows good cause the court must order no publication and a confidential record. The court must presume good cause if you state that you seek to affirm your gender identity, or that you are a victim of an assaultive crime, domestic violence, harassment, human trafficking, or stalking. No proof of an arrest or prosecution may be required.

File PC 51c (not PC 51) and complete its Statement of Good Cause, checking "seek(s) to affirm gender identity."

[2][6][4]
Court hearing
Sometimes.

For adults, the court may grant the name change with or without a hearing, at its discretion (since April 2, 2025). A hearing is required when a minor's name is changed with only the custodial parent's consent under MCL 711.1(7).

[1][4]
Background check
No.

Fingerprinting (formerly required for anyone 22 or older) was eliminated by 2024 PA 229 as of April 2, 2025. You disclose any criminal record or pending charge on the petition. The court may run its own name-based check through LEIN or ICHAT at no cost to you. If the order changes the name of someone with a criminal record, the court forwards it to the State Police.

[1][4]
Privacy and sealed records
Available.

When nonpublication is granted, the whole record of the proceeding is confidential. Court staff who disclose it beyond their duties commit a misdemeanor, and the record is exempt from Freedom of Information Act requests.

Request it on PC 51c at filing. There is no separate sealing motion.

[2]
MinorsThe petition is signed by both parents jointly, the surviving parent, the guardian, or the one parent with legal custody if only one is…

The petition is signed by both parents jointly, the surviving parent, the guardian, or the one parent with legal custody if only one is available. A child 14 or older must also sign written consent (on the petition or form PC 51b), and no longer has to sign in front of the judge. For younger children the judge considers the child's wishes if old enough to express a preference. A custodial parent can proceed without the other parent only in the situations in MCL 711.1(7) (two or more years of nonsupport and no contact, or certain convictions), with notice to the other parent and a hearing. The same nonpublication and confidentiality protections apply. A4TE notes the minor's name change may require service on the non-petitioning parent.

[1][4][11]
After you finishStart with Social Security (the Secretary of State checks your name against SSA and will deny the change if SSA has not updated it).

Start with Social Security (the Secretary of State checks your name against SSA and will deny the change if SSA has not updated it). Then the Secretary of State in person ($9 license, $10 ID), then your Michigan birth certificate ($50 to MDHHS Vital Records with a certified copy of the order), then passport, bank, employer, insurance, and schools. Updating your license also updates your voter registration.

Tips3 tips from people who have done this
  • If you were born in Michigan, check item 12 on the petition to get a brand-new birth certificate without your birth name. Without it, Vital Records only adds an addendum listing both names.
  • Moved counties in the last year? You must wait until you have lived in your current county for a full year before filing there.
  • Michigan Legal Help's county picker gives your court's exact fees, filing methods, and contact information.
Laws and other guides3 laws, 2 other guides

Laws and rules

  • MCL 711.1: Order changing name; one-year county residency; criminal record disclosure; hearing discretionary for adults; minors
  • MCL 711.3: Nonpublication and confidential record for good cause; presumed for gender identity
  • 2024 PA 229 (HB 5300 of 2023): Removed fingerprinting and the fraud presumption, made hearings discretionary, and required nonpublication for good cause; effective April 2, 2025

Other trusted guides

Sources

15 sources. Numbers in the text, like [1], point here.Show all
  1. MCL 711.1, Order changing name of adult, minor, or spouse and minor childrenMichigan Legislature, Law. accessed
    “The court shall bear any cost associated with the court's use of L.E.I.N. or ICHAT, not the petitioner. ... the court may, in its discretion, enter an order under this section with or without a hearing.”
  2. MCL 711.3, Nonpublication and confidential recordMichigan Legislature, Law. accessed
    “If the court receives a petition that shows good cause, the court must order that no publication of the proceeding take place and that the record of the proceeding be confidential.”
  3. MCL 600.1986, Electronic filing system feeMichigan Legislature, Law. accessed
    “For civil actions filed in the supreme court, court of appeals, circuit court, probate court, and court of claims, $25.00.”
  4. Memorandum, Public Act 229 of 2024, statutory amendments for name change proceeding (March 28, 2025)Michigan State Court Administrative Office, Court. accessed
    “This Act eliminates the fingerprint requirement for individuals seeking a name change who are 22 years of age or older.”
  5. Form PC 51, Petition for Name Change (Rev. 5/25)Michigan State Court Administrative Office, Form. accessed
    “Unless you have received permission not to publish, the law requires that notice of hearing about the petition be published in a newspaper.”
  6. Form PC 51c, Petition for Name Change and Ex Parte Request for Nonpublication and Confidential Record (Rev. 5/25)Michigan State Court Administrative Office, Form. accessed
    “The basis of the fear or belief is that I ... seek(s) to affirm gender identity.”
  7. How to ask for a name change for yourself as an adult (Wayne County selected)Michigan Legal Help, Official page. accessed
    “You will have to pay the filing fee of $175.00 when you file the petition. ... There is a $10.00 fee to have the court enter the order. ... If you want a certified copy of the order, it costs another $11.00.”
  8. Do-It-Yourself Name ChangeMichigan Legal Help, Official page. accessed
  9. Fee waivers in court casesMichigan Legal Help, Official page. accessed
  10. After your name changeMichigan Legal Help, Official page. accessed
    “You must update the SSA before you can update a Michigan driver's license or state ID.”
  11. Michigan identity documentsAdvocates for Trans Equality, Organization. accessed
  12. Transgender MichiganOrganization. accessed
  13. Lakeshore Legal AidOrganization. accessed
    “Apply by phone at (888) 783-8190 or online.”
  14. Contact usAffirmations LGBTQ+ Community Center, Organization. accessed
  15. GenderbandsOrganization. accessed