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Legal name change in Ohio

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  • Page changed: Form 21.0, Application for Change of Name of Adult (amended January 1, 2023) (2026-10-12) · #279
  • Page changed: Changing or Correcting a Birth Record (2026-10-12) · #276
  • Page changed: Probate Court Filing Fees (2026-10-05) · #153
  • Page changed: Probate forms (Change of Name, forms 21.0 to 21.14) (2026-09-28) · #70
  • Page changed: Name Change (2026-09-28) · #67
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

Adults in Ohio can change their name by filing an application in the probate court of the county where they have lived for at least 60 days. The judge decides whether to hold a hearing and whether you must publish a newspaper notice. If publishing would put your safety at risk, the court must waive it and seal the file.

Main cost
$2, 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

Name changes are handled by the probate court (a division of the Court of Common Pleas) in the county where you live. Since August 17, 2021 (House Bill 7), Ohio Revised Code Chapter 2717 sets one process for the whole state:

  • You must have lived in the county for at least 60 days before filing.
  • You file an application (standard form 21.0) and a supporting affidavit (form 21.01), give a reason, and show ID.
  • A hearing is up to the court. If it holds one, it decides what notice you must give, which may include a newspaper notice at least 30 days before the hearing.
  • If open records or a published notice would put your personal safety at risk, the court must waive the notice and seal the file (ORC 2717.11, form 21.6A).
  • People who must register as sex offenders, and people convicted of identity fraud, cannot change their name.

Wanting your name to match your gender identity is a proper reason. Most courts do not ask for any medical proof. Practice varies by county, so read your county probate court's name change page before you file.

Steps

  1. Check your county probate court's rules[1][15][16]

    File in the county where you have lived for at least 60 days. Each probate court posts its own packet, fee, and filing method. Franklin County (Columbus) and Cuyahoga County (Cleveland) accept e-filing. Ohio Legal Help has a guided form for Franklin County.

  2. Fill out the application and affidavit[11][12][3][15]

    Complete form 21.0 (or your county's packet) and form 21.01. Get them notarized if your county requires it. If publishing a notice would put you at risk, add form 21.6A and explain why. Bring or upload a photo ID.

  3. File and pay the fee, or ask for a waiver[15][17][10][21]

    File in person, by mail, or by e-filing where available, and pay the filing deposit (about $100 to $150; $128 in Franklin County, $100 in Cuyahoga County). If you cannot afford it, file an affidavit of indigency (see Fee waiver). TransOhio's microgrants can help with fees.

    Cost
    $100-$150 probate court filing deposit for an adult name change

  4. Publish notice only if the court orders it[4][6][15]

    Optional

    If the court sets a hearing and orders notice, it will tell you how. In Franklin County the court sends the notice to a newspaper at least 30 days before the hearing and you pay the newspaper (from $72). If you asked for a safety waiver (form 21.6A) and the court grants it, no notice is published.

    Cost
    $72+ newspaper publication, only if the court orders it

  5. Attend the hearing if one is set[4][5][15]

    Hearings are short. A magistrate checks that you meet the requirements and have a reasonable and proper reason. In Franklin County hearings are about 45 days after filing and held by Zoom; bring photo ID.

    Time
    about 6 to 8 weeks from filing

  6. Get certified copies of the judgment entry[16]

    Order several certified copies of the signed judgment entry (form 21.1). Social Security, the BMV, the passport agency, banks, and the Ohio Department of Health each need to see one. In Cuyahoga County copies cost $2 per page.

    Cost
    $2 certified copy of the judgment entry

  7. Update your other documents[19]

    Start with Social Security, then the BMV (in person at a deputy registrar), then your birth certificate if you were born in Ohio, then your passport and everything else. See the Driver's license and Birth certificate guides.

Costs and fee waivers

Can’t afford it? You may not have to pay.[10][21]

Under ORC 2323.311 you can ask the court to waive prepayment of costs by filing an affidavit of indigency. It is normally approved if your gross household income is at or below 187.5% of the federal poverty guidelines and your monthly expenses equal or exceed your liquid assets; the judge can approve others in exceptional circumstances.

Ask the probate clerk for the court's affidavit of indigency (poverty affidavit) form and file it with your application. A waiver may not cover newspaper publication, which is paid to the newspaper; if cost is a barrier, apply for TransOhio's name change microgrant.

WhatCostNotes
Probate court filing deposit for an adult name change[15][17][18]$100-$150Can be waivedVaries by countyFranklin County $128 (card payments add a processing fee); Cuyahoga County $100. Some counties add a fee for a criminal background check.
Newspaper publication, only if the court orders it[15]$72+Varies by countyFranklin County lists publication costs starting at $72, paid to the newspaper. Not charged if publication is waived.
Certified copy of the judgment entry[16]$2Varies by countyCuyahoga County charges $2 per page. Check your county.

Free help

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

More detail

Forms6 forms: 21.0, 21.01, 21.6A, 21.14, and more

Open a form for tips on filling it out.

Forms everyone files (2)

21.0Application for Change of Name of AdultRequired

How to fill it out

  • Write your present name and the requested name exactly as you want it to appear (first, middle, last).
  • Reason: a short, truthful statement is enough, for example "to reflect my gender identity" or "I have been known by this name." You do not need to attach medical records. If you would rather not state your gender identity in a public filing, "personal preference" or "I am known by this name" is also a reason courts accept; ask a legal clinic if unsure.
  • Many counties (including Franklin) require the application to be notarized. Court staff cannot notarize; an online notary must be Ohio-licensed.
  • Some counties require their own packet instead of this standard form. Franklin County's packet includes it.

Open 21.0[11][15]

21.01Affidavit in Support of Application for Change of Name of AdultRequired

File it with form 21.0. It asks about the disqualifying convictions and other facts under oath.

Open 21.01[14]

Forms only some people need (4)

21.6AApplication to Waive Publication and Seal File (and Judgment Entry)Optional

Use it if a public record or newspaper notice of your name change would put your personal safety at risk.

How to fill it out

  • Explain specifically why open records or a published notice would jeopardize your safety. Concrete facts help: past harassment, threats, violence, stalking, or documented risks trans people face. Attach exhibits if you have them (police reports, protection orders, screenshots, a letter from an advocate) and check the exhibits box.
  • If granted, the judge signs the entry at the bottom: publication is waived and the file is sealed. It can be opened later only by court order for good cause or at your request.
  • Some counties call this a "confidential name change" and use their own packet; Franklin County's confidential packet cannot be e-filed.

Open 21.6A[12][6][15]

21.14Release for Criminal Background CheckSometimes required: Only if your county requires it.

Only if your county requires it. It asks for your Social Security number.

Open 21.14[13][9]

21.2Application for Change of Name of MinorSometimes required: For a child under 18, filed by a parent or guardian.

Open 21.2[14]

21.4Consent to Change of NameSometimes required: For a minor, signed by each legal parent who agrees.

For a minor, signed by each legal parent who agrees. A parent who does not sign must be notified by certified mail.

Open 21.4[14][7]

RequirementsWhere you live, age, criminal record, newspaper notice, hearing, background check, privacy and sealing, timeline
Where you live
You must have been a bona fide resident of the Ohio county where you file for at least 60 days before filing.[2][8][9][11]
Age
18 or older files for themselves. For a minor, a parent or guardian files; see the Minors section.
Criminal record
The court may not grant a name change to someone who has a duty to register for a sexually oriented or child-victim oriented offense, or who was convicted of identity fraud (ORC 2913.49) unless the conviction was reversed. Other convictions do not bar a name change, but the court may run a criminal records check.
Newspaper publication
Sometimes.

Ohio law no longer requires publication in every case. If the court holds a hearing, it sets the notice you must give, which can be a newspaper notice at least 30 days before the hearing. Franklin County says publication is not required for all applications.

File form 21.6A (or your county's confidential name change packet) showing that open records or a published notice would jeopardize your personal safety. If you show this, the court must waive the notice and seal the records (ORC 2717.11).

[4][6][12][15]
Court hearing
Sometimes.

The probate court "may" hold a hearing (ORC 2717.08). Many counties, including Franklin, usually set one; Franklin holds them by Zoom about 45 days after filing. For a minor whose other parent has not consented, a hearing with notice to that parent is required.

[4][7][15]
Background check
Sometimes.

The court may order a criminal records check, paid by you (ORC 2717.19). Franklin County checks public records for adult applicants; some counties use form 21.14 or a BCI check with a fee.

[9][13][15][18]
Privacy and sealed records
Available.

Name change files are public unless sealed. The court must seal the file if you show that open records or publication would jeopardize your personal safety. A sealed file can be opened only by court order for good cause or at your request.

File form 21.6A with your application. In Franklin County, confidential name changes must be filed on paper, not e-filed.

[6][12][15]
How long it takes

About 6 to 10 weeks from filing to a signed judgment entry in counties that hold hearings, longer if publication is ordered.

MinorsA parent or guardian files form 21.2 (or the county's minor packet) with a certified copy of the child's birth certificate.

A parent or guardian files form 21.2 (or the county's minor packet) with a certified copy of the child's birth certificate. Both living legal parents must consent (form 21.4); otherwise the non-consenting parent must be notified of the hearing by certified mail, or by newspaper publication if the parent or address is unknown. Ohio law has no separate rule for trans minors' name changes, but judges have discretion and outcomes vary.

[7][15][14]
After you finish1. Social Security first (free; bring a certified copy of the judgment entry and photo ID).
  1. Social Security first (free; bring a certified copy of the judgment entry and photo ID). The name changes; the sex field currently cannot.
  2. BMV: go to a deputy registrar with the certified entry and your current card (see the Driver's license guide).
  3. Birth certificate (if born in Ohio): mail a certified copy to the Ohio Department of Health, which adds a note of the name change to your birth record.
  4. Passport, bank, employer, insurance, voter registration, school records.
Tips3 tips from people who have done this
  • TransOhio's free virtual clinic (second Wednesday of each month) and Equality Ohio's legal clinic both help with forms. Register early; clinic spots fill weeks ahead.
  • Older guides say you need one year of county residency and must always publish. That changed in 2021; the rule is now 60 days, and publication is up to the court.
  • A name change does not change your sex marker. In Ohio that takes a separate probate court order to correct your birth record (see the Birth certificate guide).
Laws and other guides3 laws, 3 other guides

Laws and rules

Other trusted guides

Sources

23 sources. Numbers in the text, like [1], point here.Show all
  1. Ohio Revised Code § 2717.02, Application for change of name allowedOhio Legislative Service Commission, Law. accessed
    “A person desiring to change the person's name may file an application in the probate court of the county in which the person resides.”
  2. Ohio Revised Code § 2717.03, Contents of application for change of nameOhio Legislative Service Commission, Law. accessed
    “The applicant has been a bona fide resident of the county for at least sixty days prior to the filing of the application.”
  3. Ohio Revised Code § 2717.07, Evidence of identityOhio Legislative Service Commission, Law. accessed
  4. Ohio Revised Code § 2717.08, HearingOhio Legislative Service Commission, Law. accessed
    “The probate court may hold a hearing on an application. ... if the court requires a hearing, it shall set the manner, scope, and content of the hearing notice the applicant must serve.”
  5. Ohio Revised Code § 2717.09, Court orderOhio Legislative Service Commission, Law. accessed
    “upon proof that the facts set forth in the application show reasonable and proper cause for changing the name of the applicant ... the court may order the change of name.”
  6. Ohio Revised Code § 2717.11, Sealing recordsOhio Legislative Service Commission, Law. accessed
    “open records of the name change or conformity, or publication of the hearing notice ... would jeopardize the applicant's personal safety”
  7. Ohio Revised Code § 2717.14, Application on behalf of minorOhio Legislative Service Commission, Law. accessed
    “the consent of both living, legal parents of the minor shall be filed, or notice of the hearing shall be given to the parent or parents not consenting by certified mail, return receipt requested.”
  8. Ohio Revised Code § 2717.16, Change of name prohibitedOhio Legislative Service Commission, Law. accessed
  9. Ohio Revised Code § 2717.19, Criminal records checkOhio Legislative Service Commission, Law. accessed
    “On receipt of an application, the probate court may order a criminal records check. Any fee required for the criminal records check shall be paid by the applicant.”
  10. Ohio Revised Code § 2323.311, Indigent litigantsOhio Legislative Service Commission, Law. accessed
    “gross income does not exceed one hundred eighty-seven and five-tenths per cent of the federal poverty guidelines”
  11. Form 21.0, Application for Change of Name of Adult (amended January 1, 2023)Supreme Court of Ohio, Form. accessed
    “Applicant is an adult and has been a bona fide resident of ______ County, Ohio, for at least 60 days immediately prior to the filing of this application.”
  12. Form 21.6A, Application to Waive Publication and Seal File and Judgment EntrySupreme Court of Ohio, Form. accessed
    “The record of these proceedings shall be opened only by Order of the Court for good cause shown or at the request of the applicant for any reason.”
  13. Form 21.14, Release for Criminal Background CheckSupreme Court of Ohio, Form. accessed
  14. Probate forms (Change of Name, forms 21.0 to 21.14)Supreme Court of Ohio, Official page. accessed
  15. Name ChangeFranklin County Probate Court, Official page. accessed
    “Name Change Application: starts at $128.00. Publication costs (if required): starts at $72.00. Publication is not required for all applications. Confidential name changes cannot be e-filed.”
  16. Name ChangesCuyahoga County Probate Court, Official page. accessed
    “Each certified copy costs $2.00 per page either with cash, or a money order made payable to Cuyahoga County Probate Court.”
  17. Probate Court Filing FeesCuyahoga County Probate Court, Official page. accessed
    “Name Change Adult: Change of Name $100.00”
  18. Franklin County Adult Name Change ApplicationOhio Legal Help, Organization. accessed
    “Typical fees are about $100 to $150. ... Some counties may also require payment for a BCI background check.”
  19. Changing or Correcting a Birth RecordOhio Department of Health, Official page. accessed
    “When a legal name change has been granted to a person whose birth occurred in Ohio our office will accept a certified copy of the court ordered legal name change to update the birth record.”
  20. Legal ClinicEquality Ohio, Organization. accessed
  21. Ohio Name Change Legal ClinicTransOhio, Organization. accessed
    “Virtual clinics occur the second Wednesday of each month via Zoom or phone.”
  22. Legal Aid of Southeast and Central OhioLASCO, Organization. accessed