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Legal name change in Texas

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  • Page changed: CR-65, Submission of fingerprint cards to DPS/FBI for adult legal name change (rev. 01/2025) (2026-10-12) · #288
  • Page changed: Texas Rules of Civil Procedure (Rule 145) (2026-10-05) · #183
  • Page changed: I want to change my name (2026-09-28) · #77
  • Page changed: Petition to Change the Name of an Adult (FM-NCA-100) (2026-09-28) · #74
Change your legal name
Limited
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

Texas adults can change their name by filing a petition in the district court of the county where they live. You must include a fingerprint card and pay for a state and FBI background check, and the filing fee is about $350 (waivable). There is no newspaper publication for adults. Courts no longer grant, and state agencies no longer honor, orders changing the sex marker, so ask only for a name change.

Main cost
$350, 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

Texas Family Code chapter 45 governs name changes. Adults use subchapter B (sections 45.101 to 45.106); children use subchapter A. You file a verified petition with the district clerk in the county where you live, attach a fingerprint card, and send a second fingerprint card to the Department of Public Safety (DPS) so it can run a state and FBI criminal history check and report the results to the court. The judge grants the change if it is "in the interest or to the benefit of the petitioner and in the interest of the public" (§ 45.103). There is no publication requirement for adults.

Being trans is not a lawful reason to deny a name change, and most people get one. What you cannot get in Texas any more is a usable order changing your sex marker: since August 2024 DPS and Vital Statistics refuse such orders, the Attorney General has called them void (Opinion KP-0489, March 2025), and HB 229 (effective September 1, 2025) defines sex in state law as biological sex. Advocates report that DPS may reject an order that combines a name change with a gender marker change even for the name, so ask the court for a name change only.

Steps

  1. Get the adult name change forms[7][8][9]

    Use the free kit at TexasLawHelp.org ("I want to change my name") or the guided interview at eFileTexas Self-Help (choose Family Cases). You need the petition, the proposed order, and a Civil Case Information Sheet. Some counties have local forms; the Harris County Law Library and Travis County Law Library publish packets and will help you find the right ones.

  2. Get two fingerprint cards[5]

    Schedule "Option B, Fingerprint Cards" with IdentoGO (1-888-467-2080). It costs $20 for two cards. Sign in your current legal name. Keep both cards clean and unfolded.

    Cost
    $20 fingerprinting (IdentoGO, two cards)

  3. Ask for a fee waiver if you need one[13][14]

    Optional

    File the Statement of Inability to Afford Payment of Court Costs with your petition. If you get public benefits or are represented by legal aid, the clerk generally cannot charge you unless the court orders otherwise. The waiver covers court costs; it does not cover the fingerprinting vendor or the DPS background check fee.

  4. File with the district clerk in your county[11][12][10]

    File the petition (with one fingerprint card attached as an exhibit), the proposed order, and the Civil Case Information Sheet with the district clerk, in person or through eFileTexas.gov. Pay the filing fee ($350 in Harris, Dallas, and Travis counties) or file your Statement of Inability. Ask for a file-stamped copy of the petition showing the cause number and court number; you need it for DPS.

    Cost
    $350 district court filing fee (name change, adult or child)

  5. Mail the second fingerprint card to DPS[5]

    Mail the second card, the file-stamped petition (do not redact anything), and a $27 cashier's check, certified check, personal check, or money order payable to "Texas DPS" to: Texas Department of Public Safety, Central Cash Receiving, P.O. Box 15999, Austin, TX 78761-5999. Write the cause number in the OCA field on the card. DPS sends the results straight to the court. Questions: 512-424-2474, option 2.

    Cost
    $27 dPS ($15) and FBI ($12) background check

  6. Wait for the judge's decision or a hearing[10][15][8]

    Once the background check reaches the court, the judge reviews the file. Some counties sign orders without a hearing; others set a short hearing, in person or by video. Check with the clerk or your court's coordinator. If a hearing is set, bring photo ID and a copy of everything you filed.

    Time
    about 1 to 6 weeks after DPS results arrive (varies by county)

  7. Buy certified copies of the signed order[11][15]

    Ask the district clerk for several certified copies (A4TE suggests 5 to 7). Social Security, DPS, Vital Statistics, the passport agency, and banks each want one. In Harris County a certified copy is $1 per page plus $5 for the certificate and seal.

    Cost
    Varies certified copy of the order

Costs and fee waivers

Can’t afford it? You may not have to pay.[13][14][5]

Under Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 145 you do not have to pay court costs if you cannot afford them. Strong evidence includes:

  • You receive means-tested public benefits (such as SNAP, Medicaid, SSI, or TANF).
  • You are represented by a legal aid provider or a court-appointed attorney.
  • Your income, after basic living expenses, leaves you unable to pay (the form walks you through income and expenses).

File the Statement of Inability with your petition. The clerk, a party, or the court can challenge it, but only after notice and a hearing. The $20 fingerprinting and $27 DPS fees are not court costs and are not waived.

Statement of Inability to Afford Payment of Court Costs or an Appeal Bond (bilingual)

WhatCostNotes
District court filing fee (name change, adult or child)[11][12][10]$350Can be waivedVaries by county$350 in Harris County (fees effective January 1, 2026), Dallas County, and Travis County. Confirm with your county district clerk; e-filing vendors may add a small service charge.
Fingerprinting (IdentoGO, two cards)[5]$20
DPS ($15) and FBI ($12) background check[5]$27
Certified copy of the order[11]VariesCan be waivedVaries by countyHarris County charges $1 per page plus $5 for the certificate and seal, so a two-page order costs about $7 per certified copy.

Free help

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

More detail

Forms5 forms: FM-NCA-100

Open a form for tips on filling it out.

Forms everyone files (4)

FM-NCA-100Petition to Change the Name of an AdultRequired

How to fill it out

  • Reason for the change: a short, truthful reason is enough, for example "to match the name I use in daily life" or "the name reflects my gender identity." You do not need medical proof.
  • Do not ask for a change of sex or gender marker in the petition or the order. Texas agencies will not honor it, and advocates report DPS may reject the whole order.
  • Fill in every identifying item the statute requires (full name, sex, race, date of birth, driver's license numbers for the last 10 years, Social Security number, any FBI or state ID numbers, and any charges above a Class C misdemeanor), or explain why an item does not apply. Leaving items blank can delay the case.
  • If you are in the Attorney General's Address Confidentiality Program (for survivors of family violence, sexual assault, stalking, or trafficking), you may leave out your street address and the reason, and the order becomes confidential; attach proof of participation.
  • Attach the fingerprint card as an exhibit and sign the petition in front of a notary or clerk (it must be verified).

Open FM-NCA-100[6][1][2]

FBI/DPS fingerprint cards (two), with DPS form CR-65 instructionsRequired

How to fill it out

  • Book "Option B, Fingerprint Cards" with IdentoGO (1-888-467-2080 or identogo.com). The $20 fee includes two cards. DPS cannot receive these prints electronically.
  • Sign the card in your current legal name. Fill in place of birth, driver's license number (MNU field), reason fingerprinted ("Legal Name Change"), sex, date of birth, Social Security number, race, and, after you file, the cause number (OCA field).
  • One card goes to the court with the petition. Mail the other to DPS with a court-stamped copy of the filed petition and a $27 check or money order payable to Texas DPS.

Open the form[5]

Order Changing the Name of an AdultRequired

Fill in the caption and names; the judge signs it. Bring it to court or file it as your clerk directs.

Open the form[7][10]

Civil Case Information SheetRequired

Required with every new civil or family filing; it comes in the TexasLawHelp name change kit.

Open the form[15][7]

Forms only some people need (1)

Statement of Inability to Afford Payment of Court Costs or an Appeal Bond (bilingual)Optional

Only if you cannot afford the filing fee. See the fee waiver section.

How to fill it out

  • List any public benefits you receive (for example SNAP, Medicaid, SSI, TANF, CHIP, WIC). Receiving one is strong evidence you cannot pay.
  • If a legal aid organization is representing you, say so; the form lets the provider certify it.
  • Otherwise fill in your income, household members, and monthly expenses. Sign it; the form is a sworn declaration.

Open the form[13]

RequirementsWhere you live, age, criminal record, newspaper notice, hearing, background check, privacy and sealing, timeline
Where you live
File in the district court of the Texas county where you live.[1][2][8]
Age
18 or older for the adult process. A parent or guardian files for a child; see the Minors section.
Criminal record
If you have a final felony conviction, the court can grant the change only if you were pardoned, or at least two years have passed since you completed your sentence, parole, or community supervision, or you are changing to your primary name in criminal history records. If you must register as a sex offender, you must also show you notified your local law enforcement authority of the proposed change (§ 45.103).
Newspaper publication
No.

Texas does not require adults to publish a name change in a newspaper. Publication can come up only in a child's case when a parent who must be served cannot be found.

[1][15]
Court hearing
Sometimes.

The statute does not require a hearing for an adult. Practice depends on the county and judge; some sign the order on the papers, others set a brief uncontested hearing in person or by video.

[8][10][15]
Background check
Yes.

The petition must include a legible, complete set of fingerprints on a DPS/FBI card (Fam. Code § 45.102), and DPS runs state and FBI criminal history checks and sends the results directly to the court. Budget $47 total ($20 fingerprinting and $27 DPS/FBI fees). DPS will not resend results more than 60 days after processing them.

[1][5]
Privacy and sealed records
Not available.

Texas name change files are public court records, and there is no special sealing procedure for trans petitioners. The one statutory exception: if you participate in the Attorney General's Address Confidentiality Program (for survivors of family violence, sexual assault, stalking, or trafficking), you may omit your street address and the reason from the petition, and the court must keep the order confidential (§§ 45.102(c), 45.103(d)).

[1][2]
How long it takes

Plan on roughly 1 to 3 months from fingerprinting to a signed order, depending on how fast DPS returns results and how your county schedules name changes.

MinorsA parent, managing conservator, or guardian files a Petition to Change the Name of a Child in the county where the child lives (Fam.

A parent, managing conservator, or guardian files a Petition to Change the Name of a Child in the county where the child lives (Fam. Code §§ 45.001 to 45.004). If the child is 10 or older, the petition must include the child's written consent. Every living parent whose rights have not been terminated must either join the petition or be formally served; a non-petitioning parent gets at least 20 days to answer, and a contested case goes to a hearing. If a parent cannot be located, service by publication may be needed. The judge decides based on the child's best interest. No fingerprints are required for a child. Texas bans gender-affirming medical care for minors (see the care guide), but that law does not bar a name change.

[3][4][15]
After you finish1. Social Security first (free; bring a certified copy and photo ID).
  1. Social Security first (free; bring a certified copy and photo ID). The name changes; the sex field currently cannot.
  2. Texas DPS driver's license or ID within 30 days: in person, bring the certified order, $11 replacement fee. The sex marker cannot be changed (see the driver's license guide).
  3. Birth certificate: if you were born in Texas, mail DSHS form VS-170 with a certified copy of the order ($15 plus $22 per copy). Only the name can change. If you were born elsewhere, follow your birth state's rules.
  4. Passport (name only), bank, employer, insurance, voter registration, school records.
Tips3 tips from people who have done this
  • Ask for a name-only order. Advocates report DPS has refused orders that also mention a gender marker change, even for the name part.
  • Get fingerprinted before you file so you can mail the DPS card the same day you receive your file-stamped petition. DPS will not resend results after 60 days.
  • County law libraries (Harris County at 1019 Congress St, Houston; Travis County in Austin) help people fill out the forms for free, though they cannot give legal advice.
Laws and other guides3 laws, 3 other guides

Laws and rules

Other trusted guides

Sources

20 sources. Numbers in the text, like [1], point here.Show all
  1. Tex. Fam. Code § 45.102, Requirements of petition (adult)Public.Law (text of the Texas Family Code), Law. accessed
    “A legible and complete set of the petitioner's fingerprints on a fingerprint card format acceptable to the Department of Public Safety and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.”
  2. Tex. Fam. Code § 45.103, Order (adult)Public.Law (text of the Texas Family Code), Law. accessed
  3. Tex. Fam. Code § 45.002, Requirements of petition (child)Public.Law (text of the Texas Family Code), Law. accessed
    “If the child is 10 years of age or older, the petition must include the child's written consent to the change of name.”
  4. Tex. Fam. Code § 45.004, Order (child)Public.Law (text of the Texas Family Code), Law. accessed
  5. CR-65, Submission of fingerprint cards to DPS/FBI for adult legal name change (rev. 01/2025)Texas Department of Public Safety, Form. accessed
    “The fee for this fingerprinting service is $20.00, includes two fingerprint cards. DPS charges a $15.00 fee and the FBI a $12.00 fee.”
  6. Petition to Change the Name of an Adult (FM-NCA-100)TexasLawHelp.org, Form. accessed
  7. I want to change my nameTexasLawHelp.org, Official page. accessed
  8. Name changes, adultsTexas State Law Library, Official page. accessed
    “Two fingerprint cards are required, one for the petition and one for the Texas Department of Public Safety.”
  9. eFileTexas Self-Help (guided forms)Texas Office of Court Administration, Official page. accessed
  10. Adult name change formsTravis County Law Library, Official page. accessed
    “$350.00 filing fee; judicial decision in 1 to 6 weeks.”
  11. Civil and family cases filing and service fees (effective January 1, 2026; updated July 15, 2026)Harris County District Clerk, Official page. accessed
    “Name Change, Minor and Adult: $350.00. Certified Copy/Raised Seal: $5.00 each.”
  12. District civil and family court filing fees (effective January 1, 2024)Dallas County District Clerk, Official page. accessed
    “Name Change of Adult or Child: $350.00”
  13. Statement of Inability to Afford Payment of Court Costs or an Appeal Bond (bilingual), Misc. Docket No. 22-9090Supreme Court of Texas, Form. accessed
  14. Texas Rules of Civil Procedure (Rule 145)Texas Judicial Branch, Regulation. accessed
  15. Texas identity documents (last updated August 2025)Advocates for Trans Equality, Organization. accessed
    “DPS may also refuse to accept court orders combining name and gender marker changes, even for just a name change.”
  16. Dallas LGBT Bar AssociationOrganization. accessed
  17. Adult name changeHarris County Robert W. Hainsworth Law Library, Official page. accessed
  18. Lone Star Legal AidOrganization. accessed
  19. Legal Aid of NorthWest TexasOrganization. accessed
  20. Trans LifelineOrganization. accessed