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Legal name change in Wisconsin

Change detected, under review. An official source this page relies on changed recently. Part of this page may be out of date until we review it.

  • Page changed: Wis. Stat. § 814.29, Security for costs; waiver (2026-10-05) · #198
  • Page changed: Wis. Stat. § 59.43(2)(ag), Register of deeds recording fee (2026-10-05) · #197
  • Page changed: Wis. Stat. § 301.47, Sex offenders; name changes prohibited (2026-10-05) · #195
  • Page changed: Wis. Stat. § 786.37, Change of name, notice of petition (2026-09-28) · #102
  • Page changed: Wis. Stat. § 786.36, Changing names, court procedure (2026-09-28) · #96
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

Adults and teens 14 and older can change their name by petitioning the circuit court in their county ($164.50, or free with a fee waiver). You must publish a notice in a local newspaper for three weeks before the hearing, unless you ask for a confidential name change and prove to the judge that publication could endanger you.

Main cost
$164.50, 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

Wisconsin name changes are governed by Wis. Stat. §§ 786.36 and 786.37. You file a petition with the clerk of circuit court in the county where you live, the clerk sets a hearing date, and a judge grants the change "if no sufficient cause is shown to the contrary." There is no special process for gender identity; trans people use the same petition as everyone else, and you do not need to give a medical reason.

There are two paths:

  • Standard name change (CV-450): you must publish a notice of the hearing in a local newspaper once a week for three weeks before the hearing. The record is public.
  • Confidential name change (CV-451): no newspaper notice, and the clerk keeps the file confidential from the moment you file. At the hearing you must prove it is more likely than not that publication could endanger you, and that you are not changing your name to avoid a debt or hide a criminal record. If the judge says no, you can refile as a standard name change.

Everyone has a hearing. Plan for one court appearance.

Steps

  1. Decide between a standard and a confidential name change[7][8]

    If you have real reasons to fear that someone could use a newspaper notice to find or hurt you, file the confidential petition (CV-451). Otherwise use the standard petition (CV-450). If a confidential petition is denied, the file stays confidential and you can start over with CV-450.

    Free help choosing and filling in forms: Trans Law Help Wisconsin clinics, and the Milwaukee Justice Center in the Milwaukee County Courthouse.

  2. Fill out the petition, notice, and order, and make two copies[7][8]

    Complete the petition. Ask your clerk whether you also need to prepare the notice (CV-460 or CV-461) and the order (CV-470 or CV-471); some clerks prepare them. Make at least two copies of each. Also ask whether to bring your original or certified birth certificate to the hearing.

  3. Ask for a fee waiver if you qualify[4][11]

    Optional

    File CV-410A with your petition. The court must waive the fee if you receive Medicaid (BadgerCare), FoodShare, SSI, or other means-tested assistance, or have a legal aid lawyer; otherwise the judge looks at your household size, income, expenses, and debts.

  4. File with the clerk of circuit court in your county[7][13]

    File the originals and pay the $164.50 fee (or hand in your fee waiver). The clerk gives you a hearing date and returns stamped copies. Many counties also accept electronic filing.

    Cost
    $164.50 circuit court filing fee, name change petition

  5. Publish the notice for three weeks (standard path only)[2][7][6]

    Contact a newspaper that prints legal notices where you live and ask it to publish the Notice of Name Change Hearing as a class 3 notice (once a week for three consecutive weeks) before your hearing date. The newspaper charges you directly and then sends you a proof of publication. Bring or file that proof before the hearing. Skip this step if you filed a confidential petition.

    Cost
    Varies newspaper publication (standard path only)
    Time
    3 weeks before the hearing

  6. Go to the hearing[7][8]

    Arrive on time and tell the clerk you are there. You may be placed under oath and asked about your petition. On the confidential path, this is where you present your evidence of danger. If the judge grants the petition, they sign the order; if not, they sign an order denying it.

  7. Buy certified copies and record the order[1][8][13][5][14]

    Buy at least two or three certified copies of the signed order from the clerk. The order must also be recorded with the county Register of Deeds ($30); in many counties the clerk collects this fee and handles it. If you were born in Wisconsin, the clerk sends the change to state Vital Records and collects that fee from you.

    Cost
    $5 certified copy of the order (clerk of court); $30 recording the order with the Register of Deeds; $10 vital Records fee to amend a Wisconsin birth record after a name change

Costs and fee waivers

Can’t afford it? You may not have to pay.[4][11][16]

The court must waive fees if any one applies (Wis. Stat. § 814.29(1)(d)):

  • You receive means-tested public assistance, such as Medicaid/BadgerCare, FoodShare, SSI, Wisconsin Works, or county relief.
  • A legal services program for low-income people represents you.
  • You otherwise cannot pay because of poverty (the judge considers household size, income, expenses, assets, debts, and the federal poverty guidelines).

File CV-410A with your petition. A waiver covers court fees but not the newspaper's publication charge.

CV-410ACV-410B

WhatCostNotes
Circuit court filing fee, name change petition[13][12]$164.50Can be waived$75 filing fee plus $68 court support services and $21.50 justice information surcharges. Same for standard and confidential petitions.
Newspaper publication (standard path only)[6][16]VariesVaries by vendorSet by the newspaper and paid to it directly. A court fee waiver does not cover it; Trans Law Help Wisconsin's grant can.
Certified copy of the order (clerk of court)[13]$5Varies by court$5 to certify each document plus $1.25 per page copied.
Recording the order with the Register of Deeds[5][1]$30
Vital Records fee to amend a Wisconsin birth record after a name change[14]$10Does not include a copy. The first certified copy of the amended birth certificate is $20; each extra copy ordered at the same time is $3.

Free help

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

More detail

Forms9 forms: CV-450, CV-451, CV-460, CV-461, and more

Open a form for tips on filling it out.

CV-450Petition for Name Change for Adult or Minor 14 or OlderSometimes required: Use for a standard (published) name change.

How to fill it out

  • Items 1 to 5: your address, county, date and state of birth, and the name exactly as it appears on your birth certificate.
  • Items 6 and 7: your job and whether you hold a state professional license.
  • Item 8: whether you are a registered sex offender.
  • Item 9: the new name you want. Double-check spelling; the order copies it exactly.
  • "For the following reason(s)": a short, honest reason is enough, for example "to match my gender identity and the name I use." You do not need a doctor's letter.
  • Item 10: check this box if you were born (or married) in Wisconsin and want the birth (or marriage) certificate updated. The clerk then sends the change to Vital Records for a fee.

Open CV-450[9]

CV-451Petition for Confidential Name Change for Adult or Minor 14 or OlderSometimes required: Use if newspaper publication could put you in danger.

Use if newspaper publication could put you in danger. No publication; the file is confidential from filing.

How to fill it out

  • Same personal information as CV-450.
  • Item 9 is the key item: explain specifically why publishing your old and new names could endanger you. Concrete facts carry weight: past threats, harassment, stalking, or violence (especially connected to being trans), a protective order, an abusive ex-partner or family member who could find you. The appeals court has said you must show it is more likely than not that you could be physically endangered, so general statements about risks to trans people may not be enough on their own.
  • Bring any evidence to the hearing: police reports, restraining orders, screenshots of threats, letters from an advocate or counselor.
  • Check the statement that you are not seeking the change to avoid a debt or conceal a criminal record.

Open CV-451[10][8][2]

CV-460Notice of Name Change HearingSometimes required: Standard path. This is the notice the newspaper publishes.

Standard path. This is the notice the newspaper publishes. Some clerks fill it in for you; ask.

Open CV-460[7]

CV-461Notice of Confidential Name Change HearingSometimes required: Confidential path, if your county requires it.

Confidential path, if your county requires it. It is not published.

Open CV-461[8]

CV-470Order for Name ChangeSometimes required: Standard path, if your county asks you to prepare it.

Standard path, if your county asks you to prepare it. The judge signs it at the hearing.

Open CV-470[7]

CV-471Order for Confidential Name ChangeSometimes required: Confidential path, if your county asks you to prepare it.

Open CV-471[8]

CV-455Petition for Name Change for Minor Child under 14Sometimes required: Only for a child under 14, filed by parents or guardian.

Open CV-455[7]

CV-410APetition for Waiver of Fees and Costs, Declaration of IndigencyOptional

Only if you cannot afford the $164.50 filing fee. Also available in Spanish and Hmong on the court forms site.

Open CV-410A[11][4]

CV-410BOrder on Petition for Waiver of Fees and CostsOptional

Goes with CV-410A; the judge fills in the decision.

Open CV-410B[18]

RequirementsWhere you live, age, criminal record, newspaper notice, hearing, background check, privacy and sealing, timeline
Where you live
You must be a Wisconsin resident and file in the circuit court of the county where you live.[1][3][7][9]
Age
Adults and minors 14 and older sign their own petition (CV-450 or CV-451). For children under 14, parents or a guardian petition; see Minors.
Criminal record
People required to register as sex offenders may not change their name (Wis. Stat. § 301.47). Otherwise a criminal record does not bar a name change, but a court may deny a petition from someone in prison or on parole, and you cannot use the confidential process to hide a criminal record.
Other
If you hold a state professional license (other than a public school teaching license), your licensing board can object to the new name; the petition asks you to confirm you have notified the board.
Newspaper publication
Sometimes.

For a standard petition you must publish a class 3 notice (once a week for three weeks) in a local newspaper before the hearing (Wis. Stat. § 786.37(1)). Publication is not required if you file a confidential petition and prove, by a preponderance of the evidence, that publication could endanger you and that you are not trying to avoid a debt or conceal a criminal record (§ 786.37(4)). There is no automatic exemption for gender identity.

File CV-451 instead of CV-450, write specific reasons in item 9, and bring evidence to the hearing.

[2][12][8]
Court hearing
Yes.

Every petition is decided at a hearing. On the standard path the hearing is set after the three-week publication period; on the confidential path it is set as soon as practicable.

[7][8]
Background check
No.

No fingerprinting or background check. You state on the petition whether you are a registered sex offender (who cannot change their name).

[9][3]
Privacy and sealed records
Available.

Standard name change records are public, and the order is recorded with the Register of Deeds. If a confidential petition is granted, all records are confidential and exempt from public records requests; the Register of Deeds, Vital Records, and local registrars may disclose them only by court order. The confidential petition is kept confidential from filing even if it is later denied.

Use CV-451 from the start. After a confidential change, Vital Records needs a court order to release future copies of your birth certificate, so order the copies you need when the change is processed.

[1][8][14]
How long it takes

Standard path, plan on roughly one to two months from filing to the hearing because of the three-week publication period, then a week or two for certified copies. The confidential path can be faster because there is no publication. Hearing dates depend on each county's calendar.

MinorsAges 14 to 17: the young person signs and files their own petition (CV-450, or CV-451 for a confidential change); no parent signature is…

Ages 14 to 17: the young person signs and files their own petition (CV-450, or CV-451 for a confidential change); no parent signature is required on the form.

Under 14: use CV-455. The petition is filed by both living parents, the surviving parent, a guardian or legal custodian (if both parents have died or lost parental rights), or the mother of a nonmarital child whose paternity is not established. One parent may file alone, but must have the other parent personally served with the petition and notice by a sheriff or process server at least five business days before the hearing. If the other parent appears and shows they have not abandoned the child or failed to assume parental responsibility, the court requires their consent. Service is not required if the other parent was convicted of one of the serious crimes listed in § 786.36(1m)(c) (use CV-481). Newspaper publication still applies. The court forms note that the law does not say whether confidential name changes are allowed under 14 (CV-456), so a judge may refuse one.

[1][2][7][8][12]
After you finish1. Social Security first (free; bring a certified copy of the order and photo ID).
  1. Social Security first (free; bring a certified copy of the order and photo ID). The name changes; the sex field currently cannot be changed.
  2. Wait 48 hours, then go to a Wisconsin DMV service center for a new license ($14) or ID card ($16); see the driver's license guide.
  3. Birth certificate: if you were born in Wisconsin, the clerk sends your order to Vital Records ($10); order new copies ($20, then $3 each). Changing the sex on it is a separate court process; see the birth certificate guide.
  4. Passport, banks, employer, insurance, school records, and voter registration.
Tips3 tips from people who have done this
  • If you were born in Wisconsin and also want your sex marker changed on your birth certificate, you can file the gender-change petition (CV-452) in the same county; the form asks for your name change case number.
  • Trans Law Help Wisconsin's Emma Katherine grant pays court and newspaper publication fees for trans and nonbinary Wisconsinites who cannot afford them; apply for a court fee waiver first.
  • Wisconsin also recognizes a common-law name change through consistent use, but agencies like Social Security and the DMV require a court order, so most people need the petition.
Laws and other guides4 laws, 2 other guides

Laws and rules

Other trusted guides

Sources

19 sources. Numbers in the text, like [1], point here.Show all
  1. Wis. Stat. § 786.36, Changing names, court procedureWisconsin State Legislature, Law. accessed
    “any resident of this state, whether a minor or adult, upon petition to the circuit court of the county where he or she resides and upon filing a copy of the notice required under s. 786.37 (1), with proof of publication, may, if no sufficient cause is shown to the contrary, have his or her name changed”
  2. Wis. Stat. § 786.37, Change of name, notice of petitionWisconsin State Legislature, Law. accessed
    “The court may require the petitioner to comply with sub. (1) if the petitioner is unable to show, by a preponderance of the evidence, that publication of his or her petition could endanger him or her and that he or she is not seeking a name change in order to avoid a debt or conceal a criminal record.”
  3. Wis. Stat. § 301.47, Sex offenders; name changes prohibitedWisconsin State Legislature, Law. accessed
  4. Wis. Stat. § 814.29, Security for costs; waiverWisconsin State Legislature, Law. accessed
    “That the person is a recipient of means-tested public assistance, including ... medical assistance, supplemental security income, food stamps”
  5. Wis. Stat. § 59.43(2)(ag), Register of deeds recording feeWisconsin State Legislature, Law. accessed
    “for recording any document entitled to be recorded with the register of deeds, $30.”
  6. Name change (Self-help law center)Wisconsin Court System, Official page. accessed
    “You must contact the newspaper directly to publish a third class notice (i.e., printed once a week for three weeks) prior to the hearing date.”
  7. CV-490, Basic Steps to Handling a Name Change (rev. 01/26)Wisconsin Court System, Form. accessed
    “the non-petitioning parent must be provided with a copy of the Petition for Name Change and the Notice of Name Change Hearing no later than five business days ahead of the hearing.”
  8. CV-491, Basic Steps to Handling a Confidential Name Change (rev. 03/25)Wisconsin Court System, Form. accessed
    “If the court does not make this finding and denies the confidential name change, you will have to file a standard name change ... All documents related to the confidential name change request will remain confidential.”
  9. CV-450, Petition for Name Change for Adult or Minor 14 or Older (rev. 09/22)Wisconsin Court System, Form. accessed
  10. CV-451, Petition for Confidential Name Change for Adult or Minor 14 or Older (rev. 09/22)Wisconsin Court System, Form. accessed
    “I request that this petition remain confidential because publication could endanger me for the following reason(s)”
  11. CV-410A, Petition for Waiver of Fees and Costs, Declaration of IndigencyWisconsin Court System, Form. accessed
  12. Frequently asked questions for name changes and confidential name changes (comparison chart, Feb. 2023)Wisconsin Director of State Courts, Official page. accessed
    “Third class notice is not required if the petitioner proves to the court by a preponderance of the evidence that publication of the name change could endanger him or her”
  13. Wisconsin circuit court fee, forfeiture, fine and surcharge tables (updated September 2, 2026)Wisconsin Court System, Official page. accessed
    “file name change, 786.36-37 $164.50 ... $75 filing fee, $68 CSS, $21.50 JINFO”
  14. Vital Records, Amending a vital recordWisconsin Department of Health Services, Official page. accessed
    “The fee to file a legal name change or confidential legal name change court order in our office is $10. ... The first certified copy is $20, and each extra copy is $3.”
  15. Upcoming clinics 2026-2027Trans Law Help Wisconsin, Organization. accessed
  16. Emma Katherine Court Cost + Publication Fee GrantTrans Law Help Wisconsin, Organization. accessed
    “Because court filing fees may be waived through this process, the Emma Katherine Court Cost & Publication Fee Grant generally does not award funding for court filing fees to applicants who qualify for a court fee waiver.”
  17. Name changeMilwaukee Justice Center, Organization. accessed
  18. Change gender marker on a Wisconsin birth certificate, forms (includes CV-410A and CV-410B)Milwaukee Justice Center, Organization. accessed
  19. Name changeWisconsin State Law Library, Official page. accessed