In Michigan, you can normally change your name whenever you want, as long as you don’t do it to trick or deceive someone else. To change your name, you have to do a lot of things. These steps in changing your legal name include sending in your finalized petition, paying the fees, obtaining a criminal background check, putting out a notice of hearing, and going to the hearing.
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Changing Legal Name in Michigan
For an adult (18 years or older) to legally change their name in Michigan, they must complete the following requirements:
- Have lived in Michigan for at least 12 months.
- Have lived in their county for at least 12 months
- Not seeking a name change for fraudulent reasons
- Have no criminal record (unless they can show enough legal reason to change their name)
Most applications for name changes will be granted; however, you can’t change it to a curse word, a racial slur, or a name that is meant to be confusing, like one with punctuation or numbers.
Michigan Steps In Changing Your Legal Name
Even though the process can vary slightly from state to state, the general procedures and steps in changing your legal name you’ll need to follow are outlined below.
Step 1: Fill Out The Form to Change Your Name
First, the person who wants to change their name must get Form PC 51 – Petition to Change Name – and fill it out. When the petition is finished, the person who started it should make a copy of it for record keeping.
Step 2: Get Your Fingerprints Scanned
Individuals aging 22 and older must have their fingerprints scanned and a criminal background check done. To have their fingerprints taken, petitioners need to have a copy of their Petition to Change Name and go to the nearest Police office and request a RI-8 form. The police agency will check the individual’s fingerprints to their records before sending them to the FBI for additional investigation. This takes three to five weeks. Any background check results are reported to the petitioner’s court.
Step 3: Pay The Fingerprinting and Criminal Background Check Fee
Fingerprinting costs between $5 and $10, while background checks cost $42. Payments must be done in the form of a check or money order payable to the State of Michigan.
Step 4: Gather the Necessary Documents
The petitioner must gather the following documents before visiting the Court Clerk:
- Form PC 51 – Petition to Change Name
- Valid photo ID issued by the state or passport
- Envelope with prepaid postage addressed to home
Step 5: Submit Documents to Circuit Court
The petitioner must appear in person before the Court Clerk, introduce themselves, and submit their Form PC 51 and the self-addressed envelope. The envelope will be used to send the petitioner the notice of their court date.
Step 6: Pay The Filing Fee
Petitioners should contact their local court to find out the cost in their jurisdiction. If a petitioner can’t afford the filing fee, they can submit Form MC-20 to have it waived. Some courts allow petitioners to pay the publishing cost to speed up the name change process.
Step 7: Name Change Publication
Unless the judge identifies a basis to make a name change confidential, the petitioner should publish a notice in a newspaper. Once the name change is publicized, the petitioner must send a copy of the affidavit and notice to the court.
Step 8: Pay the Publication Fee
In some courts, the petitioner can pay the publishing fee at the circuit court. If not, the medium that publishes the name change will bill the petitioner. Publication prices vary per paper, but petitioners should expect to pay $80+.
Step 9: Attend Hearing
The court will arrange a name change hearing after receiving the petitioner’s background check. On the day of their hearing, the petitioner must appear in court and provide two (2) copies of all papers. The court will question the person why they’re changing their name and to vow it’s not for fraud. If approved, the judge stamps a court order declaring the person’s name changed (PC 52). The petitioner must then have a certified copy of the court order changing their name.
Contact an Experienced Michigan Family Law Attorney
Changing your name legally, whether due to marriage, divorce, or some other reason, can be a major life occurrence. Let an experienced family law attorney from Goldman and Associates walk you through the process and steps in changing your legal name. Set up an appointment today.