Name change in Arkansas

These are the steps most people follow for a name change in Arkansas, in order. Each links to its official source and the date we last checked it. When you're ready, build a personalized checklist that covers every document at once.

This is general information, not legal advice. Requirements change, so always confirm with the official source linked on each step, and talk to a lawyer or legal-aid organization about your specific situation.

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  1. Step 1: Get a court order for your name change

    • In Arkansas you ask a circuit court judge in the county where you live to change your legal name by filing a Petition for Name Change.

    Cost: The Circuit Clerk requires a filing fee of around $165, though the exact amount depends on the county. If you cannot afford it, you can file an In Forma Pauperis petition asking a judge to waive the fee.

    💸 This fee can be waived. Form: In Forma Pauperis (Fee Waiver) Petition, Affidavit and Order. The court says: "In forma pauperis (also known as a fee waiver) is used when you cannot afford to pay the court filing fee and costs for filing a court form."

    Varies by court/clerk.

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    • You prepare a civil cover sheet and a notarized Petition for Name Change stating your current legal name, date of birth, county, the new name you want, and your reason for the change. File the original and two copies with the Circuit Clerk's Office. You then appear before a judge, who may ask you questions under oath — such as your current name, date of birth, and reason for the change — before deciding whether to grant the change.

    Sources

  2. Step 2: Update your Social Security record

    • Social Security still changes the legal name on your Social Security record. A valid court order for a name change is one of the events Social Security recognizes as changing your legal name, and you apply with Form SS-5, the Application for a Social Security Card.

    Do first: Court order

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    • Social Security's policy manual defines your legal name as your first name and last name — the name you use to sign legal documents. For a person born in the United States, that is generally the name shown on the birth certificate, unless the name changed through an event such as a marriage or a valid court order for a name change. The sex marker on your record is handled separately and under a different rule — see the Social Security sex marker step.

    📝 Get the official form: Form SS-5 — Application for a Social Security Card

    Sources

  3. Step 3: Update your driver's license or state ID

    • To update the name on your Arkansas driver's license or ID card, the Office of Driver Services uses an Affidavit of Legal Name Change.
    More detail
    • This form is posted on the Office of Driver Services' public forms list. That list does not spell out which supporting documents to bring for a name change specifically — contact Driver Services for current requirements before you go.

    📝 Get the official form: Affidavit of Legal Name Change

    Sources

  4. Step 4: Update your U.S. passport

    • To update the name on your U.S. passport, submit a passport application with an original or certified copy of the document that legally changed your name, such as a court order.

    Cost: No fee when you use Form DS-5504 within a year of issuance ($60 if you want it expedited). Otherwise standard application fees apply.

    Do first: Court order

    More detail
    • If your name changed within 1 year of your most recent passport being issued, mail Form DS-5504 with the name-change document — you will not have to submit any fees for this service. If it has been more than a year, renew by mail with Form DS-82 and a certified name-change document, or apply in person with Form DS-11. If you have no legal documentation of the change, you apply in person with Form DS-11 plus Form DS-60, Affidavit Regarding a Change of Name.

    📝 Get the official form: Form DS-82 — U.S. Passport Renewal

    Sources

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Where to get help

These organizations publish their own guides or can help you directly.

Last reviewed 2026-07-13.