Name change in Colorado

These are the steps most people follow for a name change in Colorado, 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.

Build my personalized checklist →

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

    • In Colorado you change your legal name by filing a Petition for Change of Name (JDF 433) in county court or district court in the county where you live. A fingerprint-based criminal history check from the CBI and the FBI, completed within 90 days before you file, must be attached to the petition.

    Cost: The page does not state a filing-fee amount — ask the court clerk in the county where you are filing. If you cannot afford it, you can ask to file without payment using form JDF 205.

    💸 This fee can be waived. Form: Form JDF 205 — Motion to Waive Fees. The court says: "If you do not think you can afford it, you can request a waiver of the filing fee by completing Form JDF 205 - Motion to File Without Payment and Supporting Financial Affidavit"

    Varies by court/clerk.

    More detail
    • The petition must be signed in front of a court clerk or a notary public. Generally you must also publish notice of the name change in a newspaper at least three times within 21 days. Publication is not required if you are changing your name to conform with your gender identity, under section 13-15-102(4) of the Colorado Revised Statutes, or if you are a documented victim of domestic violence, domestic abuse, or child abuse.

    📝 Get the official form: Form JDF 433 — Petition for Change of Name (Adult)

    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

    More detail
    • 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 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

Build my personalized checklist →

Where to get help

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

Last reviewed 2026-07-13.