Name change in Florida

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

    • Florida law gives chancery courts jurisdiction over name changes, and you file your petition in the county where you live.

    Cost: This law does not set the petition filing fee. Ask the clerk of court in the county where you file for the exact amount. You pay separately for the fingerprint-based background check the law requires.

    Varies by court/clerk.

    More detail
    • Before your hearing, you must have your fingerprints taken for a state and national criminal history records check, unless you are only restoring a former name. You pay for that fingerprinting and background check yourself (a parent or guardian pays it for a minor). A judge reviews the petition and enters a final judgment granting the name 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

    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 driver's license or state ID

    • To update the name on your Florida driver license or ID card, you first change your name with the Social Security Administration. Then you visit a Florida driver license office in person to update your license or ID.

    Do first: Social Security card

    More detail
    • Florida says all name changes must be completed in person at a local office — this cannot be done by mail or online. Allow 24 to 48 hours after your Social Security name change is complete before you go to the office, so the two records match. The exact documents you need depend on your residency status.

    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

Build my personalized checklist →

Where to get help

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

Last reviewed 2026-07-13.