Name change in Iowa

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

    • To legally change your name in Iowa, you file a Petition for Change of Name in district court under Iowa Code chapter 674, and pay a $195 filing fee. You must file electronically unless the court excuses you from e-filing.
    • Under Iowa law, a court can't grant a decree changing your name until at least thirty days after you file your petition.

    Cost: $195

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    • You must attach a certified copy of your birth certificate to the petition; if it isn't available, you explain why and provide another form of identification. If you're married, the petition must also be served on your spouse, which may cost extra. Iowa's name-change law does not require you to publish notice in a newspaper.
    • Iowa's own self-help page about name changes doesn't mention this waiting period — only the statute itself (Iowa Code § 674.4) states it. Once the court grants the decree, the clerk of court sends a copy to the state registrar of vital statistics so a person born in Iowa can have their birth certificate updated.

    📝 Get the official form: Petition for Change of Name of Adult (no dissolution of marriage)

    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 change the name on an Iowa driver's license or ID, you must go in person to any Iowa DMV location by appointment; there's a $10 charge and you must provide proof of the name change. Photocopies and faxes aren't accepted.

    Cost: $10

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    • Iowa's DOT wants a certified document — one with the original seal and certificate of the court or registrar, not just a file or date stamp.

    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

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    • 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.