Name change in Kansas

These are the steps most people follow for a name change in Kansas, 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 Kansas you file a name-change petition in the district court of the county where you reside, after living in Kansas for at least 60 days. A judge grants the change if satisfied there is reasonable cause for it.

    Cost: The statute does not state a filing fee; contact the district court clerk in the county where you reside for the current amount.

    Varies by court/clerk.

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    • Kansas Statutes Annotated 60-1402 lets the court give notice of the hearing either by mail or by publication, at the court's discretion — it does not require every case to be published in a newspaper. Contact the district court clerk's office in the county where you reside for that county's petition forms, current filing fee, and hearing process.

    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 your Kansas driver's license or ID card, bring your current Kansas credential, proof of your legal name change, and proof of your current residential address to a driver's license office. You must update your name with the Social Security Administration at least 24 hours before you update your Kansas credential.

    Cost: The fee is $16 for a driver's license and $12 for an ID card.

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    • Kansas duplicate marriage licenses cannot be accepted as proof of a legal name change. Appointments are recommended and receive priority; schedule one through the Division of Vehicles' appointment site.

    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.