Name change in Montana

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

    • Montana law lets a person petition a Montana district court for a name change for any number of reasons, including divorce, safety reasons, a gender change, or simply wanting a new name. The formal process is set out in Title 27, Chapter 31 of the Montana Code Annotated.

    Cost: This page does not list a filing fee. Contact the clerk of district court where you plan to file.

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    • If your safety is at risk, Montana's courts offer a sealed-record name-change option instead of the standard public process. People who are incarcerated or under the supervision of the Department of Corrections cannot use these self-help forms (Mont. Code Ann. 27-31-201(4)). The court system's page does not list a filing fee; ask the clerk of district court where you plan to file.

    📝 Get the official form: Changing Your Name as an Adult — instructions and forms packet (Petition for Name Change, Order Setting Hearing, Notice of Hearing, Order Changing Name)

    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

    Needs reverification, so we don't show it as current.

    Check these official pages yourself

    We have not re-checked these pages recently, so we are not showing what they said. These are the official pages themselves. Read them directly.

  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.