Name change in Nebraska

These are the steps most people follow for a name change in Nebraska, 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 Nebraska you file a name-change petition in the district court of the county where you reside, but only after living in that county for at least one year. Nebraska law requires a Legal Notice of your petition to be published once a week for two consecutive weeks in a newspaper, unless the court waives that requirement because publication would endanger you.

    Cost: There is a cost to file the petition, plus the newspaper's charge for publishing the Legal Notice for two weeks; call your local newspaper for its rate before filing.

    Varies by court/clerk.

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    • You must be at least 19, an emancipated minor, or married to file for yourself; otherwise a parent or guardian files for you. File a Petition for Name Change (DC 6:9.1) and a Confidential Party Information form (DC 6:9.4) with the clerk of the district court, along with the filing fee. A hearing is normally scheduled about six weeks after filing, to allow time for publication. The endangerment waiver is under Nebraska Revised Statute Section 25-21,271(2)(b).

    📝 Get the official form: Petition for Name Change (DC 6:9.1)

    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

    • Nebraska law requires you to update the name on your driver's license, permit, or ID card within 60 days of your name change. This cannot be done online — you must apply in person at a Driver Licensing Office.

    Cost: The page names 'the appropriate License Fees' without a dollar figure for this transaction; see Nebraska's driver licensing and permit fee schedule for the current amount.

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    • Bring proof of identification and evidence connecting your old and new names, such as a certified marriage license, divorce decree, or a court order, plus two forms of proof of your address if it has not previously been verified. You also complete a data form and may need to meet DMV vision and medical requirements and have a new photo taken. Your new card is normally mailed within 14 business days.

    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.