Name change in Rhode Island

These are the steps most people follow for a name change in Rhode Island, 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 Rhode Island, you petition the probate court in the town or city where you live. Rhode Island law says a name change must be granted unless it is sought for a fraudulent purpose, and the court may not require you to publish public notice of the change before approving it.

    Cost: The statute doesn't set a specific filing-fee amount, though it allows the court to waive or reduce court costs for a petitioner who is indigent or has a limited ability to pay. Contact the probate court where you're filing for the current fee.

    💸 This fee can be waived. The court says: "If a petitioner is indigent, or demonstrates a limited or inability to pay, the court costs may be waived or reduced."

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    • If you are indigent or show a limited ability to pay, the court may waive or reduce the court costs. The court may also require you to undergo a criminal history record check as part of the petition.

    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 Rhode Island driver's license or ID, you bring your current license to any DMV branch location (or an AAA branch office if you're a member) and complete the License/ID/Permit Application (LI-1 Form) along with one document showing your correct name. You must update your name with Social Security first — it takes 24 hours for a Social Security change to become effective before the DMV can process your transaction.

    Cost: The page doesn't state a dollar amount directly — it points to the DMV's own Fee Table. Contact the DMV for the current fee.

    Do first: Social Security card

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    • The costs for this transaction are listed in the DMV's own Fee Table.

    📝 Get the official form: Form LI-1 — Application for License, Identification Card and Permit

    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.