Name change in South Dakota

These are the steps most people follow for a name change in South Dakota, 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 South Dakota you file a verified petition for a name change with the clerk of court's office in the county where you reside, but only after residing there for more than six months. South Dakota law allows you to represent yourself in a name-change case without a lawyer.

    Cost: There may be costs associated with any required publication of the notice of your name change; the page does not give a dollar figure.

    Varies by court/clerk.

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    • Once you file, your case is assigned a case number that must appear on every document you file with the court. This process is governed by South Dakota Codified Law chapter 21-37, South Dakota Codified Law 34-25-51, and South Dakota's Administrative Rule 44:09:05:02. The Unified Judicial System's Adult Name Change packet — UJS-024 (instructions), UJS-025 (verified petition), UJS-026 (notice of hearing), and UJS-027 (order) — is available from its self-help center.

    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.