Name change in Texas

These are the steps most people follow for a name change in Texas, 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 Texas you file a petition asking for a name change in the Texas county where you live, and a judge signs an order granting it. You must be at least 18 years old.

    Cost: The court filing fee may be between $150 and $300 depending on where you live — ask the district clerk's office in your county. If you have a low income you can ask the court to waive the filing fee with a Statement of Inability to Afford Payment of Court Costs. You also pay to be fingerprinted, and in some counties for a criminal background check.

    💸 This fee can be waived. Form: Statement of Inability to Afford Payment of Court Costs or an Appeal Bond. The court says: "If you have a low-income, you can ask the court to waive the filing fee by filing a Statement of Inability to Afford Payment of Court Costs form."

    Varies by court/clerk.

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    • You get a legible and complete set of your fingerprints taken, and you give the court complete information about all felonies and Class A or B misdemeanors. You file your petition with the district clerk's office in your county. In some counties you also pay for a criminal background check. The signed order is then used to update other documents. If you have a felony conviction, TexasLawHelp says a court cannot change your name unless you provide proof that you were pardoned, that it has been at least two years since you were discharged from prison or completed probation, or that you are changing your name to the primary name used in your criminal history record (Texas Family Code 45.103(b)(2)). If you are required to register as a sex offender, you must provide proof that you notified your local law enforcement authority about your name change request.

    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

    Do first: Court order

    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.