New Jersey Name Change Petition
In New Jersey an adult files a verified complaint for a name change in the Civil Division of the Superior Court in the county where they live, and no newspaper publication is required. Attorney review available.
Introduction
A name change petition is the court document an adult files to legally change their own name, and once a judge signs the final judgment the new name becomes the person's legal name. In New Jersey you file a verified complaint in the Civil Division of the Superior Court in the county where you live (N.J.S.A. 2A:52-1 and New Jersey Court Rule 4:72). New Jersey does not require newspaper publication for an adult name change. The Supreme Court amended Rule 4:72, effective 2020, to remove the old publication step, so instead of publishing notice you mail a copy of the Order Fixing Date of Hearing to the Director of the Division of Criminal Justice in Trenton by regular and certified mail at least 20 days before the hearing. Your complaint must state that the change is not sought to avoid or obstruct criminal prosecution, to avoid creditors, or to perpetrate a fraud, and it must disclose your date of birth, Social Security number, any prior convictions, and any pending charges, with a Certification of Confidential Information for Name Change. At the hearing the judge reviews your request and, if approved, signs the Final Judgment. After that you file the judgment with the Division of Revenue and the Registrar of Vital Statistics and use certified copies to update Social Security, your driver license, and other records. DocDraft builds your New Jersey name change complaint from your facts, with attorney review available before you file.
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Key Things to Know
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A name change petition is the court document an adult files to legally change their own name; in New Jersey it is a verified complaint, and when the judge signs the Final Judgment that new name becomes your legal name.
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You file the verified complaint in the Civil Division of the Superior Court of New Jersey in the county where you live (N.J.S.A. 2A:52-1 and New Jersey Court Rule 4:72).
- 3
New Jersey does not require newspaper publication for an adult name change. The Supreme Court amended Rule 4:72, effective 2020, to remove the old publication step.
- 4
Instead of publishing notice, you mail a copy of the Order Fixing Date of Hearing to the Director of the Division of Criminal Justice in Trenton by regular and certified mail, return receipt requested, at least 20 days before the hearing.
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The complaint must state that the change is not sought to avoid or obstruct criminal prosecution, to avoid creditors, or to perpetrate a criminal or civil fraud (N.J.S.A. 2A:52-1), and must disclose your date of birth, Social Security number, prior convictions, and pending charges.
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A hearing is scheduled by an Order Fixing Date of Hearing; you appear on that date and, if the judge approves, the judge signs the Final Judgment legally changing your name.
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After the Final Judgment is signed, file it with the Division of Revenue (50 dollar fee) and, in your state of birth, the Registrar of Vital Statistics (2 dollars in New Jersey), then order certified copies to update Social Security, your driver license, and other records. The filing fee is 250 dollars and a fee waiver is available if you cannot pay.
Key decisions before you file
Before you file a Name Change Petition in New Jersey, a few decisions shape the document: which option to choose and what each one means. The Name Change Petition guide walks through them.
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New Jersey Requirements for Name Change Petition
Superior Court in Your County of Residence
An adult name change in New Jersey is filed as a verified complaint in the Civil Division of the Superior Court in the county where the petitioner resides. Any person may institute an action in Superior Court for authority to assume another name (N.J.S.A. 2A:52-1), and the New Jersey Judiciary directs you to file in the Civil Division of the Superior Court in your county.
Residency and Venue
You must be an adult (18 or older) living in New Jersey and file in the county where you reside (N.J.S.A. 2A:52-1 and New Jersey Court Rule 4:72). New Jersey sets no fixed durational residency period for a name change; the requirement is that you genuinely reside in the county where you file.
No Newspaper Publication Required
New Jersey does not require newspaper publication for an adult name change. The New Jersey Supreme Court amended Court Rule 4:72, effective 2020, to remove the former publication requirement, and name change records are kept out of public access. You file a Certification of Confidential Information for Name Change with your complaint.
Notice to the Division of Criminal Justice
In place of publication, after the court signs the Order Fixing Date of Hearing you mail a copy to the Director of the Division of Criminal Justice in Trenton, New Jersey, by regular and certified mail, return receipt requested, at least 20 days before the hearing. If you have pending charges, additional copies go to the Division of Criminal Justice and the involved law enforcement agency.
Good Faith and No Fraud
Your complaint and affidavit must state that the change is not being sought to avoid or obstruct criminal prosecution, to avoid creditors, or to perpetrate a criminal or civil fraud (N.J.S.A. 2A:52-1). Providing false information in the complaint is a crime, so the statements must be complete and true.
Criminal History and Confidential Information
New Jersey does not require fingerprints, but your verified complaint must disclose your date of birth, Social Security number, any prior criminal convictions, and any pending charges (N.J.S.A. 2A:52-1). If you have a conviction or pending charges, the clerk forwards a copy of the judgment to the State Bureau of Identification (N.J.S.A. 2A:52-2). Sensitive details go on the Certification of Confidential Information for Name Change.
Hearing and Final Judgment
The court issues an Order Fixing Date of Hearing; you appear on that date, the judge reviews your request, and, if approved, the judge signs the Final Judgment legally changing your name (New Jersey Court Rule 4:72). The court grants the change only when it is satisfied the request is proper, so the decision rests with the judge.
After the Judgment: Treasury, Vital Statistics, Certified Copies
After the Final Judgment is signed, file it with the Department of the Treasury, Division of Revenue (50 dollar fee) and, in your state of birth, the Registrar of Vital Statistics (2 dollars in New Jersey, plus 25 dollars for a corrected record). Then order certified copies to update Social Security, your driver license or ID, and other records. The filing fee is 250 dollars and a fee waiver is available if you cannot pay.