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North Carolina Name Change Petition

In North Carolina an adult files an application to change their name before the clerk of superior court of the county where they live. No newspaper publication is required, and a state and national criminal background check is part of the application. Attorney review available.

Introduction

A name change petition is the court filing an adult uses to legally change their own name, and once the order is signed that new name becomes the person's legal name. In North Carolina the filing is called an application, and you file it before the clerk of superior court of the county where you live, for good cause shown (North Carolina General Statutes Section 101-2). Unlike most states, a North Carolina adult name change is decided by the clerk of superior court, not a judge, and there is no newspaper publication requirement: the former requirement to post notice of the change at the courthouse door was repealed effective December 1, 2025 (Session Laws 2025-54, repealing Section 101-2(b)). Your application must include proof of good character from at least two citizens of your county (Section 101-4) and the results of a state and national criminal history record check completed within 90 days of filing by the State Bureau of Investigation, the FBI, or an approved Channeler (Section 101-5(a)(2)). If the clerk finds good and sufficient reasons for the change and your application meets the statute's requirements, it is the clerk's duty to issue an order changing your name (Section 101-5(d)); a denial may be appealed to the resident superior court judge within 30 days (Section 101-5(f)). North Carolina keeps the application confidential for a participant in the address confidentiality program or a victim of domestic violence, a sexual offense, or stalking (Section 101-2(c)), and a registered sex offender cannot change a name under this Chapter (Section 101-6(c)). After the order is signed, the clerk forwards it to the State Registrar of Vital Statistics and the Department of Public Safety, and you use certified copies to update Social Security, your North Carolina driver license, and other records. DocDraft builds your North Carolina name change application from your facts, with attorney review available before you file.

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Key Things to Know

  1. 1

    A name change petition is the court filing an adult uses to legally change their own name; in North Carolina it is filed as an application, and when the clerk signs the order that new name becomes your legal name.

  2. 2

    You file the application before the clerk of superior court of the county where you live, for good cause shown (North Carolina General Statutes Section 101-2(a)).

  3. 3

    North Carolina does not require newspaper publication, and the former requirement to post notice of the change at the courthouse door was repealed effective December 1, 2025 (Session Laws 2025-54, repealing Section 101-2(b)).

  4. 4

    You must submit the results of a state and national criminal history record check conducted within 90 days of filing by the State Bureau of Investigation, the FBI, or an approved Channeler (Section 101-5(a)(2)).

  5. 5

    You must file proof of good character made by at least two citizens of your county who know your standing (Section 101-4).

  6. 6

    The clerk of superior court decides the application on the papers rather than at a hearing before a judge; if the clerk finds good and sufficient reasons it is the clerk's duty to issue the order, and a denial may be appealed to the resident superior court judge within 30 days (Section 101-5(d) and Section 101-5(f)).

  7. 7

    After the order is signed, the clerk forwards it to the State Registrar of Vital Statistics and the Department of Public Safety, and you use certified copies to update Social Security, your North Carolina driver license or ID, and other records. The filing fee is set by statute and collected by the clerk, and a fee waiver may be available; the application is kept confidential for qualifying safety cases (Section 101-2(c)).

Key decisions before you file

Before you file a Name Change Petition in North Carolina, a few decisions shape the document: which option to choose and what each one means. The Name Change Petition guide walks through them.

Open the Name Change Petition guide

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IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE, SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION, BEFORE THE CLERK, [COUNTY] COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA

In re the Application for Change of Name of [CURRENT LEGAL NAME], Applicant.

File No. ______________

APPLICATION FOR CHANGE OF NAME (North Carolina General Statutes Chapter 101)

The applicant respectfully shows the Court:

  1. Applicant and residence. The applicant's true name is [CURRENT LEGAL NAME]. The applicant is over 18 years of age, is a bona fide resident of and domiciled in [COUNTY] County, North Carolina, and resides at [STREET ADDRESS], [CITY], North Carolina. This application is filed before the Clerk of Superior Court of the county in which the applicant resides, for good cause shown (Section 101-2).

  2. Birth and parentage. The applicant was born in [COUNTY OR STATE OF BIRTH] on [DATE OF BIRTH]. The full names of the applicant's parents as shown on the birth certificate are [PARENT ONE] and [PARENT TWO] (Section 101-3).

  3. Proposed name. The applicant desires to adopt the name [REQUESTED NEW NAME].

  4. Reason. The reason for the requested change is [REASON, for example to use a name the applicant already goes by].

  5. Prior changes. The applicant's name [has / has not] previously been changed by law. [If so, state the facts.]

  6. Good character. The applicant files with this application proof of good character made by at least two citizens of [COUNTY] County who know the applicant's standing, as required by Section 101-4.

  7. Criminal history record check. The applicant submits the results of a state and national criminal history record check conducted within 90 days of this application by the State Bureau of Investigation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, or an approved Channeler, as required by Section 101-5(a)(2).

  8. Tax and support obligations. The applicant states under oath whether the applicant has any outstanding tax or child support obligations (Section 101-5(a)(3)).

  9. No newspaper publication or courthouse notice. North Carolina does not require newspaper publication of this application, and the former requirement to post notice of the change at the courthouse door was repealed effective December 1, 2025 (Session Laws 2025-54).

  10. Good faith. This application is made in good faith and not to defraud any creditor, evade any legal obligation, judgment, or criminal record, or for any unlawful purpose. The applicant is not a person required to register as a sex offender under Article 27A of Chapter 14 (Section 101-6(c)).

WHEREFORE, the applicant asks the Clerk of Superior Court to find good and sufficient reasons for the change and to issue an order changing the applicant's name from [CURRENT LEGAL NAME] to [REQUESTED NEW NAME], and to issue a certificate of the change under Section 101-5.

Dated: [DATE]

[CURRENT LEGAL NAME], Applicant

VERIFICATION

I declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of North Carolina that the foregoing is true and correct.

Dated: [DATE]

[CURRENT LEGAL NAME], Applicant

Note: This is a North Carolina adult name change application under Chapter 101 of the General Statutes. It is filed before the Clerk of Superior Court of the county where the applicant resides and does not require newspaper publication. Confirm current forms and the filing fee with the Clerk of Superior Court. For the generic template and other states, see the Name Change Petition hub.

North Carolina Requirements for Name Change Petition

Clerk of Superior Court in Your County of Residence

A North Carolina adult name change is filed as an application before the clerk of superior court of the county in which the applicant resides, for good cause shown (North Carolina General Statutes Section 101-2(a)). The clerk of superior court, not a judge, reviews the application and issues the order.

Residency and Venue

You file in the county where you live, and your application includes a sworn statement that you are a bona fide resident of and domiciled in that county (Section 101-5(a)(3)). North Carolina sets no fixed durational residency period; the requirement is that you reside in and are domiciled in the county where you file.

No Newspaper Publication or Courthouse Notice

North Carolina does not require newspaper publication for an adult name change. The former requirement to post notice of the change at the courthouse door was repealed effective December 1, 2025 (Session Laws 2025-54, repealing Section 101-2(b)). The application is kept confidential for a participant in the address confidentiality program or a victim of domestic violence, a sexual offense, or stalking (Section 101-2(c)).

Contents of the Application

The application must state your true name, county of birth, date of birth, the full name of your parents as shown on your birth certificate, the name you desire to adopt, your reasons for the change, and whether your name has ever before been changed by law and, if so, the facts (Section 101-3).

Proof of Good Character

You must file with your application proof of good character made by at least two citizens of your county who know your standing (Section 101-4). This proof accompanies the application submitted to the clerk of superior court.

State and National Criminal Background Check

You must submit the results of a state and national criminal history record check conducted within 90 days of the date of application by the State Bureau of Investigation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, or an FBI-approved Channeler (Section 101-5(a)(2)). The clerk instructs you on having fingerprints taken and submitted. A registered sex offender is barred from a name change under this Chapter (Section 101-6(c)).

Clerk Decides on the Papers

There is no newspaper notice and no hearing before a judge for the adult applicant. If the clerk of superior court finds good and sufficient reasons for the change and your application meets the requirements, it is the clerk's duty to issue the order (Section 101-5(d)). If the clerk denies the application, you may petition the resident superior court judge to reconsider within 30 days, and that decision is final (Section 101-5(f)).

After the Order: Records Updated and Certified Copies

After the order is signed, the clerk gives you a certificate of the change and forwards the order to the State Registrar of Vital Statistics and the Department of Public Safety (Section 101-5(e)). Order certified copies from the clerk to update Social Security, your North Carolina driver license or ID, your passport, and other records. The filing fee is set by statute and collected by the clerk, and a fee waiver may be available.

Frequently Asked Questions

A name change petition is the court filing an adult uses to legally change their own name. In North Carolina it is filed as an application before the clerk of superior court of the county where you live, for good cause shown. You state your true name, county and date of birth, your parents' names as shown on your birth certificate, the name you want to adopt, and your reasons. After the clerk reviews the application and the required criminal background check, the clerk signs an order that makes the new name your legal name (North Carolina General Statutes Chapter 101).

In North Carolina you file an application for a name change before the clerk of superior court of the county where you live (Section 101-2). You include proof of good character from at least two citizens of your county (Section 101-4) and the results of a state and national criminal history record check completed within 90 days by the State Bureau of Investigation, the FBI, or an approved Channeler (Section 101-5(a)(2)). If the clerk finds good and sufficient reasons and your application meets the requirements, the clerk issues the order (Section 101-5(d)). You then use certified copies to update your records.

No. North Carolina does not require newspaper publication for an adult name change. The former requirement to post notice of the change at the courthouse door was repealed effective December 1, 2025 (Session Laws 2025-54, repealing Section 101-2(b)), so the current Chapter 101 sets no publication or posting step for the applicant. North Carolina also keeps the application confidential for a participant in the address confidentiality program or a victim of domestic violence, a sexual offense, or stalking (Section 101-2(c)).

An adult name change in North Carolina is handled by the clerk of superior court, not a judge. You file the application before the clerk of superior court of the county where you reside (Section 101-2(a)), and the clerk reviews it on the papers and issues the order if good and sufficient reasons exist and the requirements are met (Section 101-5(d)). If the clerk denies the application, you may ask the resident superior court judge to reconsider within 30 days (Section 101-5(f)).

You must file in the county where you live, and your application includes a sworn statement that you are a bona fide resident of and domiciled in that county (Section 101-5(a)(3)). North Carolina does not set a fixed number of months you must have lived in the state or county before filing; the requirement is that you reside in and are domiciled in the county where you file the application before the clerk of superior court (Section 101-2(a)).

Yes. A North Carolina adult applicant must submit the results of a state and national criminal history record check conducted within 90 days of the date of application by the State Bureau of Investigation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, or an FBI-approved Channeler (Section 101-5(a)(2)). The clerk instructs you on having fingerprints taken and submitted. A registered sex offender is barred from changing a name under this Chapter (Section 101-6(c)). The check is not required for a minor under 16.

Usually no. A North Carolina adult name change is decided by the clerk of superior court on the papers, without a newspaper notice or a hearing before a judge. If the clerk finds good and sufficient reasons for the change and your application meets the requirements, it is the clerk's duty to issue the order (Section 101-5(d)). If the clerk denies the application, you may petition the resident superior court judge to reconsider within 30 days, and that decision is final (Section 101-5(f)).

Once the clerk of superior court signs the order, the clerk gives you a certificate of the change and forwards the order to the State Registrar of Vital Statistics and the Department of Public Safety (Section 101-5(e)). Order several certified copies from the clerk and use them to update your Social Security record first, then your North Carolina driver license or ID, your passport, and then banks, employers, and other accounts. Keep at least one certified copy for your records.