Ohio Name Change Petition
In Ohio an adult files a name change application in the probate court of the county where they live, after being a resident of that county for at least sixty days, and the court may hold a hearing. Attorney review available.
Introduction
A name change petition is the court document an adult files to legally change their own name, and once the court orders the change the new name becomes the person's legal name. In Ohio you file an application for change of name in the probate court of the county where you live (Ohio Revised Code Section 2717.02). Your application must state that you have been a bona fide resident of that county for at least sixty days before filing, the reason for the change, and the new name you want (Ohio Revised Code Section 2717.03). The probate court may hold a hearing, and if it requires one it sets the manner, scope, and content of the hearing notice you must serve, which some county probate courts satisfy by newspaper publication (Ohio Revised Code Section 2717.08). Ohio no longer sets a single statewide thirty-day newspaper publication rule in the statute; the court decides the notice, except in safety cases. If publication of the hearing notice or open records would jeopardize your personal safety, the court shall waive the hearing notice requirement and seal the records of the proceeding (Ohio Revised Code Section 2717.11). The court orders the change on proof of reasonable and proper cause (Ohio Revised Code Section 2717.09). After the order, you use certified copies to update Social Security, your Ohio driver license or ID, and other records. DocDraft builds your Ohio application for change of name 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 Ohio it is an application for change of name, and when the probate court orders the change, that new name becomes your legal name.
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You file the application in the probate court of the county in which you reside (Ohio Revised Code Section 2717.02).
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Your application must state that you have been a bona fide resident of the county for at least sixty days before filing, the reason for the change, and the requested new name (Ohio Revised Code Section 2717.03).
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The probate court may hold a hearing, and if it requires one it sets the manner, scope, and content of the hearing notice you must serve; some county probate courts satisfy this with newspaper publication (Ohio Revised Code Section 2717.08). Ohio law no longer sets one statewide thirty-day newspaper rule.
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If publication of the hearing notice or open records would jeopardize your personal safety, the court shall waive the hearing notice requirement and order the records of the proceeding sealed (Ohio Revised Code Section 2717.11).
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The court orders the change of name on proof that the facts show reasonable and proper cause and, if applicable, that proper notice was served, unless the change is one prohibited by statute (Ohio Revised Code Section 2717.09 and Section 2717.16).
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After the order is signed, order certified copies from the probate court to update Social Security, your Ohio driver license or ID, your passport, and other records. The filing fee is set by the probate court and a fee waiver is available if you cannot afford it.
Key decisions before you file
Before you file a Name Change Petition in Ohio, 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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Ohio Requirements for Name Change Petition
Probate Court in Your County of Residence
An adult name change in Ohio is filed as an application for change of name in the probate court of the county where the applicant resides. A person desiring to change the person's name may file an application in the probate court of the county in which the person resides (Ohio Revised Code Section 2717.02).
Sixty-Day County Residency
Your application must state that you have been a bona fide resident of the county for at least sixty days before filing, along with the reason for the change and the requested new name (Ohio Revised Code Section 2717.03). The sixty-day county residency is the durational requirement Ohio sets by statute.
Hearing Notice Set by the Probate Court
Ohio no longer sets one statewide statutory rule requiring newspaper publication at least thirty days before the hearing. The probate court may hold a hearing, and if it requires a hearing it sets the manner, scope, and content of the hearing notice you must serve, which some county probate courts satisfy by newspaper publication (Ohio Revised Code Section 2717.08). Confirm your county court's notice practice.
Present Name and Proposed New Name
The application must set forth the reason for which the change of name is sought and the requested new name (Ohio Revised Code Section 2717.03). State your present legal name and the exact new name you are requesting; the probate court changes the name from the present name to the proposed name in its order.
Reasonable and Proper Cause
The application must state the reason for the change (Ohio Revised Code Section 2717.03). The court may order the change of name upon proof that the facts set forth show reasonable and proper cause and, if applicable, that proper notice was served (Ohio Revised Code Section 2717.09).
Good Faith and No Prohibited Change
State that the change is made in good faith and not to defraud a creditor, evade a legal obligation, judgment, or criminal record, or for any unlawful purpose. The court may order the change only on reasonable and proper cause, and a change of name prohibited by statute cannot be granted (Ohio Revised Code Section 2717.09 and Section 2717.16).
Safety Waiver and Sealed Records
If you submit satisfactory proof, with your application, that open records of the name change or publication of the hearing notice would jeopardize your personal safety, the court shall waive the hearing notice requirement and shall order the records of the proceeding sealed, to be opened only by court order for good cause or at your request (Ohio Revised Code Section 2717.11).
Certified Copies and Criminal Records Check
After the probate court signs the judgment entry, order certified copies to update Social Security, your Ohio driver license or ID, your passport, and other records. On receipt of an application the court may order a criminal records check, and any fee for it is paid by the applicant (Ohio Revised Code Section 2717.19). The filing fee is set by the probate court and a fee waiver is available.