Tennessee Name Change Petition
In Tennessee an adult files a name change petition in the circuit, probate, or county court of the county where they live, with no newspaper publication required. Attorney review available.
Introduction
A name change petition is the court document an adult files to legally change their own name, and Tennessee keeps it unusually simple: no newspaper notice, just a written petition you sign and verify by affidavit before a judge's order makes the new name your legal name. In Tennessee the circuit, probate, and county courts share jurisdiction over a name change, and you apply in the county where you reside (Tennessee Code Annotated Section 29-8-101). Tennessee keeps the paperwork simple: the application is a written petition, signed by you and verified by affidavit, stating that you are a resident of the county and giving your reasons for the change (Tennessee Code Annotated Section 29-8-102). Tennessee does not require you to publish notice of the change in a newspaper. The state does place limits on who may change a name: a person convicted of first or second degree murder or of an offense that requires registration as a sexual offender may not change their name, and any other felony conviction raises a presumption that the petition is in bad faith, which you can overcome only by clear and convincing evidence (Tennessee Code Annotated Section 29-8-101(b)). Because the three courts share jurisdiction and no newspaper notice is involved, an uncontested Tennessee change is usually decided quickly on the verified petition, and the signed order is what proves your new name afterward. DocDraft builds your Tennessee name change petition from your facts, with attorney review available before you file.
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 Tennessee a judge's order makes that new name legal, though certain convictions, including for murder or a registrable sex offense, can bar the change.
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The circuit, probate, and county courts in Tennessee have concurrent jurisdiction over a name change on the application of a resident of the county where you file (Tennessee Code Annotated Section 29-8-101(a)).
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The application is a written petition, signed by you and verified by affidavit, that states you are a resident of the county and gives your reasons for the change (Tennessee Code Annotated Section 29-8-102).
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Tennessee does not require you to publish notice of an adult name change in a newspaper, which keeps the process quicker and less costly than in publication states.
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A person convicted of first or second degree murder, or of an offense that requires registration as a sexual offender, may not legally change their name in Tennessee (Tennessee Code Annotated Section 29-8-101(b)(1)).
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Any other felony conviction makes the petition presumed to be in bad faith, and the court will not grant it unless you prove by clear and convincing evidence that it is in good faith and will not defraud, injure, or compromise public safety (Tennessee Code Annotated Section 29-8-101(b)).
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After the judge signs the order, get certified copies from the clerk and work through the Social Security Administration, the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security, and your passport in turn. The filing fee is set by the court, and an affidavit of indigency lets you ask the court to waive the fee if you cannot afford it.
Key decisions before you file
Before you file a Name Change Petition in Tennessee, 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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Tennessee Requirements for Name Change Petition
An adult name change in Tennessee may be filed in the circuit, probate, or county court, which share concurrent jurisdiction on the application of a resident of the county where the application is made (Tennessee Code Annotated Section 29-8-101(a)). Which court hears name changes in practice varies by county, so confirm with the clerk.
You apply in the county where you reside, and the petition must state that you are a resident of that county (Tennessee Code Annotated Section 29-8-101(a) and Section 29-8-102). Tennessee sets no fixed durational residency period; the requirement is residence in the county where you file.
Tennessee Code Annotated Title 29, Chapter 8 does not require an adult to publish notice of a name change in a newspaper. In an uncontested case the court can grant the change without a published notice period, which keeps the process faster and less costly than in publication states.
The application must be a written petition, signed by you and verified by affidavit, that states you are a resident of the county and gives your reasons for the change (Tennessee Code Annotated Section 29-8-102). State your present legal name and the exact new name you are requesting.
A person convicted of first or second degree murder, or of any offense that requires registration as a sexual offender under the Tennessee Sexual Offender and Violent Sexual Offender Registration Act, may not legally change their name (Tennessee Code Annotated Section 29-8-101(b)(1)).
If you have any other felony conviction, the petition is presumed made in bad faith, and the court will not grant it unless you prove by clear and convincing evidence that it is made in good faith, is not to defraud or mislead, will not injure any individual, and will not compromise public safety (Tennessee Code Annotated Section 29-8-101(b)).
Tennessee decides a name change on the verified petition, and many counties set a short hearing at which the judge reviews the petition before signing the order (Tennessee Code Annotated Section 29-8-102 and Section 29-8-104). An uncontested adult change is usually brief; confirm the practice with your court clerk.
After the judge signs the order, order certified copies from the clerk and use them to update Social Security, your Tennessee driver license or ID, your passport, and other records. The filing fee is set by the court and a fee waiver is available if you cannot afford it.
Frequently Asked Questions
A name change petition is the court document an adult files in Tennessee to legally change their own name. It is a written petition, signed and verified by affidavit, stating that you are a resident of the county and giving your reasons for the change (Tennessee Code Annotated Section 29-8-102). You file it in the circuit, probate, or county court, and when the judge signs the order the new name becomes your legal name (Tennessee Code Annotated Section 29-8-101).
In Tennessee you file a verified petition for change of name in the circuit, probate, or county court of the county where you live, pay the filing fee or request a waiver, and state your reasons for the change (Tennessee Code Annotated Section 29-8-101 and Section 29-8-102). Tennessee does not require newspaper publication. If the judge is satisfied and you are not barred by a disqualifying conviction, the court signs the order, and you use certified copies to update your records.
No. Tennessee Code Annotated Title 29, Chapter 8 does not require an adult to publish notice of a name change in a newspaper. You file a verified petition and, in an uncontested case, the court can grant the change without a published notice period. Because there is no publication step, a Tennessee name change is typically faster and less expensive than in states that require weeks of newspaper notice.
In Tennessee the circuit, probate, and county courts have concurrent jurisdiction over a name change, so you may file in any of those courts in the county where you reside (Tennessee Code Annotated Section 29-8-101(a)). Which of these courts hears name changes in practice varies by county, so check with the clerk in your county to confirm where to file your petition.
Tennessee grants the courts jurisdiction over a name change on the application of a resident of the county in which the application is made, and the petition must state that you are a resident of the county (Tennessee Code Annotated Section 29-8-101(a) and Section 29-8-102). The statute does not set a fixed number of months you must have lived there; the requirement is that you are a resident of the county where you file.
Yes. In Tennessee a person convicted of first or second degree murder, or of an offense that requires registration as a sexual offender, may not legally change their name (Tennessee Code Annotated Section 29-8-101(b)(1)). For any other felony conviction, the petition is presumed made in bad faith, and the court will not grant it unless you prove by clear and convincing evidence that it is in good faith and will not defraud, mislead, injure anyone, or compromise public safety.
Tennessee decides a name change on your verified petition, and many counties set a short hearing at which the judge reviews the petition before signing the order (Tennessee Code Annotated Section 29-8-102 and Section 29-8-104). An uncontested adult change is usually brief. Practice varies by county and by whether you file in circuit, probate, or county court, so ask the clerk whether a hearing date will be set in your case.
After the Tennessee judge signs the order, request several certified copies from the clerk of the court that heard your petition. Notify the Social Security Administration first, then the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security for a corrected driver license or ID, then the U.S. Department of State for your passport, and finally your employer, bank, and insurers. The certified Tennessee order is the proof each office needs, so hold on to at least one spare certified copy.