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.
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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 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
Circuit, Probate, or County Court
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.
Resident of the County
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.
No Newspaper Publication
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.
Verified Petition Stating Reasons
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.
Conviction Bar
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)).
Bad Faith Presumption for Other Felonies
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)).
Hearing and Order
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.
Certified Copies After the Order
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.