Utah Name Change Petition
In Utah an adult files a name change petition in the district court of the county where they live after a year of county residency, and the court decides what notice, if any, is given. Attorney review available.
Introduction
A name change petition is the court document an adult files to legally change their own name, and Utah is unusual in fixing no set publication period: the court decides what notice, if any, the hearing needs before ordering the change that makes your new name legal. In Utah you file the petition in the district court of the county where you live, and you must have been a bona fide resident of that county for the year immediately prior to filing (Utah Code Section 42-1-1). Utah does not require newspaper publication as an automatic step. Instead, the court orders what, if any, notice of the hearing must be given, and it may grant the change upon proof in open court of the allegations of your petition and that proper cause exists (Utah Code Section 42-1-2). A person who is an offender as defined in Section 64-13-1 may not file, and a petitioner must state on the petition whether they are required to register under the Sex, Kidnap, and Child Abuse Offender Registry (Utah Code Section 42-1-1). A Utah name change does not affect any pending legal action or any right, title, or interest (Utah Code Section 42-1-3). After the order is signed, you use certified copies to update Social Security, your Utah driver license, and other records. DocDraft builds your Utah 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 Utah a district court judge may order it only on proof in open court of your petition's allegations and that proper cause exists, and that order makes the new name legal.
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You file the petition in the district court of the county where you live (Utah Code Section 42-1-1).
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Utah requires you to have been a bona fide resident of that county for the year immediately prior to filing the petition (Utah Code Section 42-1-1).
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Utah does not automatically require newspaper publication; the court orders what, if any, notice of the hearing shall be given (Utah Code Section 42-1-2).
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The court may order the change of name upon proof in open court of the allegations of your petition and that proper cause exists for granting it (Utah Code Section 42-1-2).
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A person who is an offender as defined in Section 64-13-1 may not file, and every petitioner must indicate whether they are required to register under the Sex, Kidnap, and Child Abuse Offender Registry (Utah Code Section 42-1-1).
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A Utah name change does not affect any pending legal action or any right, title, or interest (Utah Code Section 42-1-3). After the order, use certified copies to update records; the filing fee is set by the 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 Utah, 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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Utah Requirements for Name Change Petition
District Court in Your County of Residence
An adult name change in Utah is filed in the district court of the county where the petitioner resides. A natural person desiring to change their name may file a petition in the district court of the county where the natural person resides (Utah Code Section 42-1-1).
One Year County Residency and Venue
You must have been a bona fide resident of the county for the year immediately prior to filing, and the petition must set out the cause for the change, the name proposed, and that residency (Utah Code Section 42-1-1). File in the district court of the county where you live.
Notice of the Hearing Set by the Court
Utah does not fix a newspaper publication period. The court shall order what, if any, notice of the hearing shall be given, and after that notice, if any, may order the change (Utah Code Section 42-1-2). Publication happens only if the court directs it, so a petitioner with safety concerns can ask the court to limit notice.
Present Name and Proposed New Name
The petition must state your present legal name and the exact new name you propose (Utah Code Section 42-1-1). The court changes the name from the present name to the proposed name in its order once proper cause is proven.
Cause for the Change and Proper Cause
The petition must set forth the cause for which the change of name is sought (Utah Code Section 42-1-1), and the court may order the change only upon proof in open court that there exists proper cause for granting it (Utah Code Section 42-1-2).
Good Faith, No Fraud, and Who Cannot File
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. A person who is an offender as defined in Section 64-13-1 may not file, and the falsification statutes in Title 76, Chapter 8, Part 5 apply (Utah Code Section 42-1-1).
Registry Disclosure on the Petition
Every petitioner must indicate on the petition whether they are required to register under Title 53, Chapter 29, Sex, Kidnap, and Child Abuse Offender Registry, and the court may request additional information from a person who must register (Utah Code Section 42-1-1). Utah imposes no fingerprint or criminal background check for a name change.
Certified Copies, No Rights Affected, and Fee
A Utah name change does not affect any pending legal action or any right, title, or interest (Utah Code Section 42-1-3). After the order is signed, order certified copies from the clerk to update Social Security, your Utah driver license or ID, your passport, and other records. The filing fee is set by the court and a fee waiver is available.