Washington Name Change Petition
In Washington an adult files a name change petition in the district court of a judicial district in the state, and no newspaper publication is required. 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 takes the place of the former name. In Washington you apply to the district court of a judicial district in the state, which in its discretion may order the change (RCW 4.24.130(1)). Washington does not require you to publish notice of the change in a newspaper, so there is no publication step to complete before an order. The statute sets no fixed number of months you must have lived in the state before filing. Washington also offers a confidential option: if your change is related to gender expression or identity, or is due to an experience of or reasonable fear of domestic violence, stalking, unlawful harassment, or coercive control as defined in RCW 7.105.010, your petition is filed and heard in superior court, and on granting the change the court seals the file so there is no public access to the record (RCW 4.24.130(5)). The court collects a recording fee under RCW 36.18.010 and must waive all fees if you file an affidavit of financial hardship (RCW 4.24.130(4)). After the order is signed, you use certified copies to update Social Security, your Washington driver license, and other records. DocDraft builds your Washington 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; when the court orders the change, the new name takes the place of the former name (RCW 4.24.130(1)).
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You apply to the district court of a judicial district in the state for a general adult name change, and the court in its discretion may order the change (RCW 4.24.130(1)).
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Washington does not require newspaper publication of a name change petition; there is no publication step to complete before the court can order the change.
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RCW 4.24.130 sets no durational residency requirement for an adult name change; the statute lets you apply to the district court of a judicial district in the state.
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A change related to gender expression or identity, or due to an experience of or reasonable fear of domestic violence, stalking, unlawful harassment, or coercive control under RCW 7.105.010, is filed and heard in superior court, which seals the file so there is no public access to the record (RCW 4.24.130(5)).
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An offender under Department of Corrections jurisdiction must give the department at least five days notice, and a registered sex offender must follow the procedures in RCW 9A.44.130 (RCW 4.24.130(2) and (3)).
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The district court collects a recording fee under RCW 36.18.010 and must waive all fees on an affidavit of financial hardship; after the order is signed, use certified copies to update Social Security, your Washington driver license or ID, your passport, and other records (RCW 4.24.130(4)).
Key decisions before you file
Before you file a Name Change Petition in Washington, 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 guideCustomize your Name Change Petition Template with DocDraft
Washington Requirements for Name Change Petition
District Court of a Judicial District in the State
A general adult name change in Washington is filed in the district court of a judicial district in the state. Any person desiring a change of name may apply to the district court of any judicial district in the state, and the court in its discretion may order the change (RCW 4.24.130(1)).
Residency and Where to File
RCW 4.24.130 sets no fixed durational residency period for an adult name change; the statute lets you apply to the district court of a judicial district in the state (RCW 4.24.130(1)). The key requirement is filing in the proper Washington court, so confirm local filing practice with the district court where you file.
No Newspaper Publication Required
Washington does not require newspaper publication of a name change petition. RCW 4.24.130 contains no publication step, so there is nothing to publish before the court can order the change. A safety or gender-identity petition filed in superior court is instead sealed from public access (RCW 4.24.130(5)).
Present Name and Proposed New Name
The petition must set forth your present legal name, the new name you want, and your desire for the change, so the court can order that the new name take the place of the former (RCW 4.24.130(1)). State the exact spelling of the requested new name.
Reason for the Change
State the reason for the requested change in your petition. The Washington district court in its discretion may order the change (RCW 4.24.130(1)). If the reason is gender expression or identity, or a reasonable fear of domestic violence, stalking, unlawful harassment, or coercive control, the petition is filed and heard in superior court (RCW 4.24.130(5)).
Good Faith, Corrections, and Registration Status
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. An offender under Department of Corrections jurisdiction must give the department at least five days notice, and a registered sex offender must follow RCW 9A.44.130 (RCW 4.24.130(2) and (3)).
Confidential Superior Court Option
If your change is related to gender expression or identity, or is due to an experience of or reasonable fear of domestic violence, stalking, unlawful harassment, or coercive control as defined in RCW 7.105.010, the petition is filed and heard in superior court, which seals the file on granting the change so there is no public access to the record (RCW 4.24.130(5)).
Fee, Fee Waiver, and Certified Copies
The district court collects a recording fee under RCW 36.18.010 and must waive all fees on an affidavit of financial hardship, unless victim compensation covered the fees (RCW 4.24.130(4)). After the order is signed, order certified copies from the clerk to update Social Security, your Washington driver license or ID, your passport, and other records. The filing fee is set by the court and a fee waiver is available.