Arkansas Name Change Form: Petition, Court Hearing, and ID Updates

To change your name in Arkansas, file a verified petition in the circuit court of the county where you live under Arkansas Code § 9-2-101, which lets a circuit court grant a name change to any person within its jurisdiction who shows good reasons for the request.¹ This is the process for an Arkansas name change by court order. Name changes that happen automatically through marriage or divorce are handled inside those proceedings and don’t require a separate petition.

Who Can File

The statute says “any person” within the court’s jurisdiction can petition. There’s no set residency period written into the law, but you must file in the circuit court of the county where you currently live.¹ If you’ve just moved to Arkansas, ask your circuit clerk whether the court will treat you as having established jurisdiction.

Any adult resident can file on their own behalf. You don’t need an attorney, though some petitioners hire one when they expect complications at the hearing.

For a minor, only a parent or legal guardian can file. Both parents must give written, notarized consent. If one parent cannot be located, the filing parent has to show a genuine effort to notify them. If the parents disagree, the judge decides based on the child’s best interests.

Registered sex offenders are heavily restricted. A person on the registry can change their name only in connection with a marriage or where the change is necessary to the practice of their religion. Any other name change is prohibited, and violating that restriction is a Class C felony. Even a permitted change has to be reported in person to local law enforcement within five calendar days.²

Forms You Need

Three documents make up a standard filing: a Civil Court Cover Sheet, a Petition for Change of Name, and a proposed Order for Change of Name. Blank forms are usually available from the circuit clerk’s office or through the Arkansas Judiciary’s website. The petition must be notarized before you take it to the clerk.

Under the statute the petition is a “verified petition in writing,” meaning you sign it under oath.¹ In it you provide your current legal name, date of birth, driver’s license or Social Security number, residential address, the new name you want, and your reasons for the change. Because it’s sworn, everything in it has to be truthful. Misrepresenting your reasons or hiding material facts, like pending criminal cases or outstanding debts, can lead to denial or worse.

The proposed order is what the judge signs if the petition is granted. It has to include your prior name, birth date, identifying information such as your Social Security or driver’s license number, and your new name.¹ Sensitive information like your Social Security number is redacted from the public file under Arkansas Supreme Court Administrative Order No. 19.1; the clerk handles the redaction and keeps the unredacted version for official use.

Filing Fees and Fee Waivers

Take the completed, notarized paperwork to the circuit clerk in your county. The filing fee is generally around $165, though some counties charge more. If you can’t afford it, you can file an In Forma Pauperis petition asking the court to waive the fee based on financial hardship. The clerk can walk you through that.

Arkansas doesn’t require you to publish a notice of your name change in a newspaper. Once your petition is filed, the clerk will either set a hearing or tell you the judge intends to rule on the paperwork. Practice varies by county.

What Happens in Court

Most Arkansas name change cases are straightforward, and some judges sign the order without any hearing. When a hearing is held, it’s usually brief: you appear, confirm your identity, and explain why you want the change. The judge’s task is to decide whether you’ve shown “good reasons” and whether the change serves a lawful purpose.

Judges tend to deny petitions that look designed to evade debts, dodge legal proceedings, or create confusion with a public figure. Profane or threatening names can also be refused. Where the reason is genuine and clear, most petitions are granted without difficulty.

If the judge approves, the order is signed on the spot, and the change is legally effective once that signed order is filed with the clerk. Ask the clerk for several certified copies right away. You’ll need one for every agency and institution that holds your records. Certified copies typically cost a few dollars each.

What the Clerk Sends Automatically

The statute requires the clerk to send your unredacted order directly to three agencies: the Arkansas Crime Information Center, Arkansas Driver Control, and, if you ask, the Division of Vital Records.¹ Some background database updates happen without any action on your part. You still have to personally update your Social Security record, driver’s license, passport, and other accounts.

The court can also seal your name change file if you present clear and convincing evidence that leaving it open would endanger you.¹ This matters most for survivors of domestic violence or stalking. Raise it in the petition or at the hearing if safety is a concern.

Updating Your Social Security Record

Social Security should be your first stop after the order is signed. Depending on your situation, you may be able to request the change online; if not, schedule an appointment at a local SSA office.³ You’ll need a certified court order and proof of identity. There’s no fee, and the new card usually arrives in five to ten business days.

Updating Your Arkansas Driver’s License

Once your Social Security record is updated, visit an Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration Revenue Office for a new driver’s license or state ID. Bring the certified court order, your updated Social Security card, and your current license. The DFA also publishes an Affidavit of Legal Name Change for situations where the linking documents are missing.⁴ Expect the standard replacement fee.

Updating Your U.S. Passport

What you file for a passport depends on timing. If your passport was issued less than a year ago and your name was legally changed less than a year ago, you can mail Form DS-5504 with your current passport, court order, and a new photo at no charge, unless you want expedited service, which adds $60.⁵

If more than a year has passed since the passport was issued or the name change was finalized, apply for a renewal. Most people can renew by mail using Form DS-82 with the court order, current passport, a new photo, and the standard renewal fee of $130 for a passport book.⁶ If you’re not eligible to renew by mail, apply in person using Form DS-11.

Amending Your Arkansas Birth Certificate

If you were born in Arkansas, you can amend your birth certificate through the Arkansas Department of Health. A surname change requires a court order, which you already have. The amendment fee is $15. Replacement copies of the amended certificate are $12 for the first copy and $10 for each additional copy ordered at the same time.⁷

Vital Records reviews each amendment individually, so the exact documents requested beyond the court order can vary. Contact the office at 501-682-1214 or adh.vitalrecords@arkansas.gov before mailing anything to confirm what they need.⁷ Asking the circuit clerk to forward your order to Vital Records during the name change proceeding can shorten this step.

1
Justia. Arkansas Code 9-2-101 – Name Change – Procedure
2
Arkansas State Legislature. Act 262 of 2019 – Arkansas Code 12-12-906(f)
3
Social Security Administration. Change Name with Social Security
4
Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration. Affidavit of Legal Name Change for State ID or Driver License
5
U.S. Department of State. Name Change for U.S. Passport or Correct a Printing or Data Error
6
U.S. Department of State. Passport Fees
7
Arkansas Department of Health. Change or Amend a Birth or Death Certificate