California Name Change Laws: Court Process, Fees, and the New Confidentiality Option

California runs the most thoroughly codified name-change system of any state covered in this guide. Adult and minor petitions go through Code of Civil Procedure Sections 1275 to 1279.6 in superior court, divorce-related name restoration has its own dedicated statute, and marriage-based name changes are written directly into the Family Code. California also has a new, broader confidentiality option for name-change petitioners that took effect July 1, 2026.

This guide walks through each of those pieces separately: the standard adult petition, the minor process, divorce restoration, the codified marriage-based pathway, publication and its exceptions, the new confidentiality track, and the restrictions that apply to registered sex offenders.

Information last verified on 2026-08-11. This article has not yet been reviewed by a licensed lawyer.

Adult Petition Process

Adults file a Petition for Change of Name, form NC-100, in the superior court of the county where they live, under Code of Civil Procedure Section 1276. The court then issues an order to show cause, and, absent an exception, that order must be published under Government Code Section 6064 in a newspaper of general circulation, four weekly publications are sufficient, before the court holds a hearing, typically scheduled six to twelve weeks out.

The petitioner must declare, under penalty of perjury, any felony convictions, pending felony charges, or intent to use the name change to commit fraud. A prosecutor or a victim has standing to contest the change for up to a year after the court grants it, and the court can seal the application and judgment for certain protected persons.

If no one objects at the hearing, the judge signs a Decree Changing Name (form NC-120), which becomes the petitioner's proof of the new legal name for the Social Security Administration, the DMV, and other agencies. If someone does object, or if the court has questions about the petition, the hearing can be continued for additional information rather than decided on the spot.

Petitioners changing their name specifically in connection with their gender identity use a related but separate form, NC-200, Petition for Change of Name and Gender, instead of the standard NC-100. NC-200 lets a petitioner request a gender-marker change alongside the name change in a single case, rather than filing two separate proceedings.

Filing Fee

California's name-change filing fee typically runs $435 to $450, though it varies by county because of local court surcharges. Petitioners who cannot afford the fee can request a waiver using form FW-001 (Request to Waive Court Fees) along with form FW-003 (Order on Court Fee Waiver).

Minor Name Changes

If the petitioner is under 18, the petition must name the child's parents. A petition filed by a guardian appointed by the juvenile court or the probate court has to be filed in the court that already has jurisdiction over the minor, per Code of Civil Procedure Section 1276(b) through (f). Beyond those procedural requirements, the same not-detrimental-to-any-person standard that governs adult petitions under Section 1277(a) applies to minor petitions as well.

Because a minor's petition still goes through the same order-to-show-cause and publication process as an adult petition unless an exception applies, a parent filing on a child's behalf should expect the same general timeline, roughly six to twelve weeks to a hearing date, and the same $435 to $450 range in filing costs, unless a fee waiver applies. Where only one parent is filing, county self-help centers can advise on notice to the other parent; this guide does not attempt to state a single statewide rule for that situation because California's own statutory text on it was not independently confirmed in full for this guide.

Name Change After Divorce

California treats divorce-related name restoration as a straightforward right rather than something a spouse has to plan for in advance. Family Code Section 2080 requires the court, in a dissolution or nullity proceeding, to restore a party's birth name or a former name at that party's request, and the statute is explicit that this works «regardless of whether a request for restoration of the name was included in the petition,» so a spouse who did not ask for restoration up front can still request it later in the case. See California divorce laws for the broader dissolution process.

Publication and Confidentiality

The default rule is publication: four weekly newspaper notices under Government Code Section 6064, ordered as part of the order-to-show-cause process under CCP Section 1277(a).

California has two separate ways to avoid that public notice. The older one, CCP Section 1277(b), waives publication entirely for participants in California's Address Confidentiality Program, known as Safe at Home, who are fleeing domestic violence, stalking, sexual assault, or human trafficking. For those petitioners, the court order states that the proposed new name is confidential and on file with the Secretary of State, and the petitioner's current legal name is kept out of the court's public calendars, indexes, and register of actions. This protection applies only to enrolled Safe at Home participants, not to anyone who simply mentions domestic violence in their petition without enrolling in the program.

The newer, broader option is Health and Safety Code Section 103437, which took effect for petitions filed on or after July 1, 2026, a date that has now passed. Unlike the Safe at Home-only CCP Section 1277(b) pathway, HSC Section 103437 gives any name or gender-marker change petitioner the option to request confidentiality by ex parte motion, without a separate fee and without needing to be enrolled in Safe at Home. Because this is a newly effective law, confirm the current procedure with your county superior court's self-help center before relying on it.

Restrictions

Every petitioner declares, under penalty of perjury, any felony convictions, pending felony charges, or an intent to change their name for fraud; a victim or prosecutor can contest the change for up to a year after it is granted.

Registered sex offenders face a substantially stricter rule. Under CCP Section 1279.5(e), the court shall deny a petition filed by a person required to register under Penal Code Section 290 unless it finds that granting the change is in the best interest of justice and will not adversely affect public safety. Subsection (f) requires the court to check the petitioner's registration status through CLETS or CJIS, or to contact local law enforcement if that is unavailable, and the applicant must declare under penalty of perjury whether they are a required registrant. If the court does grant the change, the person must notify local police or the sheriff within five working days.

Marriage-Based Name Change

California directly codifies this pathway. Family Code Section 306.5 lets either or both spouses elect to change their middle or last name as part of getting married, using the marriage license and certificate process itself. A certified copy of the marriage certificate showing the new name is legal proof that the name is lawfully in use; no separate superior court petition is required for a marriage-based change specifically. See name change after marriage for the general steps of updating IDs and accounts afterward.

Domestic Violence and Safety Considerations

California offers two layered confidentiality options, described above: the Address Confidentiality Program-linked publication waiver under CCP Section 1277(b), and the newer, broader HSC Section 103437 ex parte confidentiality request available to any petitioner since July 1, 2026. Enrollment in Safe at Home is a separate, proactive step; simply describing domestic violence in a petition does not by itself trigger the CCP Section 1277(b) waiver.

Even with either of these state-level protections, a sealed or confidential California court record does not automatically make a new name confidential with the Social Security Administration or the U.S. State Department. Those agencies apply their own separate rules for what they will and will not disclose.

Related California Records

See California marriage and divorce records for obtaining certified copies your petition may require, and California court records for how name-change case files fit into the state's broader court-records rules. If your name change is tied to an adopted child's records rather than an adult petition, see California adoption records for how an amended birth certificate works after an adoption.

For the general nationwide process, see how to legally change your name, what it costs to change your name, name change after divorce, and the post-name-change checklist.

Disclaimer

This article provides general information about California name-change law. It is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. California's new confidentiality law, Health and Safety Code Section 103437, is recently effective; procedures for using it may still be settling at individual courthouses. Verify current details with your county superior court's self-help center or a licensed California attorney before relying on anything here for a specific situation.

---

Last updated: 2026-08-11. Fees and forms reflect their published status as of August 2026.