Louisiana
Louisiana Name Change Laws: The District Attorney's Role in Your Petition
Independently fact-checked against primary sources (last audited August 11, 2026). · Law checked current as of August 11, 2026. · 4 primary sources cited on this page. How we verify our legal content
Louisiana is a civil-law jurisdiction, and its name-change process reflects that structure in a way no other state in this guide does. An adult petitions the district court, but the petition must also be formally served on the parish district attorney, who is cited to answer and has standing to object. Lawyers call this a "contradictory proceeding," and it is a genuine, unavoidable extra step, not paperwork that simply gets filed and forgotten.
This page covers that district attorney requirement, the felony restrictions that can bar a petition outright, how minors and divorcing spouses are handled, and why Louisiana treats a post-divorce surname change as something you elect rather than something a court restores.
Information last verified on 2026-08-11. This article has not yet been reviewed by a licensed lawyer.
How to Legally Change Your Name in Louisiana
Under La. R.S. 13:4751, an adult petitions the district court. Venue can be the parish of residence, the parish of birth if the petitioner was born in Louisiana, Orleans Parish through the Vital Records Registry venue, or the parish where the petitioner was sentenced if incarcerated. No separate durational residency period applies beyond satisfying one of those venue options. Louisiana has no single statewide self-help portal for this process; each Judicial District Court runs its own self-help resources, so check with the court where you plan to file.
Preparing a Louisiana Name-Change Petition
Louisiana has no statewide self-help portal, so first check the self-help resources of the Judicial District Court where you plan to file and ask the clerk whether that court has a petition form. If it has none, you may end up writing the petition yourself in a word processor, and the court decides what it accepts. PDFelement is optional paid software that can convert that Word draft to a PDF, edit its text, and use OCR to make scanned supporting records searchable. It does not make the petition valid by itself, and it does not serve the parish district attorney: the formal service and citation under La. R.S. 13:4752 described below is still required.
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The District Attorney's Role: A Contradictory Proceeding
This is the step that makes Louisiana genuinely different. La. R.S. 13:4752 requires that the district attorney, or a district attorney pro tempore, of the parish be served with a copy of the petition and cited to answer it. This is what Louisiana's civil-law tradition calls a "contradictory proceeding," meaning the case is not simply filed with the court and processed administratively. The district attorney has standing to appear and object, including on public-safety or fraud grounds. Anyone filing in Louisiana should plan for this as a real procedural step with its own timeline, not a formality.
Filing Fees
Louisiana has no statewide name-change filing fee. Costs are set parish by parish; reported examples run from around $250 in Jefferson Parish up to $300 to $500 in other parishes. The statute itself, La. R.S. 13:4755, says only that the applicant pays the cost of the proceedings. An In Forma Pauperis affidavit is available for petitioners who cannot afford the fee.
Changing a Minor's Name in Louisiana
The minor provision sits inside the same statute as the general adult petition, La. R.S. 13:4751. The petition must be signed by both the minor's father and mother, with defined exceptions: one parent may sign alone if they have sole custody and the other parent's rights were terminated; if the non-custodial parent, after being served notice, failed to pay court-ordered support for a year, neglected support for three years after a custody award, or abandoned contact for two years without justification; or if both parents are deceased, in which case the child's tutor or tutrix (legal guardian) signs instead. A single parent may also petition if the child's surname was assigned contrary to the birth-certificate surname statute, R.S. 40:34.2. The statute does not set out an explicit best-interest standard the way some states do; the court evaluates the petition and stated reasons generally, and the district attorney can appear and object here too.
Criminal History Restrictions
A person convicted of a felony cannot petition for a name change until the sentence, including any period of imprisonment, probation, or parole, is fully satisfied. Separately, La. R.S. 13:4751(D)(2) provides that a person convicted of any felony enumerated in La. R.S. 14:2(B) may not petition at all, a permanent bar rather than a waiting period.
R.S. 14:2(B) is the Criminal Code's definition of a "crime of violence," and it lists more than 60 named offenses. The list opens with solicitation for murder, first degree murder, second degree murder, manslaughter, aggravated battery, second degree battery, aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping of a child, and the graded rape and sexual battery offenses, and runs on through offenses such as aggravated burglary, armed robbery, carjacking, human trafficking, and home invasion. Because the list is long and has been amended repeatedly, anyone with a felony conviction should read the current text of 14:2(B) and confirm eligibility with the parish district attorney's office or an attorney before filing.
Changing Your Name After Marriage or Divorce
Louisiana Civil Code article 100 states that marriage does not automatically change either spouse's name. A married person may use the surname of either spouse, or both, without a court filing.
For a name change tied to widowhood, divorce, or remarriage, La. R.S. 9:292 works differently from the "restoration" framework used in most other states. It is a standing statutory election, not a court order: a person may, at their own option, use a maiden name, a present spouse's name, or a hyphenated combination while married, and if widowed, divorced, or remarried, may use a maiden name, a deceased or former spouse's surname, or a present spouse's surname. There is no need to ask a court to restore anything. The statute's text refers to "a woman," a gendered holdover that should be read as applying to whichever spouse is making the election.
Related Louisiana Records
For related Louisiana record searches, see Louisiana marriage and divorce records, Louisiana court records, and Louisiana divorce laws.
Disclaimer
This article provides general information about Louisiana name-change law. It is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Fees, forms, and court procedures change and vary by parish; verify current details with your parish clerk of court, the district attorney's office, or a licensed Louisiana 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Louisiana require me to publish notice of my name change?
No. Louisiana does not have a newspaper-publication requirement, but the parish district attorney must be formally served with your petition and can object to it.
What is a contradictory proceeding in a Louisiana name change?
It means the case is not simply filed and processed. The parish district attorney must be served with the petition and cited to answer, and has standing to appear and object.
Can a felony conviction stop me from changing my name in Louisiana?
Yes, for the length of your sentence including probation or parole. A conviction for any felony on the crime-of-violence list in La. R.S. 14:2(B), which names more than 60 offenses including murder, manslaughter, aggravated battery, and armed robbery, is a permanent bar rather than a waiting period.
Do I need a court order to use my maiden name again after divorce in Louisiana?
No. Under La. R.S. 9:292, you may elect to use your maiden name, a former spouse's name, or a present spouse's name without going back to court.
How much does a Louisiana name change cost?
It varies by parish, since there is no statewide fee. Reported examples run from about $250 in Jefferson Parish to $300 to $500 elsewhere.
Updates
Corrected the filing-cost section, which referred to a court-ordered publication cost although Louisiana’s name-change statute has no publication step, and replaced the vague description of the R.S. 14:2(B) permanent-bar list with the statute’s actual crime-of-violence definition.
Independently fact-checked against the cited primary sources; governing law re-checked for recent changes
The Law Behind This Article
This article rests on the statutory provisions below, held in our own legal record and retrieved from the official source. Tap a section to read the operative text.
Louisiana Revised Statutes
§ 13:4751Petition for name change; adults; minorsIn force
A. The name of a person may be changed as provided in this Section. B. Whenever any person who has attained the age of majority desires to change his name, he shall present a petition to the district court of the parish of his residence, the parish of his birth, or the parish of venue for the Vital Records Registry, or, in the case of a person incarcerated in a penal institution, to the district court of the parish in which he was sentenced, setting forth the reasons for the desired change. C. If the person desiring such change is a minor or if the parents or parent or the tutor of the minor desire to change the name of the minor: (1) The petition shall be signed by the father and mother of the minor or by the survivor in case one of them be dead. (2) If one parent has been granted custody of the minor by a court of competent jurisdiction, the consent of the other parent is not necessary under either of the following circumstances: (a) The parental rights of the other parent have been terminated.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-09-02 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at legis.la.gov
Cited in 14 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2017
In the courts (editorial summary, independently checked):Louisiana courts treat La. R.S. 13:4751 et seq. as the only procedure for changing a child's name. Gary v. LeBlanc (2017) held that route, with a contradictory proceeding with the district attorney, must be followed and dismissed a name-change demand joined to a custody suit. Morace v. Waller (1999) reversed a change made without it.
Opinions citing this section in our collection:
- Gary v. LeBlanc (Louisiana Court of Appeal 2017, 16 La.App. 3 Cir. 1054)✓A father asked to change his daughter's surname inside a custody suit; the court held La. R.S. 13:4751 et seq. is the only procedure for a minor's name change and requires a contradictory proceeding with the district attorney, and dismissed the request without prejudice.
- Morace v. Waller (Louisiana Court of Appeal 1999, 755 So. 2d 905)✓A father obtained an order changing his daughter's surname to his in a paternity case; the court reversed, holding the provision letting one parent petition alone did not apply because the child's registered surname was already authorized, so the mother's consent was required.
- Sanders v. Silverthorn (Louisiana Court of Appeal 2005, 906 So. 2d 518)✓Two years after signing a paternity affidavit that recorded the mother's surname, the father filed a separate name-change petition; the court held his earlier custody suit did not bar that petition by res judicata and affirmed the change of the child's surname.
Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.
§ 13:4752Representation of state; serviceIn force
The proceedings shall be carried on contradictorily with the district attorney or district attorney pro tem of the parish in which the application is made, who shall represent the state, and who shall be served with a copy of the petition and citation to answer the same.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-29 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at legis.la.gov
Cited in 9 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2017
Opinions citing this section in our collection:
- Gold v. Liner (Louisiana Court of Appeal 2002, 822 So. 2d 166)“…th a copy of the petition and citation to answer the same.” La. R.S. 13:4752, 140n appeal to this court, Ms, Liner…”
- Gary v. LeBlanc (Louisiana Court of Appeal 2017, 16 La.App. 3 Cir. 1054)“…ictory hearing -with the district attorney is required. See La.R.S. 13:4752. Gary asserts that because the required…”
- Morace v. Waller (Louisiana Court of Appeal 1999, 755 So. 2d 905)“…rth certificate. Since she failed to do so, he alleged that La.R.S. 13:4752(C)(4) allowed him to petition for the n…”
Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.
§ 9:292Surname of married personIn force
Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, a woman, at her option, may use her maiden name, her present spouse's name, or a hyphenated combination thereof. If widowed, divorced, or remarried, a woman may use her maiden name, the surname of her deceased or former spouse, the surname of her present spouse, or any combination thereof.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-29 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at legis.la.gov
§ 14:2DefinitionsIn forcecited in 10 of our articles
A. In this Code the terms enumerated shall have the designated meanings: (1) "Another" refers to any other person or legal entity, including the state of Louisiana or any subdivision thereof. (2) "Anything of value" must be given the broadest possible construction, including any conceivable thing of the slightest value, movable or immovable, corporeal or incorporeal, public or private, and including transportation, telephone and telegraph services, or any other service available for hire. It must be construed in the broad popular sense of the phrase, not necessarily as synonymous with the traditional legal term "property." In all cases involving shoplifting the term "value" is the actual retail price of the property at the time of the offense. (3) "Dangerous weapon" includes any gas, liquid or other substance or instrumentality, which, in the manner used, is calculated or likely to produce death or great bodily harm. (4) "Felony" is any crime for which an offender may be sentenced to death or imprisonment at hard labor. (5) "Foreseeable" refers to that which ordinarily would be anticipated by a human being of average reasonable intelligence and perception.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-29 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at legis.la.gov
Cited in 700 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2026
Opinions citing this section in our collection:
- State v. Lindsey (Supreme Court of Louisiana 2000, 770 So. 2d 339)“…for simple robbery, did involve a crime of violence under La. R.S. 14:2(13) and thus was a sufficient basis for…”
- State v. Strother (Supreme Court of Louisiana 2010, 49 So. 3d 372)“…imes of violence as enumerated in, or generally defined by, La.R.S. 14:2(B). On that record, the Third Ci…”
- State v. Parker (Supreme Court of Louisiana 2004, 871 So. 2d 317)“…r felonies is a felony defined as a crime of violence under La. R.S. 14:2(13) or as a violation of the Uniform Co…”
Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.
Also relied on in: Louisiana Assault and Battery Laws: Charges and Penalties (2026), Louisiana Disturbing the Peace and Trespass Laws (2026), Louisiana Expungement Laws: Eligibility, Costs, and How to Clear Your Record
§ 13:4755Payment of costIn force
The applicant in all cases shall pay the cost of the proceedings.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-29 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at legis.la.gov
Louisiana Civil Code
§ 100Surname of married personsIn force
Marriage does not change the name of either spouse. However, a married person may use the surname of either or both spouses as a surname.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-29 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at legis.la.gov
Cited in 1 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 1997
Opinions citing this section in our collection:
- Rivet v. Regions Bank of Louisiana, F.S.B. (Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit 1997, 108 F.3d 576)“…leans and the "country parishes" of South Louisiana. See La. Civ.Code art. 100. . Eubanks v. F.D.I.C., 977…”
Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.
Explore the law
The laws cited above reference these related sections in their own text:
- Louisiana Revised Statutes § 14:79 — Violation of protective orders view in our statute record · read at the official source
Related law for further reading — not part of this article’s citations.
Sources and References
- Louisiana Revised Statutes, R.S. 13:4751, Change of Name; Petition(legis.la.gov).gov
- Louisiana Revised Statutes, R.S. 13:4752, Citation of District Attorney(legis.la.gov).gov
- Louisiana Revised Statutes, R.S. 9:292, Use of Surname(legis.la.gov).gov
- Louisiana Civil Code article 100, Surname(legis.la.gov).gov
- Louisiana State Bar Association, Self-Represented Litigant Petition for Adult Name Change Packet(lsba.org)
- Louisiana Revised Statutes, R.S. 14:2, Definitions; crime of violence(legis.la.gov)
- Louisiana Revised Statutes, R.S. 13:4755, Payment of cost(legis.la.gov)