Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Name Change Laws: Fingerprinting, Dual Publication, and the Offense Bar
Pennsylvania's name-change process is more demanding than most states'. Every adult petition requires pre-filing fingerprinting and a Pennsylvania State Police criminal-history check, notice published in two newspapers, and a detailed statutory list of convictions that permanently bar the change. There is no single statewide fee; each court of common pleas sets its own, and a full filing can run several hundred dollars once background-search and publication costs are added.
The good news for anyone who only needs a name restored after a divorce or a spouse's death: Pennsylvania has a dramatically simpler path for that specific situation, no petition, no publication, just a written notice filed with the prothonotary.
Information last verified on 2026-08-11. This article has not yet been reviewed by a licensed lawyer.
How to Change Your Name as an Adult in Pennsylvania
An adult petition is filed in the court of common pleas in the county where the petitioner resides, under 54 Pa.C.S. § 701(a.1)(1). Pennsylvania law makes it unlawful to assume a different name outside a court proceeding, so the petition is the mandatory route to a legal name change.
The petition must state the petitioner's intention to change names, the reason, their current residence, and every residence they have had over the preceding five years. A hearing must be held no less than one month and no more than three months after filing. Section 702(b) requires the court to forward a duplicate of the petition and a set of the petitioner's fingerprints to the Pennsylvania State Police for a criminal-history check; the State Police either note the change on record or destroy the fingerprints within 60 days.
There is no single statewide filing fee; fees are set locally by each court of common pleas. Philadelphia's current official fee, per its January 2026 court guide, is $349.23. On top of that, Philadelphia charges a separate $20.00 Family Court judgment-search fee and a $58.52 Office of Judicial Records judgment-search fee, plus newspaper publication costs and $41.58 for each additional certified copy of the decree, with the total commonly exceeding $900. Publication costs are generally described as non-waivable even where a fee waiver applies to the base filing fee.
Changing a Minor's Name in Pennsylvania
Chapter 7 has no dedicated statute for a minor's own name-change petition. Section 703 only addresses the automatic effect on a minor child when a parent's own surname changes: the child takes the parent's new surname too, unless the court orders otherwise. Procedurally, at least in Philadelphia, a minor's own name-change petition (age 17 and under) is routed to the Clerk of Family Court rather than the civil Prothonotary's office adults use. No express best-interest statutory standard was found for a minor's own petition; the general fingerprinting and publication process would presumably still apply.
Publication in Two Newspapers
Pennsylvania requires notice of the petition and hearing to be published in two newspapers of general circulation in the county of residence, or a contiguous county. Philadelphia's local practice requires one publication specifically in The Legal Intelligencer plus a second general-circulation paper.
That requirement is not absolute. If the court finds publication would jeopardize the safety of the person seeking the change or their child or ward, the court must waive it by order.
Restrictions: The Offense-Based Bar and the 2-Year Waiting Period
Pennsylvania's restriction list is unusually specific. Section 702 bars a court from ordering a name change for anyone convicted of murder, voluntary manslaughter, rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, statutory sexual assault, sexual assault, aggravated indecent assault, robbery, aggravated assault, arson, kidnapping, robbery of a motor vehicle, or criminal attempt, conspiracy, or solicitation to commit any of those offenses. This is an outright bar with no waiting-period exception stated for these specific offenses. Several of the barred offenses, including rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, statutory sexual assault, sexual assault, and aggravated indecent assault, are themselves sex offenses, so registrants convicted of those crimes are swept into this bar directly rather than through a separate sex-offender-specific clause.
For any other, non-listed conviction, the court may not grant a name change until at least two years have passed since the person completed their sentence, and the person is no longer subject to probation, parole, or Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole jurisdiction.
Separately, Section 705 makes it a summary offense to change a name for the purpose of avoiding payment of taxes or other debts, a narrower and more specific rule than a generic fraud penalty.
Name Restoration After Divorce or a Spouse's Death
Pennsylvania offers a much simpler path for two specific situations. Under Section 704, anyone who is a party to a divorce action can resume a prior surname, at any time before or after the divorce decree, by filing a written notice with the prothonotary of the county where the divorce action was filed or the decree entered. No court order or hearing is required.
Section 704.1 extends the same simple written-notice mechanism to a surviving spouse, who may resume a prior surname at any time by filing written notice with the prothonotary of their county of residence, along with a copy of the deceased spouse's death certificate. Anyone who only needs a name restored after a divorce or a spouse's death should use this path rather than the full petition process described above.
Name Changes After Marriage
Section 701 makes no reference to marriage as a basis for a name change; Chapter 7 is strictly a general judicial mechanism. A marriage-based name change in Pennsylvania is handled administratively: the Social Security Administration and PennDOT accept a marriage certificate as proof to update a name, without a court filing.
Related Pennsylvania Records
A Pennsylvania name change often comes up alongside other state records. See Pennsylvania marriage and divorce records for how to obtain the certified copies agencies require as proof, Pennsylvania court records for how a name-change proceeding fits into the state's public-records rules, and Pennsylvania divorce laws for how the written-notice restoration path fits into a divorce case.
Disclaimer
This article provides general information about Pennsylvania name-change law. It is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Fees, forms, and procedures change and vary by county; verify current details with your county's court of common pleas or a licensed Pennsylvania 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
Do I need fingerprints to change my name in Pennsylvania?
Yes. Every adult petition requires the court to forward your fingerprints to the Pennsylvania State Police for a criminal-history check, as part of the standard process under 54 Pa.C.S. § 702(b).
How many newspapers do I have to publish notice in for a Pennsylvania name change?
Two, in newspapers of general circulation in your county or a contiguous county, unless the court waives publication because it would jeopardize your or your child's safety.
How much does a Pennsylvania name change cost?
There is no single statewide fee. Philadelphia's current fee is $349.23, and with judgment-search fees and publication costs, the total commonly exceeds $900. Fees are set locally by each county's court of common pleas.
Can I still get a Pennsylvania name change if I have a criminal record?
It depends on the offense. A specific list of serious convictions, including murder and certain sexual and violent offenses, creates an apparently permanent bar. Other convictions require a 2-year wait after finishing your sentence.
How do I resume my maiden name after a Pennsylvania divorce?
By filing a written notice with the prothonotary in the county where the divorce was filed or the decree entered, under 54 Pa.C.S. § 704. No petition, hearing, or publication is required.
Can a surviving spouse resume a former name in Pennsylvania?
Yes. Under 54 Pa.C.S. § 704.1, a surviving spouse can resume a prior surname by written notice to the prothonotary, along with a copy of the deceased spouse's death certificate.
Updates
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The Law Behind This Article
This article rests on 4 statutory provisions held in our own legal record, each retrieved from the official source. Tap a section to read the operative text.
Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes Title 54 (Names)
§ 701Court approval required for change of nameIn force
(a) General rule.--Except as set forth in subsection (b), it shall be unlawful for any person to assume a name different from the name by which such person is and has been known, unless such change in name is made pursuant to proceedings in court in accordance with subsection (a.1). (a.1) Procedure.-- (1) An individual must file a petition in the court of common pleas of the county in which the individual resides. If a petitioner is married, the petitioner's spouse may join as a party petitioner, in which event, upon compliance with the provisions of this subsection, the spouse shall also be entitled to the benefits of this subsection. (2) The petition must set forth all of the following: (i) The intention to change the petitioner's name. (ii) The reason for the name change. (iii) The current residence of petitioner. (iv) Any residence of the petitioner for the five years prior to the date of the petition. (v) If the petitioner requests the court proceed under paragraph (3)(iii). (3) Upon filing of the petition, the court shall do all of the following: (i) Set a date for a hearing on the petition.
Official text (excerpt) · as of 2026-07-29 · Read the full section at palegis.us
§ 702Change by order of courtIn force
(a) General rule.--The court of common pleas of any county may by order change the name of any person resident in the county. (b) Procedure.--Prior to entry of an order of approval of change of name, all of the following shall apply: (1) The court must forward to the Pennsylvania State Police a duplicate copy of the application for change of name and a set of the person's fingerprints. The person applying for the change of name is responsible for costs under this paragraph. (2) The Pennsylvania State Police shall use the fingerprints to determine if the person is subject to 18 Pa.C.S. Ch. 91 (relating to criminal history record information). (3) The Pennsylvania State Police shall: (i) if the person is subject to 18 Pa.C.S. Ch. 91, note the name change on the person's criminal history record information; or (ii) if the person is not subject to 18 Pa.C.S. Ch. 91, destroy the fingerprints. (4) Within 60 days of receipt of the material under paragraph (1), the Pennsylvania State Police shall certify to the court what action has been taken under paragraph (3).
Official text (excerpt) · as of 2026-07-29 · Read the full section at palegis.us
§ 703Effect on childrenIn force
(a) General rule.--Whenever an order is made under this chapter changing the surname of anyone who is at the time thereof the parent of a minor child or adopted minor child, then under the care of such parent, the new surname of such parent shall, unless otherwise ordered by the court, thereafter be borne likewise by such minor child. (b) Further change on attaining majority.--Any minor child whose surname has been changed pursuant to subsection (a) upon attaining majority shall also be entitled to the benefits of section 702 (relating to change by order of court).
Official text (excerpt) · as of 2026-07-29 · Read the full section at palegis.us
§ 704Divorcing and divorced person may resume prior nameIn force
(a) General rule.--Any person who is a party in a divorce action may, at any time prior to or subsequent to the entry of the divorce decree, resume any prior surname used by him or her by filing a written notice to such effect in the office of the prothonotary of the county in which the divorce action was filed or the decree of divorce was entered, showing the caption and docket number of the proceeding in divorce. (b) Foreign decrees.--Where a divorced person has been the subject of a decree of divorce granted in a foreign jurisdiction, a certified copy of such foreign divorce decree may be filed with the prothonotary of the county where the person resides and, thereafter, the notice specified in subsection (a) may be filed with reference to such decree.
Official text (excerpt) · as of 2026-07-29 · Read the full section at palegis.us
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Sources and References
- 54 Pa.C.S. § 701, Change of Name Proceedings(legis.state.pa.us).gov
- 54 Pa.C.S. § 702, Procedure and Contents of Petition(legis.state.pa.us).gov
- 54 Pa.C.S. § 703, Effect of Change of Parent's Name on Child(legis.state.pa.us).gov
- 54 Pa.C.S. § 704, Change of Name in Divorce Proceedings(legis.state.pa.us).gov
- 54 Pa.C.S. § 704.1, Resumption of Surname by Surviving Spouse(legis.state.pa.us).gov
- 54 Pa.C.S. § 705, Penalty(legis.state.pa.us).gov
- First Judicial District of Pennsylvania, Name Change Petition (Form 01-101A)(courts.phila.gov).gov
- First Judicial District of Pennsylvania, Citizen's Guide to Name Changes(courts.phila.gov).gov