How Do You Change Your Name in Texas?

The Texas rule in one table

What makes Texas different

Texas is the fingerprint state in this set. Where California publishes your proposed name in a newspaper and New York abolished publication outright, Texas screens you privately through DPS and the FBI — and the court cannot rule until that check comes back. That makes sequencing the trap: get fingerprinted too far ahead of the hearing and the results may go stale, so time the fingerprinting to the filing, not months before it.

Two more Texas-only points. First, there is no official form set to download from the courts — free TexasLawHelp kits exist, but the petition itself must still satisfy § 45.102, including disclosure of any conviction above a Class C misdemeanor. Second, a felony history does not automatically bar a change: the judge may grant it if you were pardoned, or completed discharge or community supervision at least two years ago.

The process, step by step

1. Prepare the petition. Draft a petition satisfying Texas Family Code § 45.102 — current legal name, requested name, reason, date of birth, address, Social Security number, driver license numbers from the past ten years, and disclosure of any conviction above a Class C misdemeanor. Texas publishes no official adult name-change form set, so use a TexasLawHelp kit or a petition drafted to the statute.
2. Get fingerprinted. A legible, complete fingerprint card in a format acceptable to DPS and the FBI, attached to the petition under § 45.102(a)(6). Fingerprinting itself is a separate charge from the background-check fee, set by the provider.
3. File in district court and send the second card to DPS. Roughly $250–$350 depending on the county, plus about $27–$30 for the DPS/FBI fingerprint check. Mail the second fingerprint card to DPS with a file-stamped copy of the filed petition and the check fee; DPS sends the results to the court.
4. Wait for the background check, then attend the hearing. No. Texas law has no newspaper-publication requirement for an adult name change — the fingerprint-based background check is the screening step instead. At the hearing the court must find the change is in the interest or to the benefit of the petitioner and in the interest of the public.
5. Get certified copies of the order. Order several certified copies — the Social Security Administration, DPS, banks, and passport offices each want one — and update your Social Security record first, since other agencies verify against it.

Comparing states — because the state across the border plays by different rules — the Name Change Laws by State directory puts all seven side by side.

Changing your name in another state

Changing your name in another state? See How to Change Your Name in Florida and How to Change Your Name in New York.

Source

Fees, fingerprints, and publication rules on this page come from the statute and DPS materials: Texas Family Code Chapter 45, Texas DPS Fingerprint Card Submission for Legal Name Change. Facts verified 2026-10-24.

This page explains how the process works and what the official rules say. It is general information, not legal advice — for a dispute about your specific situation, talk to a lawyer or your state court.