If you wish to legally change your name, you may file an Adult or Minor Name Change Petition with the District Court office. After the petition is filed you will appear before the Judge who will ask you to testify under oath that you are not changing your name for an illegal or fraudulent purpose. If you are a minor under 18 years of age, or if you are requesting a name for a minor child under 18, a birth certificate is required. See procedures information with petition for all requirements. Please go to the Forms Page to down load the appropriate packet. 

Name Change Hearings

Name change hearings are held every Tuesday at 2 p.m., in order to be scheduled you must do the following:

1. Complete the petition and turn in required information.
2. Pay the following fees:
   
   • Filing Fee $93 (includes 2 certified copies)
   • Auditors Fee $203.50 (payable by check or money order only) 
   • Additional Certified Copies $5 (each)

   Please prepare two separate checks or money orders for the District Court and Auditors Fees.

3. Hearings are generally set within one week from filing.

Petitions

Name change petitions must be filed in Superior Court when the person desiring a change of his or her name or that of his or her child or ward is a victim of domestic violence and the person seeks to have the name change file sealed due to reasonable fear for his or her safety or that of his or her child or ward. Upon granting the name change, the Superior Court will seal the file if the Court finds that the safety of the person seeking the name change or his or her child or ward warrants sealing the file. In all such cases, whether or not the name change petition is granted, there shall be no public access to any court record of the name change filing, proceeding, or order, unless the name change is granted but the file is not sealed.

Once the name change has been approved, if you wish to change your birth certificate, and if you were born in Washington State, you will need to send certified copies of all the completed paperwork to:
Department of Health
Center for Health Statistics
1112 SE. Quince St.
P.O. Box 47814
Olympia, WA 98504 to 7814

Changing Your Name as an Offender Under Jurisdiction of the Department of Corrections

An offender under the jurisdiction of the Department of Corrections who applies to change his or her name under must submit a copy of the application to the Department of Corrections not fewer than 5 days before the entry of an order granting the name change. No offender under the jurisdiction of the Department of Corrections will be granted an order changing his or her name if the court finds that doing so will interfere with legitimate law enforcement interests, except that no order shall be denied when the name change is requested for religious or legitimate cultural reasons or in recognition of marriage or dissolution of marriage. An offender under the jurisdiction of the Department of Corrections who receives an order changing his or her name shall submit a copy of the order to the Department of Corrections within 5 days of the entry of the order or be subject to criminal penalties.

Sex Offenders

A sex offender subject to registration under RCW 9A.44.130 who applies to change his or her name must submit a copy of the application to the county sheriff of the county of the person's residence and to the Washington State Patrol not fewer than five days before the entry of an order granting the name change. No sex offender under the requirement to register under this section at the time of application shall be granted an order changing his or her name if the court finds that doing so will interfere with legitimate law enforcement interests, except that no order shall be denied when the name change is requested for religious or legitimate cultural reasons or in recognition of marriage or dissolution of marriage. A sex offender under the requirement to register under this section who receives an order changing his or her name shall submit a copy of the order to the county sheriff of the county of the person's residence and to the Washington State Patrol within 5 days of the entry of order.