INSTRUCTIONS: PETITION FOR NAME CHANGE

“Petition for Name Change Step 1”

Provide your county’s name and your current legal name in the caption of the Petition.  Do not fill in the case number.  Provide your current legal name in the first line of the document as well. 

“Petition for Name Change Step 2”

In part 1, provide the full name of the petitioner along with their complete address.  In the part 2, provide the name of your county as long as you’ve been a resident for at least 30 days. 

“Petition for Name Change Step 3”

In part 3, provide the petitioner’s date of birth and place of birth including city and state.  Provide the petitioner’s birth certificate number and place of registration in part 4. 

“Petition for Name Change Step 4”

Provide the petitioner’s current legal name and requested name in part 5.  Provide specific reasons in part 6.  Complete part 7 and sign the documents.  Sign the Verification in front of the Clerk. 

“Petition for Name Change Step 5”

The petition also needs to complete a Notice of Filing Petition and Order for Name Change.  In the Order, fill out the caption and leave all of the date blanks empty.  Fill out the county name in the first sentence, and leave the next date blank empty until you know when you filed your Petition.  Complete sentences 2 through four, along with your current legal name and requested name. 

“Petition for Name Change Step 6”

File the original forms and 2 copies of the Petition and Notice of Name Change.  Pay the filing fees, and ask the clerk for instructions on setting of a hearing date. 

“Petition for Name Change Step 7”

You need to publish notification of the hearing in a local newspaper.  Some counties provide the publication fees in the filing fees and others do not.  If the county did not include the publication costs, you need to ask the newspaper to publish the Notice in the legal section at least 10 days before the date of your hearing. 

“Petition for Name Change Step 8”

Attend the hearing.  If the judge approves the change of name, they will sign the Order.  Take the signed original and copies to the Clerk’s office and ask the clerk to certify the copies.  You’ll need certified copies to change important records. 

INSTRUCTIONS: PETITION TO CHANGE NAME PC51

This form is used for both adults and minors.  The Petition needs filed in the County where the adult or minor currently resides. 

“Petition to Change Name PC51 Step 1”

Parts 1 through 6 are used for the change of name for an adult and a minor.  Part 7 is only required for the change of name for a minor. 

“Petition to Change Name PC51 Step 2”

The boxes at the bottom may or may not need checked after completing the rest of the form.  In part 10, check the box and sign if you are the spouse of the petitioner or noncustodial parent and consent to the name change of the minor. 

If the minor is 14 years of year or older, they need to check box 11 in order for the Petition to stand in a hearing.  If the child is under 14, they need to check box 12.  Also, if the minor is under 14, both parents need to agree to the Petition.  If both parents do not agree, the custodial parent must prove in a hearing that the non-custodial parent failed to regularly provide for the child.

“Petition to Change Name PC51 Step 3”

If the petitioner is 22 years of age or older, it’s important that they regard the instructions on page 3 of the Petition.  They will need to under a criminal background check. 

“Petition to Change Name PC51 Step 4”

After submitting the Petition and Publishing Notice and paying the filing fees, the Clerk will provide a date, time, and place for the hearing.  The petitioning parent needs to send Notice of the hearing using Form PC-562 to a noncustodial parent.  Use PC-563 for publishing the Notice of Hearing.  Publishing the Notice isn’t necessary if the court finds good cause under MCL 711.1. 

“Petition to Change Name PC51 Step 5”

All interested parties and the petitioner need to attend the hearing.  If the court approves the change of name, the court will prepare an Order.  The Order will cost $10.00.  Make sure to receive certified copies of the Order in order to make changes to your records. 

“Petition to Change Name PC51 Step 6”

If the petitioner wants to change a birth certificate, a copy of the Order needs sent to Vital Records Office of the Department of Community Health.