NOTE: Name Change instructions revised 1/14/08 per Public Act 94-0147.
NAME CHANGE FOR ADULTS
This information is intended to be a guide for adult petitioners who would like to legally change their name. It does not set forth the law on changing names. For a complete understanding of the law see Chapter 735 of the Illinois Compiled Statutes, Section 5/21-101 et seq., or consult with an attorney.
Obtain and complete the following forms:
- Petition for Name Change
- Notice of Publication
- Order of Name Change
File your "Petition for Name Change" with the Circuit Clerk Civil Division in Room 356. At that time, you will be required to pay a filing fee of $241.00. You will be assigned a court date at the time of filing your Petition. That court date will be used in your "Notice of Publication." You must appear in court on your designated court date at 9:00 a.m. Bring with you the original publication from the newspaper and the completed "Order of Name Change" for the Judge's signature. If you do not appear on the date used in your publication, the Judge will not hear your Petition and you will need to re-publish and come back to court on the date used in your second publication.
Fill out the "Notice of Publication" form. It must be placed in a newspaper published in the municipality in which the petitioner resides or if there is not a newspaper published in the municipality in which the Petitioner resides, in a newspaper published in McHenry County. The publication must take place for three (3) consecutive weeks after the filing of your Petition; published one (1) day each week; the first publication date must be at least six (6) weeks plus one day before the hearing date. You must use the court date given to you by the Circuit Clerk's office in your "Notice of Publication."
After court, you can return to the Circuit Clerk Civil Division (Room 356) and obtain a certified copy of the court order for a $6.00 fee.
NAME CHANGE FOR MINORS
This information is intended to be a guide on changing the name of a minor. It does not set forth the law on changing names. For a complete understanding of the law, see Chapter 735 of the Illinois Compiled Statutes, Section 5/21-101 et seq., or consult with an attorney.
Obtain and complete the following forms:
File your "Petition for Name Change" with the Circuit Clerk Civil Division in Room 356. At that time you will be required to pay a filing fee of $241.00. You will be assigned a court date at the time of filing your Petition. This court date must be used in your "Notice of Hearing and "Notice of Publication." Both parents can sign the Petition.
You are required to give notice of the Petition and hearing date to any other parent of the minor whose parental rights have not been terminated and to any other person who has physical custody of the minor. This notice should be given by mailing a copy of the "Petition for Name Change" and "Notice of Hearing" to those individuals by certified mail with return receipt requested, a reasonable amount of time before the date of hearing, or by personally delivering a copy of the Petition and "Notice of Hearing" through the local sheriff or other authorized person, a reasonable amount of time before the date of hearing. If you do not know the whereabouts of the non-custodian and reasonable efforts to locate the non-custodian have been unsucessful, the non-custodian can be served by publication with the "Notice of Publication" in a newspaper published in the municipality in which the minor resides or if there is not a newspaper published in the municipality in which the minor resides, in a newspaper published in McHenry County. The publication must take place for three (3) consecutive weeks after the filing of your Petition; the first publication date must be at least six (6) weeks plus one day before the hearing date. You must use the court date that you were assigned by the Circuit Clerk's office.
You must appear in court at 9:00 a.m. on your designated court date. Bring with you the original publication from the newspaper and the completed "Order of Name Change" for the Judge's signature. You must appear in court on the date designated in your "Notice of Publication" or " Notice of Hearing." If you do not appear on the date used in your publication or "Notice of Hearing," the Judge will not hear your Petition and you will need to re-publish and come back to court on the date used in your second "Notice of Publication" or "Notice of Hearing." The Judge may want to interview the child to ascertain the child’s wishes with respect to the name change.
After court, you may return to the Circuit Clerk Civil Division (Room 356) and obtain a certified copy of the Court order for a $6.00 fee.