Name Changes

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Name Changes

Since 1995, South Florida family law attorney Holiday Russell has provided Florida residents with legal counsel for their family law needs. Mr. Russell approaches your needs with commitment, compassion, and creativity and will guide you through Florida’s many administrative family law processes, including obtaining a name change.

Florida Name Changes

Florida residents may seek to have their name changed for legal reasons, such as marriage or a divorce, or for more personal reasons such as a significant life event. In Florida, any individual is entitled to a name change as long as they (1) have never been arrested or found guilty of a crime; (2) have never been declared bankrupt; (3) do not have any money judgments against them; and (4) are not seeking to change their name for an ulterior or illegal purpose. All name changes must be filed in the county where the individual resides.

Name Change for Marriage or Divorce

In Florida, changing your name because of a recent marriage or divorce is a much simpler process than attempting a name change for another reason. After an individual is married, they will receive a certified marriage certificate. Similarly, after a divorce, one can obtain an official divorce decree. These two documents serve as legal justification for a name change and can be used to notify the appropriate Florida government agencies of your new name, including the Department of Motor Vehicles and the Social Security Office.

Florida law enables individuals to change their name for other purposes. Obtaining a name change for a purpose other than marriage or divorce requires the filing of a Florida Petition for Change of Name of an Adult.

Florida Law Requirements for Name Change are as follows:

  • You must currently reside in Florida.
  • You must currently live in the County where the name change action will be filed.
  • You must be an adult, 18 years of age or older.
  • You must not have an ulterior or illegal purpose for filing the Petition, and granting it will not in any manner invade the property rights of others, whether partnership, patent, good will, privacy, trademark, or otherwise.
  • You must not have had your civil rights suspended, or, if your civil rights have been suspended, they have been fully restored.

Name Change are not allowed if :

  • For fraudulent purpose, such as to avoid debts;
  • An individual changes to a name that could affect the rights of another person, such as a celebrity,
  • Name uses a curse word, racial slur, or is an obscene and/or an offensive word;
  • The name causes deliberate confusion (for example, a name with punctuation and/or a number in it).

Additionally, the petitioner must obtain state and federal background checks to accompany the petition and fingerprints from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. All of this paperwork must be filed with the Florida courts.

The Florida courts may hold a name change hearing to consider a name change petition after all paperwork has been received. However, if there are no objections to the name change prior to the court date, a judge may grant the petition without a final hearing. Once the petition is granted, the petitioner will receive a Florida Name Change Judgment, which acts as legal documentation of the official name change and can be used to change a name with any of Florida’s administrative agencies.

Timely and Efficient Name Changes

Holiday Hunt Russell PLLC has the expertise to assist you in your legal name change. If you are seeking a name change after a marriage or divorce, or for other personal reasons, Holiday is here to guide you through the administrative name change process. Mr. Russell understands the complicated documentary requirements of obtaining a name change, and can help you to avoid the time-consuming burden of filing a name change petition by doing so on your behalf. If you have questions about obtaining a name change in Florida, contact Holiday Hunt Russell PLLC for a confidential consultation at 954-920-5153  or online.

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