Filing Fee $186.00

Petitioner(s) must reside in Allegan County and have been residents for at least one year.

Complete and sign Petition for Name Change (or Petition for Name Change and Ex Parte Request for Nonpublication and Confidential Record) and Addendum to Protected Personal Identifying Information.  It is imperative that the Court is given AS MUCH INFORMATION AS POSSIBLE.

If petition includes minors, both parents must sign and be present at the hearing.  Any minor who is over the age of 14 may sign the last page of the petition to consent to their name change. All parents must be served with a copy of the petition and notice of hearing with proof of service filed with the Court.

Supply the following photocopies for each party on the petition:

1. Current Driver’s License or other photo ID (such as school ID for a minor)
2. Birth Certificate if born in the United States
    **If no birth certification is available due to foreign birth:
• Current Passport
• Permanent Resident Card
• Hospital Certificate
• Other available identification
3. Most recent custody or support order for minors on petition.

Unless the Court has approved a request for nonpublication, you MUST publish the hearing date at least 14 days before the hearing.  You will receive a Publication of Notice of Hearing containing your hearing date from the court.  The publisher will forward an Affidavit of Publication to the Court.  If fees have been waived per MCL 2.002 the Court with serve the Notice directly to the publisher.

Appear at the court hearing with your photo identification. Any minors over the age of seven (7) years old must be present at the hearing. If the court grants the name change you will receive a certified copy of the order.

It is your responsibility to meet all requirements per Statute regarding the Petition for Name Change.  The clerk's office cannot provide legal counsel.  If the proper procedure and laws are not followed by the date of the hearing, the Judge will not approve the name change and the case may be dismissed.  Therefore, we suggest you contact an attorney if you have any questions.

Obtaining a legal name change in court does not automatically change the name on your birth record. That process can only be done through the Changes Unit in the State Vital Records office.  Please see the form "Application to Correct or Change a Michigan Birth Record" for further instruction.

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