DC Name Change Laws: The $60 Process and No Publication Since 2013

The District of Columbia runs one of the simplest name-change processes covered in this guide. Adult and minor name changes both go through the same general statute, D.C. Code Section 16-2501, in Superior Court, and a divorcing party can have a former name restored in the divorce decree itself under D.C. Code Section 16-915. DC repealed its publication requirement in 2013, and the filing fee is a flat $60.

This guide covers who can file, the process for adults and minors, the divorce-decree route back to a former name, and what is and is not restricted.

Information last verified on 2026-08-11. This article has not yet been reviewed by a licensed lawyer.

Adult Petition Process

DC residents file an application in Superior Court under D.C. Code Section 16-2501, which requires the applicant to be «a resident of the District» and to state their reasons for the change and the name they want to assume. The Superior Court publishes a fillable Application for Change of Name of an Adult packet.

Filing Fee

The filing fee is a flat $60.00, one of the more affordable fees among the jurisdictions in this guide. Petitioners who cannot afford it can file an Application to Proceed without Prepayment of Costs, Fees, or Security.

Minor Name Changes

DC does not run a separate minor statute. If the applicant is a minor, described in the statute as «an infant,» the application is filed by the child's parent, guardian, or next friend, under the same Section 16-2501. The court applies the same general standard to every application under Section 16-2503(a): a change is granted «upon a showing that the court deems satisfactory.»

Name Change After Divorce

A divorcing party in DC does not have to open a separate name-change case. D.C. Code Section 16-915, «Change of name on divorce,» provides that «upon divorce from the bond of marriage, the court shall, on request of a party who assumed a new name on marriage and desires to discontinue using it, state in the decree of divorce either the birth-given or other previous name which such person desires to use.» Restoration is mandatory once the party asks for it, and it happens inside the divorce case rather than as a new filing.

The general Section 16-2501 application is the route for someone who did not make that request while the divorce was pending, or who wants a name other than a birth-given or other previously used one. See DC divorce laws for the broader divorce process.

Publication

DC repealed its publication and notice requirement in 2013. D.C. Code Section 16-2502, «Notice; contents,» is marked repealed in the official DC Code Library, and the decree section, Section 16-2503, no longer cross-references any notice requirement. A DC name-change petition today requires no newspaper notice at all.

Restrictions

No felony-conviction or sex-offender-specific restriction on obtaining a DC name change was located in Title 16 or Title 22 of the DC Code. That does not mean criminal-history considerations are entirely absent, the court retains general discretion under the showing-the-court-deems-satisfactory standard, but no specific statutory bar comparable to what states like Colorado or Arizona use was found. A registered sex offender or gun offender who does obtain a name change still has an ongoing duty to update their registration to reflect it.

Marriage-Based Name Change

DC has no statute specifically codifying marriage-based name changes. A newly married person typically updates their last name by presenting a marriage certificate to the Social Security Administration and the DC Department of Motor Vehicles, the customary practice used in most jurisdictions without a dedicated marriage statute.

Domestic Violence and Safety Considerations

The materials reviewed for this guide did not surface a DC-specific confidentiality program built into the name-change statutes for domestic violence survivors. Anyone changing their name for safety reasons should raise the concern directly with the Superior Court clerk handling the case. Even where a court restricts access to a case file, that restriction does not automatically make a new name confidential with the Social Security Administration or the U.S. State Department, which apply their own separate rules.

Related DC Records

See DC marriage and divorce records for obtaining certified copies your petition may require, and DC court records for how name-change case files fit into the District's broader court-records rules.

For the general nationwide process, see how to legally change your name, what it costs to change your name, and the post-name-change checklist.

Disclaimer

This article provides general information about District of Columbia name-change law. It is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Verify current fees, forms, and procedures with DC Superior Court, or with a licensed DC attorney, before relying on anything here for a specific situation.

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Last updated: 2026-08-11. Fees and forms reflect their published status as of August 2026.