Name Change

Illinois state law governs name change rules and procedures within the state (735 ILCS 5/21-101 et seq.).

Any person who has been a resident of the State of Illinois for six (6) months and is a resident of Cook County may petition the court for a change of name.

After the hearing has been scheduled, the petitioner must cause the proper notice to be published or served.

OBTAINING & FILING A CERTIFICATE OF PUBLICATION: Notice of the hearing on a Petition for Change of Name must be published for three (3) consecutive weeks commencing not less than six (6) weeks before the date of hearing in a newspaper published in Cook County, IL.

Petitioners must obtain a certificate of publication and have the notice published in a newspaper that is published in Cook County. While the court does not require or prefer any particular publication, petitioners should be aware that the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin is a newspaper that regularly publishes legal notices and maintains an office in Room 802 of the Richard J. Daley Center.

Learn how the notice of publication requirement can be waived.

If a petitioner is required to personally notify anyone, such as an absent or nonconsenting parent, he or she must make arrangements to serve such notice. If the person to be notified is a resident of Illinois, notice must be served by a deputy sheriff or a special process server appointed by the Court. If the person resides outside Illinois, the petitioner must comply with 735 ILCS5/21-104. The notice must contain a copy of the petition, the date, time, courthouse address (Richard J. Daley Center is located at 50 W. Washington St., Chicago, IL), and courtroom number. The notice must also advise the individual that he or she has a right to appear and be heard at that date and time.

If the absent parent resides outside the State of Illinois, persons contemplating initiating a change of name proceeding must consult 735 ILCS 5/21-104 for the manner that notice of the hearing can be served.

On your assigned court date you may appear either in person or via the assigned Calendar’s Zoom Room. When appearing before the judge, petitioners will be asked to take an oath or provide an affirmation that they will be truthful. The judge will, in most instances, conduct a hearing by asking questions and asking for information that may be in documents that the petitioners have brought. Minors wishing to have their names changed must appear in court or via Zoom at their scheduled hearing date with their petitioning parent or legal guardian. At the conclusion of the hearing, the judge will either continue, grant or deny the petition. The judge will also advise the Petitioner of the disposition of the hearing. 

If the judge has granted the petition, petitioners will need certified copies of the Name Change Judgment in order to notify governmental agencies, schools, employers and others with whom they have a relationship that is based upon their name.

Certified copies of the Judge’s Order can be obtained in Room 1202 of the Daley Center, or you can contact the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County’s office via email COUNTYDIVSERVICES@Cookcountycourt.com or phone (312) 603-3433 to have copies mailed to you. There is a charge for each copy.

The following is a partial list of entities that may require a certified copy of the Name Change Judgment to change a name on records. The list is not complete or exhaustive; also, it may not be necessary to notify some of these organizations. There may be additional entities not listed that will require a copy.

• Churches
• Credit Card Companies
• Employer
• Financial Institutions
• Governmental Agencies providing services to you or your family Bureau of Vital Statistics (Change Birth Record)
• Homeland Security
• Insurance Companies
• Landlord/Mortgage Company
• Medical Providers
• Passport Office
• Retirement Plans
• Schools
• Secretary of State (Driver's License, Identification Card)
• Social Security Administration
• Utilities
• Voter Registration