STARTING THE PROCESS

Being able to answer these questions can help you determine if you are ready to begin the process of changing your name, and whether or not you may want to seek the help of an attorney.
Many people have been able to change their legal names without an attorney.

1. Are you pretty certain about what you want for a new name, including middle name and the spellings?

2. Are you at least 18 years old?*

3. What state and county (or STL City) do you legally reside in?**

4. What state were you born in?

5. Have you been convicted of a felony or do you have an open felony case?

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You probably should consult an attorney if: 

• you have been convicted of a felony or are facing felony charges; 

• you currently have child support or unpaid court money judgments against you; 

• or if for some other reason a judge may suspect that you are attempting to commit fraud, avoid debts, or circumvent the criminal justice system.

*if you are 17 years old or younger, please refer to the Minor Name Change forms. The process for minors can be more complicated than the process for adults. 

**if you are confused about where your legal residency is due to recent/frequent/upcoming moves, student status, homelessness, conflicting IDs, etc., then you may want to talk to a social worker or legal professional. STL NCMA volunteers might be able to assist you with navigating this question at one of our regular in-person free Name Change Events.
Email stlnamechange@gmail.com to get updates on upcoming events.

Individual pages of this website contain various official Missouri state court forms used for legal name changes for adults and minors current living in Missouri.

All of the official Missouri state court forms we use, along with some additional forms and information, can also be found here on the Missouri Courts website.