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Restoring Your Name After Divorce in Connecticut: Steps, Cost & Forms

Verified against Connecticut Probate Court and .gov sources · Last verified July 16, 2026.

Quick answer

In Connecticut, you restore your former or maiden name after divorce through the divorce decree — request it in the divorce and the decree is your legal proof. There is usually no extra court fee. Then update Social Security first, then the DMV, then your passport. No newspaper notice is required.

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What it costs

Filing fee
$0 court fee

No separate name-change fee — restoration is included in the dissolution judgment under C.G.S. § 46b-63

Court
Superior Court (through the dissolution judgment)

Probate Court for the district where you live (Superior Court is a statutory alternative under C.G.S. § 52-11)

Timeline
1–4 weeks

Step by step

  1. 1

    Request restoration of your birth or former name as part of your dissolution of marriage in the Superior Court, under C.G.S. § 46b-63.

  2. 2

    Mark the name-restoration request on your judgment paperwork (Form JD-FM-281 Entry of Judgment, or Form JD-FM-242 for a nonadversarial divorce) — no separate petition or fee is needed.

  3. 3

    Get a certified copy of the dissolution judgment from the Superior Court clerk.

  4. 4

    Use the certified judgment to update Social Security, then the DMV, your passport, and accounts.

Official forms

Every link goes to the official court or government host — never a paid re-host.

FormCodeOfficial link
Dissolution of Marriage — Entry of JudgmentJD-FM-281Open ↗
Joint Petition — Nonadversarial DivorceJD-FM-242Open ↗
Newspaper publication: Not required
Background check: No background check
Good to know in Connecticut:
  • • Name restoration is handled inside the divorce in Superior Court — you do not use the Probate Court process for a post-divorce return to a former name.

Then update your IDs

Once you have the signed order, update Social Security first, then your Connecticut license, then your passport and accounts.

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Divorce name change in nearby states

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Restoring Your Name After Divorce in Connecticut: FAQ

Can I restore my maiden name without paying again in Connecticut?
Usually yes. If you asked to restore your former name in your divorce, the decree is your proof at no extra cost. In Connecticut you can also request it after the fact.
What if I forgot to ask for my former name in the divorce in Connecticut?
You can still restore it. Connecticut lets you file a short request to restore your former name after the divorce is final — see the forms below.
Do I need to publish a notice to restore my name after divorce in Connecticut?
No. Restoring a former name through a divorce decree does not require newspaper publication in Connecticut.
What's the first ID to update after a divorce name change in Connecticut?
Social Security first (free, Form SS-5), then your Connecticut driver's license, then your passport and financial accounts.

Sources

Every fee, court, rule, and form on this page traces to an official government source:

See our verification methodology and themaster source list.

Last verified July 16, 2026Reviewed by the Name Change Atlas Editorial Team against official court and .gov sources.