Restoring Your Name After Divorce in Minnesota: Steps, Cost & Forms
Verified against Minnesota District Court and .gov sources · Last verified July 16, 2026.
In Minnesota, 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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Pick your state and situation for your exact filing fee, court, forms, and ordered steps.
What it costs
Restoring a former name inside a dissolution decree is free; a felony-conviction applicant must still notify the prosecuting authority
District Court in the county where you have lived for at least six months
Step by step
- 1
Ask the court to restore your former or maiden name inside your marriage dissolution proceeding — Minn. Stat. 518.27 lets the decree change your name at no extra cost.
- 2
Confirm the requested former name is written into the Judgment and Decree before it is signed by the judge.
- 3
Order a certified copy of the dissolution decree from the District Court Administrator (Court Clerk) in the county where the divorce was granted.
- 4
Use the certified decree to update Social Security first, then Minnesota DVS in person, then your passport, banks, and accounts.
Official forms
Every link goes to the official court or government host — never a paid re-host.
| Form | Code | Official link |
|---|---|---|
| Marriage dissolution (divorce) forms and self-help — name restoration is requested within the case | — | Open ↗ |
- • You do not need a separate name-change petition to return to a former name after a Minnesota divorce — the dissolution decree handles it under Minn. Stat. 518.27.
- • If you did not request the name change during the divorce, you can later file a standard adult Application for Name Change (Form NAM102).
Then update your IDs
Once you have the signed order, update Social Security first, then your Minnesota license, then your passport and accounts.
Divorce name change in nearby states
Restoring Your Name After Divorce in Minnesota: FAQ
Can I restore my maiden name without paying again in Minnesota?
What if I forgot to ask for my former name in the divorce in Minnesota?
Do I need to publish a notice to restore my name after divorce in Minnesota?
What's the first ID to update after a divorce name change in Minnesota?
Sources
Every fee, court, rule, and form on this page traces to an official government source:
- www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/518.27
- mncourts.gov/help-topics/name-change
- dps.mn.gov/divisions/dvs/license-and-id/common-transactions-all-dl-and-id-card-types/change-your-name-your-dl-id-card
See our verification methodology and themaster source list.