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Adult Name Change in Pennsylvania: Steps, Cost & Forms

Verified against Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas and .gov sources · Last verified July 16, 2026.

Quick answer

An adult name change in Pennsylvania is filed in the Court of Common Pleas (Civil Division), costs about $142–$350 (typical $300, varies by county), and requires a newspaper notice. Most cases finish in 8–16 weeks. You'll need the forms below and certified copies of the signed order to update your IDs.

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What it costs

Filing fee
$142–$350 (typical $300, varies by county)

Confirmed official examples: Philadelphia $349.23, Pike County about $142 plus a $13.25 name-change search fee. The exact total varies by county law-library and court surcharges.

Court
Court of Common Pleas (Civil Division)

Court of Common Pleas in the county where you live

Timeline
8–16 weeks

Step by step

  1. 1

    Prepare your county's Petition for Change of Name for the Court of Common Pleas (for example, Philadelphia's Name Change Petition form 01-101A) together with the statewide Civil Cover Sheet required by Pa.R.C.P. 205.5.

  2. 2

    File the petition with the county Prothonotary / Office of Judicial Records and pay the filing fee; the court sets a hearing date and issues an order to publish.

  3. 3

    Have a full set of your fingerprints taken and forwarded to the Pennsylvania State Police as required by 54 Pa.C.S. § 702(b) so a criminal-history check can be completed.

  4. 4

    Publish notice of the hearing in two newspapers (one being the county legal journal) and obtain a Prothonotary judgment/lien search showing no unsatisfied judgments of record against you.

  5. 5

    Attend the hearing with proof of publication and the judgment search, obtain the signed Decree Changing Name, then order certified copies to update Social Security, PennDOT, your passport, and your accounts.

Official forms

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

FormCodeOfficial link
Name Change Petition (Philadelphia County — representative Court of Common Pleas form)01-101AOpen ↗
Civil Cover Sheet (statewide, required by Pa.R.C.P. 205.5)—Open ↗
Newspaper publication: Required — Notice of the petition must be published in two newspapers of general circulation in the county, one of which must be the county's official legal journal/periodical, before the hearing.
Background check: Fingerprint/background check required
Good to know in Pennsylvania:
  • • Pennsylvania does NOT publish a single statewide fill-in name-change petition — the petition packet is issued by each county Court of Common Pleas, so download your own county's form and confirm the exact filing fee with the county Prothonotary.
  • • Fingerprints and a Pennsylvania State Police criminal-history check are required by statute (54 Pa.C.S. § 702), and you must file a Prothonotary search showing no judgments of record before the decree is granted.

Then update your IDs

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

Who to notify →Build my checklist →See my timeline →

Adult petition name change in nearby states

New York →Illinois →Florida →Ohio →

Adult (Court) Name Change in Pennsylvania: FAQ

How much does a adult (court) name change cost in Pennsylvania?
About $142–$350 (typical $300, varies by county), filed in the Court of Common Pleas (Civil Division). Confirmed official examples: Philadelphia $349.23, Pike County about $142 plus a $13.25 name-change search fee. The exact total varies by county law-library and court surcharges..
Do I have to publish a notice in a newspaper in Pennsylvania?
Yes. Notice of the petition must be published in two newspapers of general circulation in the county, one of which must be the county's official legal journal/periodical, before the hearing.
How long does it take in Pennsylvania?
Typically 8–16 weeks from filing to a signed order, then Social Security (7–10 business days), the DMV, and your passport (4–6 weeks).
What do I do after the judge signs my order in Pennsylvania?
Order certified copies, then update Social Security first, the DMV next, then your passport, banks, and employer. Our Who-To-Notify Checklist builds the full ordered list.

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.