Restoring Your Name After Divorce in Texas: Steps, Cost & Forms
Verified against Texas District Court and .gov sources · Last verified July 16, 2026.
In Texas, 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.
Your personalized plan
Pick your state and situation for your exact filing fee, court, forms, and ordered steps.
What it costs
Restoring a former name is free when requested inside the divorce; no separate name-change suit is needed
District Court in the county where you live
Step by step
- 1
Ask the court to restore your former name inside your Original Petition for Divorce (or in your Answer/Waiver if you are the respondent) — Texas Family Code § 6.706 requires the judge to grant it.
- 2
The court restores only a name you previously used (birth/maiden or a prior married name); to take an entirely new name, file a separate Chapter 45 adult petition instead.
- 3
Get a certified copy of the signed divorce decree from the district clerk.
- 4
Use the certified decree to update Social Security, then the Texas DPS driver license, then your passport and accounts.
Official forms
Every link goes to the official court or government host — never a paid re-host.
| Form | Code | Official link |
|---|---|---|
| Texas Family Code § 6.706 — Change of Name in a divorce decree | — | Open ↗ |
- • The judge may not deny restoration just to keep family last names the same; restoring a former name does not erase debts or obligations under the prior name.
Then update your IDs
Once you have the signed order, update Social Security first, then your Texas license, then your passport and accounts.
Divorce name change in nearby states
Restoring Your Name After Divorce in Texas: FAQ
Can I restore my maiden name without paying again in Texas?
What if I forgot to ask for my former name in the divorce in Texas?
Do I need to publish a notice to restore my name after divorce in Texas?
What's the first ID to update after a divorce name change in Texas?
Sources
Every fee, court, rule, and form on this page traces to an official government source:
- guides.sll.texas.gov/name-changes/divorce
- guides.sll.texas.gov/name-changes/adults
- www.dps.texas.gov/section/driver-license/how-change-information-your-driver-license-or-id-card
See our verification methodology and themaster source list.