Adult Name Change — North Dakota (Standard Track)
Changing your name in North Dakota
This walks you through a standalone adult name-change petition in North
Dakota district court, on the standard track — any change that includes
your last name. The standard track requires publishing a notice in a
newspaper and a 30-day wait before the judge can act.
If you are changing only your first and/or middle name (not your last
name), a judge may waive publication and the wait — use the waiver-track
page instead.
One common mix-up: if you wanted your name restored as part of a divorce,
that has to be requested inside the divorce case — it is not handled here.
If your divorce is final and didn't change your name, this standalone
petition is the way.
Official guidance and forms: ndcourts.gov/legal-self-help/name-change-adult
Who can file
To petition for a name change in North Dakota you must be a U.S. citizen
or a U.S. permanent resident. You attest to this on the Petition.
A name change cannot be used to defraud anyone or to evade a legal
obligation (for example, debts or a criminal record). These are conditions
you confirm on the forms — not something you have to explain to anyone here.
Your details
Your filing packet
- Notice of Petition for Name Change
- Petition for Name Change
- Declaration in Support of Petition
- Confidential Information Form
- Proposed Order for Name Change
Before you sign
A few North Dakota specifics that trip people up:
Leave the case number blank — the clerk assigns it when you file.
Do not sign the proposed Order. Only the judge signs that one.
The Confidential Information Form is sealed and stays out of the public
file. Keep copies — it must be attached to every certified copy of your
Order, or North Dakota Vital Records will reject your updates later.
Will there be a hearing?
North Dakota does not presumptively require a hearing for a name change,
but the judge may decide one is needed. If a hearing is scheduled, the
Clerk of District Court will send notice with the date, time, and location.
Add your deadline to your calendar
-
30-day publication waiting period ends
Enter your dates above to see this deadline.
Under North Dakota law the judge may not consider your petition until 30 days after the notice is published. After this date, check with the clerk about judge review.
Save these contacts
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Burleigh County Clerk of District Court
514 East Thayer Avenue, Bismarck, ND
Call before filing to ask whether the judge requires the criminal-history background check before or after you file — timing varies by judge. This is the one call to make first.
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North Dakota Legal Self Help Center
https://www.ndcourts.gov/legal-self-help
Court-provided guidance and the official name-change forms for self-represented filers.
-
Legal Services of North Dakota
Free legal help for North Dakotans who qualify by income — useful if your name change touches a divorce or other family-law matter.
After the judge signs your Order
Ask the clerk for at least three certified copies of your Order — each one
needs the Confidential Information Form attached.
Then update your records in this order, because each step verifies against
the one before it: Social Security Administration first, then the North
Dakota DMV, then your passport, then financial accounts, your employer and
health insurance, your home title, and voter registration.
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