Name Change
Name Change For Adults
This information is intended to be a guide for adults who would like to legally change their name. It does not set forth the law on changing names. For a complete understanding of the law see Chapter 735 of the Illinois Compiled Statutes, Section 5/21-101 et seq., or consult with an attorney.
File your Request for Name Change with the Circuit Clerk online, or you can come to Room 136 to request assistance with the electronic filing of your case. At that time, you will be required to pay a filing fee of $314.00. Each adult requesting a name change must file a separate case. Minors cannot be included in the same case as an adult, a separate case for Minor Name Change must be filed. Call the Circuit Clerk Civil Division at (815)334-4310 to request a court date. That court date will be used in your Notice of Filing A Request for Name Change. You must appear in court on your designated court date at 9:00 a.m. Bring with you the original publication from the newspaper and the completed Order of Name Change for the Judge’s signature. If you do not appear on the date used in your publication, the Judge will not hear your Request and you will need to re-publish and come back to court on the date used in your second publication.
Fill out the Notice of Filing a Request for Name Change form. It must be placed in a newspaper published in the municipality in which the person requesting the name change resides or if there is not a newspaper published in the municipality in which the person requesting the name change resides, in a newspaper published in McHenry County. The publication must take place for three (3) consecutive weeks after the filing of your Request; published one (1) day each week; the first publication date must be at least six (6) weeks plus one day before the hearing date. You must use the court date given to you by the Circuit Clerk’s office in your Notice of Filing a Request for Name Change.
After court, you can return to the Circuit Clerk and obtain a certified copy of the court order for a $6.00 fee.
Name Change For minors
This information is intended to be a guide on changing the name of a minor. It does not set forth the law on changing names. For a complete understanding of the law, see Chapter 735 of the Illinois Compiled Statutes, Section 5/21-101 et seq., or consult with an attorney.
File your “Request for Name Change” with the Circuit Clerk online. At that time you will be required to pay a filing fee of $314.00. Call the Circuit Clerk Civil Division at (815)334-4310 to request a court date. This court date must be used in your “Notice of Hearing and “Notice of Publication.” Both parents can sign the Request.
You are required to give notice of the Request for Name Change and hearing date to any other parent of the minor whose parental rights have not been terminated and to any other person who has physical custody of the minor. This notice should be given by mailing a copy of the “Request for Name Change” and “Notice of Hearing” to those individuals by certified mail with return receipt requested, a reasonable amount of time before the date of hearing, or by personally delivering a copy of the Request and “Notice of Hearing” through the local sheriff or other authorized person, a reasonable amount of time before the date of hearing. If you do not know the whereabouts of the non-custodian and reasonable efforts to locate the non-custodian have been unsuccessful, the non-custodian can be served by publication with the “Notice of Publication” in a newspaper published in the municipality in which the minor resides or if there is not a newspaper published in the municipality in which the minor resides, in a newspaper published in McHenry County. The publication must take place for three (3) consecutive weeks after the filing of your Petition; the first publication date must be at least six (6) weeks plus one day before the hearing date. You must use the court date that you were assigned by the Circuit Clerk’s office.
You must appear in court at 9:00 a.m. on your designated court date. Bring with you the original publication from the newspaper and the completed “Order of Name Change” for the Judge’s signature. You must appear in court on the date designated in your “Notice of Publication” or ” Notice of Hearing.” If you do not appear on the date used in your publication or “Notice of Hearing,” the Judge will not hear your Request and you will need to re-publish and come back to court on the date used in your second “Notice of Publication” or “Notice of Hearing.” The Judge may want to interview the child to ascertain the child’s wishes with respect to the name change
After court, you may return to the Circuit Clerk and obtain a certified copy of the Court order for a $6.00 fee.