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Name Change for Adults
Eligibility
If you are a resident of Lake County, have lived in the county for at least six (6) months, and are not required to register under the Sex Offender Registration Act (730 ILCS 150/1) you can petition the court to change your name.
Obtain Forms
Obtain and complete the following forms on the Lake County Circuit Clerk website under the section titled "Name Change" :- Petition for Name Change (Adult) (2 copies required)
- Notice of Publication (2 copies required)
- Name Change Decree (3 copies required)
File Your Forms
File your forms in the Circuit Clerk’s office. Your Petition for Change of Name (Adult) has to be notarized prior to filing. The Clerk requires a filing fee of $291.00 in cash, money order, or credit card. No personal checks are accepted.Schedule a Hearing
The Circuit Clerk will give you a date to appear in court to hear your Petition for Change of Name (Adult). This date must be at least six weeks after the first publication appears in the newspaper. This date can be any day Monday through Thursday at 9:00 am or 1:30 pm.Publish Your Intention to Change Your Name
Next you have to publish your intention to change your name in a newspaper of general circulation in Lake County. The Circuit Clerk’s office will forward your Notice of Publication to the newspaper. There is a publication cost, which the newspaper will contact you about. You can contact the newspaper to find out what is the cost for publication. The Notice has to be published for three consecutive weeks after the Petition for Change of Name (Adult) is filed, with the first insertion at least six weeks before your court date. After publication is completed, the newspaper will mail you a Certificate of Publication. Make sure you bring this Certificate with you to the Court hearing.Court Day
On the day of your court hearing, plan to arrive at the assigned courtroom at least 15 minutes prior to the scheduled start time. Check-in with the Clerk in the courtroom and your case will be called. After court, you will then be instructed to return to the Circuit Clerk’s office to obtain certified copies of your Name Change Decree. The fee is $6.00 for the first copy and $15.00 for each additional copy.Special Disclaimer
Posted fees can change without notice. Please check the Circuit Clerk's Filing Fee page for the current fees.
Obtaining a New Birth Certificate
To change an Illinois birth record by court order to your new name, send the following to:
Illinois Department of Public Health
Division of Vital Records
925 E. Ridgely Ave.
Springfield, IL 62702-2737
Email: dph.vitals@illinois.gov
Web: http://dph.illinois.gov/topics-services/birth-death-other-records/birth-records
a) A completed and notarized State of Illinois Affidavit and Certificate of Correction Requested, available online at http://www.dph.illinois.gov/sites/default/files/forms/affidavitcertcorrection_0.pdf.
b) A certified copy of the Name Change Decree.
c) A copy of a non-expired, government issued photo ID of the person requesting the correction.
d) Documentation required to complete the correction requested.
Please visit Correct Birth Certificate | IDPH (illinois.gov) for more information concerning the types of documents needed.
e) Check or money order for $15.00 (payable to the IL Dept. of Public Health).
If you have any additional questions on obtaining a corrected birth certificate, contact the Division of Vital Records at (217) 782-6554 or by email at dph.vitals@illinois.gov.