How to Legally Change Your Child`s Name in Colorado

Certain requirements must be met before you can apply for a name change for a minor and/or during the name change process for a minor in Colorado. These requirements include: You must personally send or surrender your completed fingerprint cards to the FBI and CBI. Your FBI fingerprint card must include a completed Applicant Information Form. Before you can change the name on your driver`s license, you`ll need to contact the Social Security Administration to get a new Social Security card. Submit the application for a social security card by mail or in person to a social security authority. Attach the following documents to the application: Keep in mind that the criminal record check must be completed within ninety (90) days prior to the application. As a security measure, you must deposit the FBI fingerprint card, wait eight (8) to ten (10) weeks, and then deliver your CBI fingerprint card by mail or in person. In Colorado, the minor`s parent will file an application on behalf of the minor for a minor`s name change in the district OR district court of the minor`s county of residence. The adult claimant is the claimant in this dispute. Colorado law requires certain things before you can apply for a name change.

These requirements include: If you change the name of a minor over the age of 13, you must take the child to local police or the sheriff for fingerprinting. You must order a criminal record search to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Colorado Bureau of Investigation; The FBI and CBI will give you a report. Both reports must be attached to Form JDF 421 prior to filing. Courts are often willing to accept name changes for almost any legitimate reason. However, acceptance of an application for a name change is at the discretion of the court. In order for a decision/order/judgment on a name change to be rendered, the court must determine that the publication requirements and the requirements for the allegations contained in the application are met. The court must also find a fair and sufficient reason for the change, find that the change is consistent with the public interest and, if the name change involves a minor child, determine that the change is in the best interests of the minor child. File your records in a Colorado court located in your district of residence. You must pay the $100 filing fee when you submit your documents. Additional charges may apply for certified true copies. If you cannot afford the filing fee, complete the application for deposit without payment and the supporting financial affidavit and file it with a court clerk. The court will consider your application for exemption from the filing fee and decide whether or not to pay the fee.

You may need to provide the court with an addressed and stamped envelope. Finally, to complete the process, you must complete a paternity report at the Department of Vital Statistics so that the birth certificate can be amended. Sometimes these steps can be complicated. You may want to consult a lawyer before beginning the name change process. To change your name in Colorado for reasons other than marriage or divorce, you must file a written petition with your local district court or district court. However, before the application can be submitted, you must complete a fingerprint-based background check with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI). If you don`t have a court order granting you custody of the child, consider applying for custody. The court hearing custody proceedings has the power to decide in this case whether to order the change of the child`s name. Click here for more information on how to apply for custody in Colorado. It is recommended that you make multiple copies of each document for your personal records.

This gives you extra security in case your documents are lost or destroyed. If the other parent agrees to change the child`s name, complete the consent form (click here, click the + next to “Change of child`s name” and click + next to “What forms do I need…” “, then click on JDF 423) and have it signed before a notary or clerk. It may take up to four (4) weeks for the CBI to process the background check. FBI background checks can take up to thirteen (13) weeks. The results of any background check must be dated within ninety (90) days prior to the submission of the name change request. For this reason, it is recommended that you submit the FBI fingerprint card by mail, wait seven (7) to nine (9) weeks, and then submit the CBI fingerprint card by mail or in person. To change your name on your driver`s licence, you must go to a driver`s licence office. You must bring documentation of your name change (see acceptable identification in the identification requirements). You will need to obtain another license or ID card that reflects your new name. It is necessary that you have your background checked with the FBI and CBI. Go to a local law enforcement agency to have your fingerprints taken on an FBI and CBI fingerprint card.

In the “Reason for fingerprinting” section of each card, enter “§13-15-101 Change of legal name” or, if you are over seventy (70) years of age, write “§13-15-101 Change of name to obtain legal documents”. If the agency that registers your fingerprints uses an electronic printing system, leave the form blank, as your information will be automatically entered by the agency. If I have custody of my child, can I apply for a name change? If you are unable to obtain consent from the non-custodial parent, you must complete Form JDF 422, Notice to Non-Sorgodial Parent, make a copy of the form, and send the original form to the parent by registered mail. The copy of the form and receipt must be submitted to the court at least 10 days before the name change hearing. The fourth step is to prepare and attend your hearing if the court requires it. At this hearing, you may be asked questions about why you are requesting a name change. After hearing the parents` statements and reviewing all the evidence and the record, the court allows or rejects the application for a change of name. If the court grants the name change application, you must publish the order three times in a newspaper within twenty-one days. Once the announcement is made by publication, the court will issue an order on the change of your child`s name. Once your publication order has been submitted, you must publish your completed public notice of the name change application in a local newspaper. The notice must be published at least three (3) times within twenty-one (21) days of the date your request for publication of the name change was submitted. These are just a few of the places where you may need to make sure that you have submitted the proper documents to change your name.

Keep in mind that you may also need to change your name to bank accounts, credit cards, passports, etc. Complete the JDF 427 Public Notice Form. You will need the child`s current and suggested names. To change the name of a minor child, you must follow a number of steps (see C.R.S. §13-15-101). The steps to change the name of a minor child are similar to the steps for changing the adult name described above. If you wish to change the name of a minor, you must read the instructions for filing a change of name (minor) provided by the Colorado courts.

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