Name changes sit inside the wider set of Arizona identity documents described in Arizona vital records. This article covers the court side: who can apply, which forms Arizona courts publish, what filing costs, how notice and hearings work, and what the signed order changes.
Who can apply, where to file, and what to disclose
A.R.S. § 12-601(A) allows a person who wants to change their name to file an application in the superior court in the county of that person’s residence, stating the reasons for the change and the name the person wishes to adopt. Venue follows residence, so an applicant living in Yuma County files there even if born elsewhere.
The Maricopa County Superior Court’s adult name change packet describes the profile those forms are built for: a county resident, 18 years or older, with no minor children, prepared to state under penalty of perjury whether they have ever been convicted of a felony. Applicants with minor children use the family packet; parents changing a child’s name use the minor forms.
Marriage and divorce are separate tracks. The Arizona Judicial Branch’s name change forms page states that a court request is not needed to take a spouse’s last name after marriage; the marriage certificate carries that change.
Arizona name changes run through the superior court, not an administrative agency, and the application carries a disclosure list most applicants do not expect. Under A.R.S. § 12-601(C), the applicant indicates under penalty of perjury whether they have been convicted of a felony; whether felony charges are pending in any jurisdiction under title 13, chapter 18, 20, 21, 22, 23 or 27 or any other offense involving false statements about identity; whether they are knowingly taking another individual’s name to further such an offense; whether they are required to register as a sex offender in any state; and whether they have served a copy of the application on the prosecuting agency in the county of conviction.
## The forms Arizona courts publish
The Arizona Supreme Court publishes generic name change forms through its Self-Service Center, noting that each court may prefer its own versions. The statewide set includes the Application for Change of Name for an Adult (CVNC11F), the Application for Change of Name for a Minor Child (CVNCM11F), Consent of Minor to Name Change (CVNC13F), Parental Waiver of Notice (CVNC15F), Marital Waiver of Notice (CVNC16F), Notice of Hearing Regarding Application for Change of Name (CVNC18F), Affidavit of Service by Certified Mail (CVNC24F), Order Changing Name of an Adult (CVNC81F), and Order Changing Name of Minor (CVNCM81F).
County packets bundle the same documents with local instructions. The Maricopa County adult packet pairs a civil cover sheet with CVNC11F, CVNC16F, an affidavit of notice by certified mail, and the proposed order CVNC81F that the judge signs.
Request a Change of Name for an Adult With No Minor Children (CVNCA1 packet)
From Superior Court of Arizona in Maricopa County
URL verified September 2026 · 400 KB
A.R.S. § 12-284(A) lists a petition for change of name in class A at a $188.00 base fee, and subsection (L) authorizes the increases. The current Superior Court filing fee schedule, effective December 28, 2024, shows a petition for change of name at a $222.00 base plus $15.00 for the document storage fund and $15.00 for the lengthy trial fund, for a total of $252.00. The schedule notes that individual courts may charge additional local fees.
Applicants who cannot pay ask for deferral or waiver rather than a reduced fee. Under A.R.S. § 12-302(C), the court grants a deferral when the applicant establishes by affidavit that they receive TANF or food stamp benefits, receive supplemental security income, or have income insufficient to meet the daily essentials of life. Gross monthly income at or below 150 percent of the federal poverty level counts as evidence of insufficient income under that subsection. Subsection (D) directs the court to waive fees outright on proof that the applicant is permanently unable to pay.
## Notice, hearings, and objections
Arizona does not impose a fixed publication requirement on every name change. A.R.S. § 12-602(A) leaves notice to the judge: if the court deems it proper that notice be given upon the filing of the application, it may order notice by publication or by service on any interested party. That is why the statewide form set includes both a notice of hearing and waiver forms for a spouse or a parent.
Practice varies by county. Some courts set every application for a short hearing; others decide uncontested adult applications on the paperwork. The county packet instructions state which route that court uses.
Confirm residence and pick the right packet
The application is filed in the superior court of the county of residence. Adult applicants with no minor children use the adult packet; applicants with minor children, and parents applying for a child, use the family or minor packets.
Complete the application under penalty of perjury
The Application for Change of Name states the current name, the requested name, the reasons for the change, and the disclosures listed in
A.R.S. § 12-601(C). False statements on a court document filed under oath carry their own consequences.Handle notice and any required service
Waiver forms cover a spouse or a parent who agrees. An applicant with a felony conviction serves the prosecuting agency as
A.R.S. § 12-601(D)requires, and files proof of that service with the court.File and pay, or apply to defer
The clerk collects the fee at the counter or through the court’s electronic filing system. An application for deferral or waiver under
A.R.S. § 12-302is filed with the application rather than after it.Attend the hearing if one is set, and submit the proposed order
The judge reviews the application against the statutory criteria and signs the Order Changing Name if it is granted. Certified copies of that order are what other agencies accept.
A.R.S. § 12-601(B) directs the court to weigh the best interests of the minor along with the criteria that apply to the minor under subsection (C). The statewide forms reflect that structure with a separate minor application (CVNCM11F) and a separate order (CVNCM81F).
Consent and notice drive most contested minor cases. The Arizona Supreme Court’s forms list includes a Consent of Minor to Name Change, a Parental Waiver of Notice, and an optional parental consent combined with a waiver. Where the other parent does not sign a waiver, the court’s notice order under A.R.S. § 12-602(A) governs how that parent learns of the application.
## Returning to a former name after a divorce
A divorce restores a former name without a separate name change case. Under A.R.S. § 25-325(C), on request by a party at any time before the court signs the decree of dissolution or annulment, the court shall order that the party’s requested former name be restored. The restoration is written into the decree.
A certified copy of the decree then functions the way a name change order would. The Arizona Judicial Branch’s name change page notes that a certified copy from the Clerk of the Court is what a driver’s license, Social Security record, and bank account are updated with. A party who did not ask before the decree was signed files a standard application under A.R.S. § 12-601 instead.
## What the signed order does and does not do
The judgment substitutes the adopted name for the original. It does not erase the earlier name’s legal history: A.R.S. § 12-602(B) states that the change does not release the person from obligations incurred under the original name, and does not defeat or destroy rights of property or actions held in that name. Debts, judgments, and contracts follow the person, not the name.
Two situations change what happens after the order. On request, A.R.S. § 12-601(F) lets the court seal the application and judgment for a person protected by an order of protection or an injunction against harassment, or a victim of stalking under A.R.S. § 13-2923; sealed records are not public, and a person who obtained a judgment on or after January 1, 2009 may ask for sealing after the fact. Where the applicant is required to register under A.R.S. § 13-3821, subsection (G) of the same statute directs the court to order registration under the new name with the prior name used as an alias, and a copy of the order goes to the sheriff of the county of residence.
Frequently asked questions
Does an Arizona name change require publication in a newspaper?
Not automatically. A.R.S. § 12-602(A) gives the court discretion: if the judge deems notice proper, the judge may order it by publication or by service on an interested party. Many uncontested adult applications proceed without publication.
How much does a name change cost in Arizona?
The statewide Superior Court filing fee schedule effective December 28, 2024 lists a total of $252.00 for a petition for change of name, built from a $222.00 base plus two $15.00 fund charges. Individual courts may add local fees, and certified copies of the signed order are charged separately.
Can a name change application be denied?
Yes. The court weighs the criteria in A.R.S. § 12-601(C), and a victim or prosecutor has standing under subsection (D) to contest the change before judgment or within one year after it. Subsection (E) also lets the court set aside a judgment or deny a pending application on entering a conviction for an offense involving false statements about identity.
Is a court order needed to change a last name after marriage?
No. The Arizona Judicial Branch’s name change forms page states that a court request is not required to use a spouse’s last name after a marriage. The marriage certificate is the supporting document agencies ask for.
What happens to a name change if the applicant moves to another county?
The order remains valid statewide once entered. Venue under A.R.S. § 12-601(A) is measured at filing, so a later move does not disturb a signed judgment.
Can someone change a name to avoid a debt or a judgement?
No. A.R.S. § 12-602(B) provides that a change of name does not release a person from obligations incurred under the original name and does not defeat rights of property or actions. Creditors and judgment holders retain their rights against the same person under the new name.
Sources
- A.R.S. § 12-601, Application; venue; judgment; sealing of record
- A.R.S. § 12-602, Notice of application; effect of change on rights and obligations
- Superior Court of Arizona in Maricopa County: adult name change packet (CVNCA1)
- A.R.S. § 12-302, Deferral or waiver of court fees and costs
- A.R.S. § 25-325, Decree; finality; restoration of maiden name
- Arizona Judicial Branch Self-Service Center: Name Change Forms
- Arizona Judicial Branch: Superior Court Filing Fees (effective December 28, 2024)