LEGAL NAME CHANGE
How to update your legal name in Rhode Island through your local town or city probate court.
We recommend this as a first step if you are seeking a name change on other ID documents.
STEP 1
Fill out a Change of Name Petition
Download the Change of Name Petition Form (PC-8.1) here or from the website of the Rhode Island Secretary of State. You can also ask your local Probate Court for a copy.
Complete all appropriate information on Page 1 (except for the “Estate of” line in the box on the top left.)
Fill in the first box with your current legal name and address.
Fill in the second box with your legal birth name, date and place of birth, parents’ names, and your occupation and marital status (optional).
In the third box, do the following:
Signify whether you have ever changed your name by court order before. If you have, you will need to attach a copy of that name change court order to your application.
Fill in your previous addresses.
A line asks you to state a “reason” for the name change and to “be specific”. You do not have to disclose your gender identity to change your name! You can answer with “preferred name” or “common usage.” Be aware this form and your answers will become part of the public record.
Fill in your desired name in the line “Petitioner Requests a Name Change to: _____”
Do not fill out the boxes on Page 2 yet.
The top box on Page 2 is the signature box, which must be completed in the presence of a notary (see Step 2).
The bottom box on Page 2 is the Decree box, which will be completed by the Probate Court at the end of this process (see Step 7).
STEP 2
Get your Change of Name Petition notarized
Page 2 of the Change of Name Petition Form must be completed in the presence of a notary.
What is a notary?
A notary is a member of the public who is authorized by the government to serve as an impartial witness in assisting with the signing of important documents.
How do I find a notary?
You may already know a notary in your community. You can ask family and friends for recommendations or connections.
It’s also possible that a notary works for your employer. If you’re comfortable discussing your name change at your workplace, this may be a place to start.
Other places where you may have luck in finding a notary is at your local bank, AAA, photocopy shop, shipping store, or library.
You can also ask your city or town clerk for a referral. Alternatively, the Rhode Island Secretary of State maintains a Notary Public Lookup search. You can find notaries in your area by using the “Search using City” option.
What should I do in my meeting with the notary?
When you are in the presence of the notary, fill in the box on the top of Page 2 of the Change of Name Petition. The notary will fill in their signature and the other identifying information in this box.
Please note: You will not need to present ID if you are "personally known" by the notary or if your identity is verified by a "credible witness". Otherwise, you may need to present a form of ID to the notary.
Time saving tip: One step in the process of changing your legal name in RI is to obtain a background check, which can be obtained by mail after submitting a notarized BCI Disclaimer Form (see Step 4). You may wish to have both forms notarized in the same meeting.
Step 3
Obtain a certified copy of your birth certificate
The Change of Name Petition Form requires you to attach a certified copy of your original birth certificate. If you were born in Rhode Island, you can obtain a certified copy of your birth certificate online, by mail, or in-person.
Online:
Vital Chek issues certified copies of Rhode Island birth certificates, which can be obtained here.
Cost: $35 by debit or credit card. There is an additional fee for expedited orders.
Vital Chek may ask you to demonstrate a document verifying your identity, such as a state-issued driver’s license or ID or a U.S. passport.
By mail:
Download the Application for a Certified Copy of a Birth Record here.
Fill in all required information.
Box 3 asks “Why do you need this record?”. Check the “other use” box and specify “name change”.
Make a photocopy of a current, government issued photo ID, such as a valid state driver’s license or U.S. passport.
Cost: $25 by check or money order, payable to “General Treasurer of RI”.
Send the completed form, photocopy of ID, and payment to the following address:
Rhode Island Department of Health - Office of Vital Records
6 Harrington Road
Cranston, Rhode Island 02920
By drop-off in person:
Place the completed form, name change court order, photocopy of ID, and payment in an enveloped clearly marked “Vital Records”.
Drop off envelope in a secured lock box at the main entrance of the Rhode Island Department of Health’s Office of Vital Records located at this address:
6 Harrington Road
Cranston, Rhode Island 02920
Notes
If you were born in Rhode Island, you can also call the clerk’s office in the city or town where you were born to ask about obtaining a certified copy of your birth certificate from their office.
If you were born in another state, you will need to obtain a certified copy of your birth certificate from the state where you were born. This can be done online through VitalChek. You may also request one from the vital records office of the state or territory where you were born—a list maintained by National Center for Health Statistics can be found here.
Step 4
Obtain a background check report
The Change of Name Petition Form requires you to attach a background check report from the Bureau of Criminal Identification (“BCI report”).
Please note that some towns in Rhode Island will include the process of obtaining the BCI report as part of their name change procedure. Be sure to ask the probate court in the city or town where you reside whether you need to do this on your own, or whether the court will do it for you once you apply for your name change. The cost is $5.00..
If you need to obtain the BCI report on your own, the best way to do so is through the office of the Rhode Island Attorney General. You can do this by appearing in person or requesting the report by mail.
In person:
Appear at the Rhode Island Attorney General Customer Service Center.
Address:
4 Howard Avenue (corner of Pontiac Ave. and Howard Ave.)
Cranston, Rhode Island 02920Hours of Operation:
Monday – Friday (closed on state holidays)
8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Call to confirm: 401-274-4400
Please note: as of April 2021, the Attorney General’s Office is operating with a “virtual line” for in-person visitors due to COVID-19. Upon arrival, register online to reserve your place in the virtual line. There are signs in the parking lot with the check-in website. Please do not enter the lobby until notified by text message. Registration is from 8:30am to 4:15pm. Individuals without mobile access to the internet should call 401-274-4400 and select option 2.
Bring with you:
A form of identification (such as driver’s license or ID or U.S. passport).
Payment of $5 in the form of check, money order, or debit/credit card. Cash is not accepted. Checks should be made out to “BCI.” A processing fee of 2% plus $0.50 will be charged per credit card transaction.
By mail:
Download the BCI Disclaimer Form here or from the website of the Rhode Island Attorney General.
Fill out the top of the BCI Disclaimer Form
Fill in the lines for Name, Maiden Name, Date of Birth, and all other blanks in the paragraph.
Sign the form in the presence of a notary. The notary will also sign and fill in the remaining blanks.
See Step 2 above for tips on how to find a notary in your community.
Make a photo copy of a government-issued photo ID. This can be a valid state-issued driver’s license or ID card, or a valid U.S. passport.
Cost: $5 by check or money order, payable to “BCI”.
Make out a self-addressed, stamped envelope for return.
Mail your notarized BCI Disclaimer Form, copy of photo ID, payment, and self-addressed envelope to the following address:
Rhode Island Office of the Attorney General
4 Howard Avenue
Cranston, Rhode Island 02920
Wait to collect all three documents described above.
You cannot take any further steps until you have all three documents.
Notarized Change of Name Petition
Certified birth certificate
Background check (BCI report)
Step 5
Submit your Change of Name Petition, certified birth certificate and background check to your local city or town probate court.
Each city or town probate court in Rhode Island operates differently.
Identify your local city or town probate court here (updated April 2021) or through the website of the Rhode Island Bar Association. This list provides how often a probate court meets, the time, and the location.
Call your probate court and ask them for clear instructions for their legal name change process, including:
all fees involved
acceptable payment methods
when probate court is in session
if you will need to bring all of your paperwork before getting a court date
if you will need to attend a hearing in person and if so, what will happen at the hearing, and if you can bring someone for support and as witness
if you will need to publish notice of your name change in the newspaper
Step 6
Appear before a judge in Probate Court.
After submitting your forms, you may need to appear in person before a judge depending on your local city or town probate court. (As of February 2023, some probate courts are still operating over Zoom.)
After the judge grants your legal name change, we highly recommend that you get multiple copies of your name change document.
You will need at least 2 copies to complete the other document changes.
It is usually less expensive to get an extra copy while you are there than to have to go back again later.
It is also possible to take one official copy, make photocopies and get the photocopies notarized as official copies of the original.
FORMS TO COMPLETE
(only if requesting certified copies by mail)
(only if requesting background check by mail)