El Paso residents change their names for many reasons: to go back to a maiden name years after a divorce, to correct a misspelling that has followed them since a birth certificate was issued in Juárez or Fort Bliss, to adopt a name that reflects their identity, or to unify a family name across documents. Whatever the reason, Social Security, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the passport office and most banks will not accept anything less than a certified court order. A legal adult name change gives you that order, signed by an El Paso County district judge, so every agency updates its records without argument.
Adult name changes are governed by Texas Family Code Chapter 45, Subchapter B (sections 45.101 through 45.106). The petition must be verified, must state your current and requested names, your reason, and whether you have ever been convicted of a felony or are subject to sex-offender registration. Section 45.102 also requires a complete set of fingerprints on a DPS-approved card, which we help you obtain locally, so the court can confirm your criminal history. The judge must find that the change is in your interest, in the interest of the public, and not sought to avoid creditors or a criminal record. Once signed, the order is filed with the El Paso County District Clerk.
Robert Navar drafts and files the verified petition, coordinates your fingerprint card, prepares the proposed order and sets a short prove-up in one of the El Paso County family district courts. Most of these hearings are now held by Zoom and last under ten minutes: you confirm your identity and reasons, the judge signs, and you are done. Doing it yourself is possible, but a rejected fingerprint card, a missing felony disclosure or a wrongly worded order can cost you a second hearing and weeks of delay. A flat fee covers the entire process, and we tell you exactly which certified copies to order for Social Security, DPS and your passport.
Requirements for an adult name change in Texas
You must be at least 18 and file in the county where you live, so El Paso County residents file with the El Paso County District Clerk. The petition must be sworn and include your full legal name, the name you want, your date of birth, Texas driver's license or ID number, Social Security number, any assigned FBI or state ID number, and a list of felony convictions or pending charges. If you have a felony conviction, Family Code section 45.103 still allows a change once you have completed your sentence and at least two years have passed, or you were pardoned.
The fingerprint requirement is the step most people get wrong. The prints must be on a card acceptable to DPS and the FBI, taken by a law enforcement agency or approved vendor. We tell you where to go in El Paso, what to bring and how to attach the card to the petition so the clerk accepts it the first time.
What happens after the judge signs
The signed order is your proof of the new name. Order several certified copies from the District Clerk on the day of the hearing, because Social Security, DPS, your employer, banks, the U.S. Passport Agency and the El Paso County voter registrar each want to see one. Update Social Security first, since DPS checks that database before issuing a new license. If you were born in Texas, you may also apply to the Texas Vital Statistics Section to have the birth certificate amended. We give you a checklist in the order the agencies need to be contacted.
What's included
- Consultation to confirm eligibility and the exact name you want on the order
- Verified Petition for Change of Name of an Adult drafted and filed with the El Paso County District Clerk
- Fingerprint card instructions and coordination with DPS requirements
- Proposed Order Changing Name prepared for the judge's signature
- Hearing scheduled and attended with you, usually by Zoom
- Agency update checklist for Social Security, DPS, passport, banks and voter registration
How it works
Petition and fingerprints
We gather your identification details and reasons, draft the verified petition, and send you to a DPS-approved fingerprint location in El Paso. Once the card is back, we file everything with the District Clerk and pay the filing fee.
Short Zoom hearing
We set a prove-up date in an El Paso County family district court. You appear by video, usually for under ten minutes, and answer a few questions we have already reviewed with you. The judge signs the order the same day in most cases.
Certified copies and updates
We help you order certified copies from the District Clerk and hand you a step-by-step list for Social Security, DPS, your passport, banks and employer, so the new name appears everywhere within a few weeks.