Updating your name on your driver`s license should be a relatively painless process. To update your name, visit your local BMV office in Ohio. Be sure to bring your Ohio driver`s license, Social Security card, and proof of name change (such as a marriage certificate, divorce decree, or court order). For a regular driver`s license name change, the cost is $24.50 (most payment methods are accepted). If you`re a parent, the good news is that you can change a child`s last name for almost any reason, as long as you don`t intend to commit fraud. A common reason parents want to change a child`s name is to strengthen the bond between the child and the parent whose name they adopt. The next step is to participate in the hearing. If your child is over the age of six, they may also need to attend the hearing. You should have documented the reasons for your name change in your application. You may have to testify at the hearing for these reasons and any supporting evidence. If the court finds that a change of name is in the best interests of the child, it will grant the application. Next, you`ll need to contact the Ohio Department of Health`s Office of Vital Statistics to get an updated birth certificate with your child`s new last name. If your child was not born in Ohio, you will need to obtain an updated birth certificate from the state where they were born.
You should also contact other third parties who need the correct child`s name, such as schools and medical providers. Our customer service team can answer all your questions on the above topics. Call 614-466-2531 or email VitalStat@odh.ohio.gov whose last name is given to a child on their birth certificate if the parents are not married? According to ORC 3705.09(F)(2), if the mother was not married at the time of conception or birth of the child or in between, the surname given by the child on the birth certificate is the name provided by the mother. It can be his last name, the father`s last name, a combination of hyphens, or a completely different surname. The decision is in the hands of the mother. But what if the father objects or the mother later changes her mind? The Supreme Court further warned the courts to “refrain from defining the best interests of the child test as giving primary or greater weight to the father`s interest in the child bearing the paternal surname”. The court recognized that, while it is customary to give a child the father`s surname, the mother has at least an equal interest in the child bearing her surname. Background checks are not required by state law, but some counties will require you to request a BCI background check for themselves in order to request a name change.
To request a background check, select an agency from this list of suppliers on the Attorney General`s website. An appointment may be required, otherwise most companies allow walk-in visits. The price of an application for a background check is usually between $30 and $40. Have the background check sent to the district probate court, where your hearing will take place. (Sample background check application form.) Parents and guardians may need to change the names of their children or minors in their care for many legal and social reasons. In Ohio, if you need to change a minor`s name because of adoption, child support, religious reasons, or other issues, you must file a petition with the probate court in the district where you reside. The cost of name changes varies from county to county. The judge will ask you to list the reasons for the change of name of your child or the minor in your care. If they feel there is sufficient justification for the name change, they will sign the judgment submission form and approve the desired change. There are two ways to update your name on your voter registration card; online or by mail. The process of updating a name change is the same as when you first registered, except that you use your new name. Visit VoteOhio.gov and click “Register to Vote” to update your online registration.
You can also download the voter registration and information update form and send it to your district election office. If you have questions about how to change your child`s name in Ohio or need help, contact Melissa Graham-Hurd & Associates to schedule a consultation. A parent or guardian has the right to change their child`s name for almost any reason, as long as it is not done for illegal purposes. As with an adult name change, the minor must have resided in Ohio (specifically the county in which he or she is applying) for at least one (1) year. When applying for a change of name of a minor, the consent of both living parents must be presented. If a parent is not part of the child`s life, i.e. if he is not present to give his consent, he must be informed of the hearing by registered mail. The acknowledgement signed by registered mail or the green piece of paper must be submitted before the hearing or presented at the hearing to show that the parent has received the notice. The name change request must also be published in a newspaper in your county. The court usually handles the disclosure requirement, but there is a fee for this service, usually around $50. He asks for the names of the parents and minors, the proposed name and the reason for the request for a change of name.
Complete the Consent to Change of Minor`s Name form before a notary or clerk. Each parent must complete this box to give permission to change their name. A 2016 case, Bond v. de Rinaldis, 2016-Ohio-3342, suggested that “parental inability to provide for a child” could also be a consideration in the best interests of changing the child`s name, recognizing that this factor could fall under the category of “identifying the child as part of a family unit.” You must appear in person before the judge or designated magistrate in the probate court to represent your case regarding the desired name change. The judge/magistrate will ensure that you change your name for legitimate reasons and, once deemed legal, will sign a judgment form, also known as an “order”. Any adult may apply for a name change in Ohio as long as they are eighteen (18) years of age and have lived in the state for at least one (1) year. The judge will decide if the reason for your name change is legitimate. According to the Ohio Code, the following reasons are grounds for refusing a name change: You must also make sure to provide the parent who disagrees with the name change with notice of the name change application and the court hearing for the application.
Send this information to the other parent by registered letter with acknowledgment of receipt so that you can prove to the court that you have notified it.
