Updated May 2026
How to Change Your Name in Georgia (2026 Cost + Steps)
The cost of a legal name change in Georgia is $306, which includes a $200 court filing fee, $100 for newspaper publication required by Georgia law, and $6 for certified copies of the court order.
Court filing fee: $200 · Processing time: ~8 weeks · Publication required
Estimated costs by reason
Totals include Social Security (free), driver’s license, and adult passport selections—matching the calculator defaults.
| Reason | Estimated total cost | Timeline | Publication required |
|---|---|---|---|
| After Marriage | $168 | ~2 weeks | No |
| After Divorce | $168 | ~2 weeks | No |
| Court Order (Adult) | $468 | ~10 weeks | Yes |
| Child Name Change | $518 | ~10 weeks | Yes |
| Gender Marker Change | $468 | ~10 weeks | Sealed |
Which state are you in?
Why are you changing your name?
Which documents do you need to update?
How to Change Your Name in Georgia
Georgia name change filing fees are moderate - Superior Court fees run $200-$250 depending on the county. Fulton County (Atlanta) is around $214. As in most states, marriage-based name changes in Georgia are handled directly through your marriage certificate with no court petition required.
Georgia has a publication requirement for court-order name changes: you must publish notice of your petition once a week for four consecutive weeks in the official county newspaper before a judge will grant your order. In most Georgia counties, the local newspaper designated as the county legal organ handles this, typically costing $50-$150 depending on the publication.
Georgia's name change process includes a requirement to run a background check through the Georgia Crime Information Center. This is built into the court process and doesn't require separate action on your part, but it does add processing time - expect 6-10 weeks from filing to receiving your order.
The Georgia DDS (Department of Driver Services) charges $32 for a replacement driver's license with a name change. Visit any DDS customer service center with your court order or marriage certificate, current Georgia license, and proof of Social Security update.
Georgia Superior Courts have self-help centers in most major counties. Fulton County has a particularly robust self-help center at 185 Central Ave SW, Atlanta with walk-in hours for name change assistance.
Key Georgia links: Georgia Superior Courts (georgiacourts.gov), Georgia DDS (dds.georgia.gov), Georgia Legal Aid (georgialegalaid.org) which offers free online name change guidance and referrals to local legal aid organizations for fee waiver assistance.
Georgia name change fees at a glance
| Court filing fee | $200 |
| Certified copies (3 × $2 each) | $6 |
| Newspaper publication | $100 After publishing, your notice will eventually be archived at Newspapers.com |
| Fingerprinting / background check(not required) | N/A |
| Driver's license / State ID | $32 |
| Processing time | ~8 weeks |
| Fee waiver available | Poverty — court discretion |
Common reasons in Georgia
Name Change Guides for Georgia
FAQ: Georgia name changes
- How much does it cost to change your name in Georgia?
- Court filing fees in Georgia start around $200 for a petition (counties may differ). Add certified copies (3 × about $2 each), optional publication ($100), DMV fees, and passport fees depending on your path.
- How long does a name change take in Georgia?
- Many Georgia court petitions finish in about 8 weeks, but crowded dockets, publication, or fingerprinting can add time. After-marriage updates using a certificate are often faster because they skip the petition.
- Do I need to publish my name change in a newspaper in Georgia?
- Yes for many court-order adult petitions in Georgia: newspapers typically charge about $100. Marriage-based updates using a certified marriage certificate usually skip publication.
- Can I change my name for free in Georgia?
- You may qualify for a reduced or waived court filing fee in Georgia if you meet the court’s income guidelines (Poverty — court discretion). Certified copies, DMV fees, and passports still usually cost money.
- What documents do I need to change my name in Georgia?
- Commonly: a certified marriage certificate, divorce decree, or court order; government-issued photo ID; proof of Georgia residency for court filings; and Social Security verification before DMV updates.
- How do I change my name after marriage in Georgia?
- If you take your spouse’s surname as shown on your Georgia marriage certificate, you typically update Social Security first, then your driver’s license, then banks and payroll. Hyphenated or new invented names may still require a court petition—check local court rules.
Voter Registration After Your Name Change
After legally changing your name in Georgia, you should update your voter registration so it matches the name on your government-issued ID. Georgia offers online voter registration paths for many voters, though some counties still require mail or an in-person visit for certain updates. If your registration still shows an old name close to an election, you may face additional checks at the polling place. See the full 50-state voter registration guide for deadlines, typical documents, and official Vote.gov links.
Related: SAVE Act & name change overview