Updated May 2026
How to Change Your Name in Illinois (2026 Cost + Steps)
The cost of a legal name change in Illinois is $344, which includes a $320 court filing fee, and $24 for certified copies of the court order.
Court filing fee: $320 · Processing time: ~6 weeks
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 | $184 | ~2 weeks | No |
| After Divorce | $184 | ~2 weeks | No |
| Court Order (Adult) | $504 | ~10 weeks | No |
| Child Name Change | $554 | ~10 weeks | No |
| Gender Marker Change | $504 | ~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 Illinois
Illinois name change fees run $250-$350 in most counties, filed in the Circuit Court of your county. Cook County (Chicago) is around $326. Marriage-based name changes in Illinois don't require a court order - your marriage license handles it, keeping costs minimal for newlyweds.
Illinois does require publication for court-order name changes: you must publish notice in a local newspaper for three consecutive weeks. Chicago has several newspapers that handle legal notices for relatively low cost ($60-$100). Publication is not required if you're changing your name back after divorce using a court decree that already includes the restoration clause.
One Illinois-specific protection: Illinois law has strong provisions protecting domestic violence survivors. If you're fleeing an abusive situation, you can petition the court to waive the publication requirement and seal the court record - preventing your new name from being publicly traceable. This is an important safety feature most people don't know about.
The Illinois Secretary of State handles driver's license name changes. Fee for a corrected Illinois driver's license is $5. You'll need your marriage certificate or court order, current license, and proof of Social Security update.
Illinois has a straightforward fee waiver process - file an Application to Sue or Defend as an Indigent Person alongside your name change petition if your income qualifies.
Key Illinois links: Illinois Courts (illinoiscourts.gov), Illinois Secretary of State DMV (ilsos.gov), Illinois Legal Aid Online (illinoislegalaid.org) which has free name change packet tools. Cook County self-help center (cookcountycourt.org/selfhelp) has walk-in assistance at the Daley Center.
Illinois name change fees at a glance
| Court filing fee | $320 |
| Certified copies (4 × $6 each) | $24 |
| Newspaper publication(not required) | N/A |
| Fingerprinting / background check(not required) | N/A |
| Driver's license / State ID | $30 |
| Processing time | ~6 weeks |
| Fee waiver available | At or below 125% federal poverty level |
Common reasons in Illinois
Name Change Guides for Illinois
FAQ: Illinois name changes
- How much does it cost to change your name in Illinois?
- Court filing fees in Illinois start around $320 for a petition (counties may differ). Add certified copies (4 × about $6 each), optional publication ($0), DMV fees, and passport fees depending on your path.
- How long does a name change take in Illinois?
- Many Illinois court petitions finish in about 6 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 Illinois?
- Most standard adult name change petitions in Illinois do not require newspaper publication, but a judge can still impose notice requirements in some cases.
- Can I change my name for free in Illinois?
- You may qualify for a reduced or waived court filing fee in Illinois if you meet the court’s income guidelines (At or below 125% federal poverty level). Certified copies, DMV fees, and passports still usually cost money.
- What documents do I need to change my name in Illinois?
- Commonly: a certified marriage certificate, divorce decree, or court order; government-issued photo ID; proof of Illinois residency for court filings; and Social Security verification before DMV updates.
- How do I change my name after marriage in Illinois?
- If you take your spouse’s surname as shown on your Illinois 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 Illinois, you should update your voter registration so it matches the name on your government-issued ID. Illinois 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