by Jennifer Anderson, Staff Writer
Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide legal advice. Rather, its purpose is to highlight steps and resources for changing one’s name in Allegheny County. The processes and prices listed here are accurate as of 11/8/21.
Your name is often the first thing someone learns about you, and many take for granted that our legal name and identification is accurate and authentic to us.
When someone’s documents do not match their physical presentation, issues may arise in employment, healthcare, or other areas. Furthermore, an ID with someone’s dead name (the name they no longer use) can cause hurt, confusion, or harassment. With violence against the LGBTQ+ community, particularly transgender and gender-nonconforming people, increasing, [1] an ID with the correct name is a practical as well as personal decision.
The process for changing one’s name varies greatly depending on the state and county.[2] In Pittsburgh, officially changing one’s name takes several months, multiple visits to government buildings, and about $500 dollars. While legal representation is not necessary, a lawyer or person familiar with the process can be helpful.
2E Ryan Morden is among the Duquesne Law students volunteering with the Name Change Project, an initiative of the Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund. [3] He says, “When people want to change their name, there are a lot of obstacles, both legal and financial.” The Name Change Project, which in Pittsburgh is led by law firm Reed Smith, [4]aims to reduce those barriers through pro-bono representation.
The first step involves acquiring two copies of a petition for a name change to send to the Pennsylvania State Police and Allegheny County Department of Court Records.[5] The form is not available online and must be picked up from their office in the City-County Building (414 Grant St, First Floor).[6]
Next, an individual wishing to change their name must go to their local police barracks to get a fingerprint card.[7] For Pittsburghers, the nearest police barracks location is in Moon Township. Though there is no cost associated with fingerprinting, the fact that people wishing to change their name must travel outside the city and go directly to law enforcement is a clear barrier.[8]
Fingerprint cards must be attached to the petitions filed at the Department of Court Records Civil/Family Division.[9] At the time of this article’s writing, filing the petition costs $150.50, plus the cost of two sets of envelopes and stamps for mailing.[10] After the petition is filed, a docket number will be assigned. Within a few weeks, the results of the background check are mailed.[11]
After receiving the results of the background check, it is time to schedule the name change hearing.[12] To do this, the individual must go back to the City-County Building and provide your docket number to the clerk’s office, who will give the docket folder.[13] With the docket folder, a court hearing can be scheduled within approximately 40 days.[14]
Prior to the hearing, the individual wishing to change their name must also procure a judgement check.[15] Individuals who exclusively lived in Allegheny County for the past five years only need to request a judgement check from the County Indexing Office, which costs $25 dollars.[16] The process is specific to county courts, so those who have lived elsewhere recently have to visit a second county courthouse.[17]
Before the scheduled hearing, individuals are required to post two public notices of the name change.[18] The costs of posting in local papers range from $115 to $200 dollars.[19]
On the day of the name change court hearing, the judge reviews the docket number, judgement check, and proof of two publications of the name change to the courtroom, and if everything is done correctly, approves the name change.[20]Notarized copies of the court order can be purchased at the Department of Court Records immediately after the hearing for $20 per copy.[21]
After the name change process is complete at the county level, updating other documents becomes possible. [22] To update a driver’s license or state ID, one needs to bring the original court order and former ID.[23] The Pittsburgh PennDOT Driver’s Licenses Center (708 Smithfield St) charges $31.50 for replacement cards. They are printed on-site.[24]
The Social Security Administration does not charge for replacement cards but requires a notarized copy of the court order and a form of ID with the correct name.[25] The updated social security card is typically mailed within a few weeks.[26]
Morden encourages students to consider volunteering with the Name Change Project. He notes, “Using my legal training to help people is the main reason I chose to go to law school. It’s also a great opportunity to gain some basic legal skills such as document drafting, filing paperwork, and interacting with the courts.”
[1]Wyatt Ronan. New FBI Hate Crimes Report Shows Increases in Anti-LGBTQ Attacks. HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN. Nov. 17, 2020.
[2]National Center for Transgender Equality. ID Documents Center. Accessed Nov 7, 2021.
[3]Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund. Name Change Project. Accessed Nov 7, 2021.
[4] Rich Lord, Legal project helps transgender people get a name change. PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE. Jan 1, 2014.
[5] https://hazel.virdo.name/name-change/#1-forms
[6] Id.
[7] Id.
[8] Id.
[9] Id.
[10] Id.
[11] https://hazel.virdo.name/name-change/#1-forms
[12] Id.
[13] Id.
[14] Id.
[15] Id.
[16] https://hazel.virdo.name/name-change/#1-forms
[17] Id.
[18] Id.
[19] Id.
[20] Id.
[21] Id.
[22] https://hazel.virdo.name/name-change/#1-forms
[23] Id.
[24] Id.
[25] Id.
[26] Id.
