so I told myself I'd get my name changed this summer before i went back to school at the end of august.

well i haven't done anything.
and i really just have no idea where to start. finding information about this stuff is actually harder than i thought so i thought i'd come ask here.

I currently live in arizona but i was born in washington.

i guess i'll just sort of list my questions here.

1. do i have to get my name change legally from washington or arizona

2. do i get my name change on my birthcertificate or someplace else completely or is it all handled by the court.

3. in what order do i go about getting my name changed on stuff ( birth certificate, social security, drivers license, banking info, etc)


i guess this just seems overwhelming and i don't know where to start.  moneys not an issue for me i just wanna get started on this some way.

First stop, clerk of courts office in your local county seat. Take a pen and your check book. They will tell you what to do and how.

After your court appearance, get copies (about 3 certified and 5  more) of the signed papers. Take them to the DMV first, then to SS office, then to any and everyone else.

You would have to send the papers to the county seat where you were born to change your birth cert, if the state allows it. If you call the state and talk to the office of vital statistics, they will tell you what you need to do and even send any papers you need to fill out, along with what fees you will be charged.

These might be helpful for you:

http://www.azcourts.gov/selfservicecenter/SelfServiceForms/NameChangeForms.aspx
http://www.azdot.gov/mvd/driver-services/driver-license-information/change-your-address-or-name

If you have a passport, do that, too. I'm in no rush to do my birth certificate since nobody ever asks for it. If they do, I can just show it to them along with the court ordered name change and that will be sufficient.

-Jay

Actually I'm pretty sure you are obligated to notify all legal places (birth cert, DL and SS...and passport agency) of any court ordered change within a certain period of time. Between 30 and 90 days usually. At least that was the requirement I was told about when I changed my name last year and again when I changed my gender this year. You also have to notify any loans, bank, and colleges/schools of the change within 90 days (banks for sure have the 90 day limit).

You normally change your name/get a court order in the county which you reside in then send the orders to your birth state. Look up the policies for both states since they are probably different. Where I was born for example allows me to have a new birth cert created (old ones are destroyed) showing no amendments....in other words no one can see that I was born with another name or as the wrong gender. Some states have that option if you know about it and include it in your petition for name/gender change. The state I reside in however....actually won't allow you to alter your birth certificate if you were born here, at all and if they do it isn't easy at all. They only issue altered birth certs also.