Although many people will live their entire lives without ever having to think about a name change, others do choose to change their names at some point in time. No matter what the reason for your name change, there are procedures that must be followed in order to make your name change legal. These processes vary by reason for name change and by state. Kentucky, for instance, has its own rules regarding name changes.
To change your name in Kentucky, you must first have a qualifying event. This can be a marriage, divorce, or legal name change through the court system. For a name change due to marriage or divorce, no additional paperwork is required. However, to just change your name because you want to, you will need to petition the court for a name change. You will need to fill out KY Form AOC-295, “Petition for Name Change” and submit it to the Circuit Clerk’s Office for processing by the District Court in your county. The reason for your name change request must be included on the form. The District Court will then approve or deny your name change request.
After the event that prompted your name change and any associated court procedures are done, your next stop will be at the Social Security office. You can change your name with Social Security via mail, but doing it in person is much quicker. You will need to complete form SS-5, “Application for a Social Security card”. You will also need proof of your current name and proof of the qualifying event. For proof of your current name, your state-issued driver’s license will do. You should also present your current Social Security card. Next, you will need to provide documentation of the event prompting the name change. This can be a marriage certificate, divorce decree, or copy of the court order allowing the name change. The Social Security representative will order a new card for you and give you a paper showing that your name has been changed with the agency and a new card is en route.
Next you will need to change your driver’s license. In Kentucky, you only have 10 days from the date of your name change to change your driver’s license. Go to your county’s Circuit Court Clerk’s office and present your old driver’s license and paper from the Social Security office or documentation of your name change. Your new license will be issued on the spot for a fee.
After you have your new driver’s license, you can easily change your name with all agencies that you do business with. Don’t forget to change your name with your employer, landlord or mortgage company, on your vehicle title and registration, and with your bank. Also contact all utility companies, credit card companies, doctors, insurance providers, and anyone with whom you regularly do business to notify them of your name change.
Changing your name in Kentucky can be a bit of a time-consuming process, as you will need to make a few stops in person. However, the overall process is really quite simple. Making sure to change your name as soon as possible will make your daily life much easier, as all your accounts will have the same, correct name on them.
