All legal name changes in Ohio are attached to your existing birth certificate which is a computerized birth abstract showing the name change. After you change your name in Ohio all agencies, federal and state will accept your new name as your new legal name and will issue you documents with your new name if you wish.

Court ordering a legal change of name decreed in Ohio.

If you were born after December 20, 1908 then you are apart of a group of people the court is allowed to grant a legal change of name to. Once you get the court to certify your legal change of name decree the Ohio Vital Statistics office requires a copy. The court order must have been granted by a probate court. If you never had a birth certificate or were born before December 20, 1908 then the Vital Statistics office requires a delayed birth registration established by a probate court along with the certified copy of the legal change of name decree. The probate court is the only court that can do delayed birth registrations in Ohio.

Court ordering a legal change of name decreed outside Ohio.

If you were born after December 20, 1908 then you can be granted a legal name change outside Ohio. The Ohio Vital Statistics office will need a certified copy of the court ordered legal change of name and a delayed birth registration, which can be established by an Ohio Probate Court. Only Ohio probate courts can file delayed birth registrations.

The court order to legally change your name must contain:

1) The name prior to change

2) Changed Name

3) Name or county of court

4) Case number

5) Final date of the change of name

6) Signature of the Probate Judge or Deputy Clerk

7) Court Seal (not mandatory)

They may also ask for your date of birth, place of birth, and parent's names if they feel they don't have sufficient enough information.