How To Legally Change Your Name Los Angeles
Changing your name is perhaps one of the most important things you can do for yourself. Not only does it give you new life as a person, but it also opens up many opportunities that were not available before. You are now able to pursue dreams and goals under this new identity!
It is very common in our society for people to change their names. Many celebrities do this at some point during their career. It is also quite easy to do today with technology.
There are several reasons why someone would want to change their legal first and last name. This article will talk about some situations where doing so is legally permissible in California. So stay tuned and read on!
Legal Reasons To Change Your Name In The State Of California
You will not find any hard rules stating that you cannot change your name in California. However, there are certain conditions that require you to be lawfully married or divorced before being allowed to use your new surname.
This is even more prevalent when changing from a single person to a couple. For example, if you are divorcing then you must divorce using your present legal name. Once completed, you may then re-use this new last name.
Some employers look into social security information and credit reports to confirm your identity. If you ever get these done while using this new name make sure they have enough time to update them.
Notify the DMV and courts
Changing your legal name is not as simple as just picking something you want and using it, so make sure you are prepared for what comes next!
First, you will need to notify the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) that your old legal last name no longer matches your new one. This can be done in person or by mail.
At the DMV, they will likely ask you if you have changed your name and if yes, then why. They will also ask you to bring proof of both your current and past names.
Once this has been confirmed, the staff will update your records with the new information. From there, you can either pick up some things at the DMV office or have them mailed to you from their warehouse location.
Courts will require evidence of your new name when doing criminal background checks and credit checkings. These will all go through different databases under your new name’s record.
Confirm your change with your family and friends
It’s important to confirm your name change with people that you know, as well as potential employers or lenders.
It is also very helpful if you plan to update your personal information like address, phone numbers, and email addresses. This will ensure consistency across all of those things!
Legal changes to your name are tracked in state civil records. Most states allow one year for updates after changing your name so it’s best to have everything done at least a month before this deadline.
Some States Have More Flexible Names Changes
In some cases, there is no legal time frame to make name changes. For example, in California, you can legally change your last name up to two years after marriage or six months after becoming parents.
After these deadlines, your old documents (like driver licenses and passports) must be updated with the new name.
Prepare your updated documents
Now that you have chosen to change your legal name, it is time to start preparing for this in earnest. You will need to update all of your important records with your new name!
Many times people get discouraged when they run into roadblock after roadblock trying to use their old name. This can be due to things such as having taken too long to make the transition or not being able to find any record of them under that name.
It is very important to stay calm and persistent while going through these changes. It may take some time, but don’t give up.
There are many ways to legally change your name. Some of the easier routes include using your married name as your legal one or even choosing an alias if you feel like you need to conceal your identity. However, if you want to truly become someone else, then changing your legal name is the way to do it.
There are several steps involved in doing this so we will go over them here.
Apply for a new driver’s license or ID card
If you already have a valid California ID, like a passport or military identification, you can use that to prove your identity when changing your name. You will also need to include proof of residence (like a lease) and legal documents such as a divorce decree, birth certificate or court order altering your last name.
Most government agencies accept pictures of the ID, along with your current and new names. It is important to be familiar with these agencies so you know what kind of documentation they require.
Apply for a new bank account
The next step in changing your legal name is to apply for a new banking account under your newly adopted one. This includes opening an individual savings or checking account, both of which must have your new legal name as well as your old!
Most major banks offer online applications where you can choose your state and city that you want to open an account with, so make sure to check out those before coming into their branch physically!
Some things to consider when picking your new name are if this name is more easily pronounced or written, if it has special meaning to you or others, and if it fits your style.
Apply for a new credit card
If you’ve been thinking about changing your name, then it is time to do so! Changing your legal last name is no small task, however, you can do this easily by using credit cards.
By having a second credit card with your new surname, banks will not ask any questions when you open an account or check your accounts. You also won’t have to go through additional paperwork or approvals after applying for the new card- just make sure to pay off all of your current debts before opening the account!
And don’t worry if you already own some items in your old name, they may still work under your new one. For example, if you were born Daniel but now use John as your first name, then people likely haven’t done business with you under the former name so they wouldn’t be able to validate that identity anymore.
But there is another way. By declaring yourself as “single” on applications, most companies let you pick whatever name you want even if you aren’t married yet. So instead of getting a credit card with your new name, get two separate ones and claim to be single.
Tell your employer
Even if you’re an at-will employee, there are still legal ways to change your name. If you want to take this step, then your employer can be made aware of it.
First, you will need to talk to your superiors about changing your first or last name. This is done through either telling them yourself or having someone else tell it for you (like your HR department).
Next, they may ask why you wanted to make the change. It’s best to be honest and not try to cover up anything. Depending on the company, going along with what their current policy is could help you avoid any trouble.
If possible, have proof of your new name ready. This could include documents like a passport, birth certificate, marriage license, etc. Make sure these do not contain your old name!
Once everything has been verified, just let people know that you want to use ________ as your first name and ________________ as your last. That’s all anyone needs to know beyond that. No one should question you or give you problems because of this.
Tell your children
Even if you never use your old name at any other time, it’s still important to let your kids know that you were called something else before.
This goes not only for birth names, but also for nicknames or short versions of your given name. For example, if your child knows you as Abby, they may refer to you as Abbi in some situations.
It can be tricky when their friends call you by another name, so it’s good to have a little talk about how parents choose their names.
If possible, find out why your former (or current) family member chose this name and work from there. You could even ask them whether they plan to keep it.