Nevada Identity Documents

Overview

  • Name Change (Adult): Yes. The publication requirement is waived for those changing their name to align with their gender identity. A hearing is typically not required. 
  • Name Change (Minor): Yes. No publication requirement. All legal parents must be notified of the requested name change and if a parent objects, a hearing will be scheduled. 
  • Birth Certificate (Name): Yes. A certified copy of a court order for change of name and the required affidavits are needed to make this amendment.
  • Birth Certificate (Gender Marker): Yes. Requires an affidavit from someone you know that you identify as the gender requested on the birth certificate. Alternatively, can submit a letter from a medical provider or a court order.  Your certificate can display F, M, or X as your gender marker. 
  • Driver’s License (Name): Yes. A certified copy of a court order for change of name and the required application are needed to make this amendment.
  • Driver’s License (Gender Marker): Yes. No medical documentation is needed. Your DL/ID can display F, M, or X as the gender marker. 

  • Restrictions Due to Prior Criminal Convictions: No. If you have been convicted of a crime, you will need to submit fingerprints through the Department of Public Safety.

Nevada Name Change Law & Steps (for Adults)

To obtain a legal name change in Nevada, you must submit a petition to the court. These steps will guide you through the process.

Granting the requested name change is at the discretion of the District Court. You can find your court in your county of residence here. It is recommended to check with your local court for any additional requirements, as some courts have their own local forms or guidelines. Further instructions and information about the name change process here.

Step 1: Complete the Name Change Petition

In order to begin the name change process, you must complete the Petition for Change of Adult Name.

Don’t let the unfamiliar format of a court petition scare you. Make sure to review all your completed documents for correct spelling and formatting before filing.

Step 2: Gather Documents & File at the District Court

You will need to file the required forms listed below with the district court of your county of residence. You can find your district court here. 

All the required forms are available here. You will need:

If you are unable to afford the filing fee, you can submit a fee waiver with the Application to Proceed In Forma Pauperis. Further instructions on filing a fee waiver are available here. 

If you have been convicted of a felony, you will have to go through the fingerprinting process and file your fingerprints with your other documents. 

Step 3: Publication Requirement (optional)

Nevada has a publication requirement, which requires notice of your name change to be posted in a local newspaper. This requirement is to ensure that you are not changing your name for fraudulent purposes. 

However, if you are changing your name to align with your gender identity, you do not need to publish notice. You do not need to file Notice of Petition for Change of Adult Name during step 2. No additional forms are needed to waive the publication requirement. On the Petition, indicate during step 4 that you are changing your name to conform to your gender identity by checking the box. 

Because you are exempt from publication, ask your county court clerk when you should submit the Order for Name Change to the judge for approval. 

Step 4: Issuance of Final Judgement

At the time instructed by the court clerk, return to your district court and submit the Order for Name Change to the judge for approval. If all of the required forms are filed and the steps are correctly followed, the judge will typically approve of the name change without a hearing.

If the judge approves the request, they will sign the Order and you will request a certified copy of the order from your district court. It is recommended that you ask for 5-7 copies of this order, as you will need certified copies to amend your identity documents. A fee will apply per copy requested. 

Once you’ve received your certified copies, you may start updating documents and informing other relevant institutions. This includes important documents such as birth certificate, driver's license, social security card, and passport.

If the judge does not approve the request, you may decide to appeal against the decision or seek legal counsel.

Nevada Name Change Law & Steps (for Minors) 

To obtain a legal name change as a minor (someone under 18 years of age), an adult (typically your parent or guardian) must submit a petition to the court on your behalf. A petition is a formal written application to a court requesting judicial action—in this case, your name change! These steps will guide you through the process.

Granting the requested name change is at the discretion of the District Court. You can find your court in your county of residence here. It is recommended to check with your local court for any additional requirements, as some courts have their own local forms or guidelines. 

Step 1: Complete the Name Change Petition

In order to begin the name change process, you must complete the Petition to Change Minor Child's Name.

Don’t let the unfamiliar format of a court petition scare you. Make sure to review all your completed documents for correct spelling and formatting before filing.

Step 2: Gather Documents & File at the District Court

You will need to file the required forms listed below with the district court of your county of residence. You can find your district court here. 

All the required forms are available here. You will need:

If you are unable to afford the filing fee, you can submit a fee waiver with the Application to Proceed In Forma Pauperis. Further instructions on filing a fee waiver are available here.

Step 3: Parental Notification

Notification of all known and legal parents is required to grant a minor name change.

If both parents consent to your requested name change, they are able to both be listed as petitioners on the name change petition. You will also need to file the Request for Summary Disposition and Declaration in Support which requests name change approval without a hearing.

A parent may petition alone if 1) both parents agree to the name change and will sign the legal papers, 2) a parent is deceased, 3) a parent's rights have been terminated, or 4) the father cannot consent because no father is named on the child's birth certificate, and the father is truly unknown. Additional documents such as a death certificate may need to be produced. Nevada Courts provides instructions for when both parents agree to the name change. 

If a known legal parent does not consent to the name change, the non-petitioning parent must be notified of the proposed name change and must be given a chance to object. A judge may grant the name change without the other parent's consent, but the other parent does have a right to know about the proposed name change. Nevada Courts provides instructions for if one parent will not agree to the name change.

Any living parent who still has parental rights to the minor will need to be notified through the service process. They will need to be served with a copy of the Petition for Child’s Name Change and the Notice of Petition for Child’s Name Change. If you know where the non-consenting parent is located, you will need to have the required documentation hand-delivered (through personal service). 

Someone over the age of 18 who is not a party to the case must hand-deliver the documents to the parent. You can ask someone you know to serve the documents, or you can hire the sheriff or a private process service. 

Whoever serves the other parent must fill out a Proof of Service form that says when, where, and how the other parent was served.  Make sure this form is completed and filed at the court.

If you do not know where the non-consenting parent is located, you will need to send the required documents to their last known address through certified mail and search for the parent through any possible source. If the non-consenting parent is still not locatable, you will need to publish notice of the minor’s name change in a newspaper. 

Further information on the service process and the required documentation is available here. 

Step 4: Issuance of Final Judgement

Once all the proper paperwork has been filed, you will submit the Order for Child’s Name Change for approval and the judge will review your case. 

If you have completed the serving process, you will need to wait 10 days from the date of service to see if the other parent objects to the requested name change. If the non-petitioning parent does not object, you may file the Request for Summary Disposition and Declaration in Support which requests name change approval without a hearing. If the non-petitioning parent objects, they will need to set a court date and your petitioning guardian and you will be required to attend a hearing. For more information on what a hearing is and how to prepare, click here. 

If the judge approves the request, they will sign the order and you will request a certified copy of the order from your district court. It is recommended that you ask for 5-7 copies of this order, as you will need certified copies to amend your identity documents. A fee will apply per copy requested. 

Once you’ve received your certified copies, you may start updating documents and informing other relevant institutions. This includes important documents such as birth certificate, driver's license, social security card, and passport.

If the judge does not approve the request, you may decide to appeal against the decision or seek legal counsel.

Nevada Birth Certificate Policy & Procedures

The Nevada Department of Human Services will issue an amended birth certificate upon receipt of a court order for name amendments and two notarized affidavits for gender marker amendments. 

It will take 4-6 weeks for the amendment to be made to your birth certificate. 

When Amending the Name Only

To change your name on your birth certificate, you will need to submit the following:

  • Application for a Correction of Birth Record
  • Affidavit for Correction of a Record
  • Supplemental Affidavit 
  • A certified copy of a court order for change of name
  • A valid form of photo ID
  • The $45.00 amendment fee, which includes one certificate. Each additional copy is $20.00. The fee may be paid with checks, money order, or cashier checks.

All forms are available in the Corrections Packet: Birth Certificate Packet. 

Please note that you will need to have the affidavits notarized before submitting. You can make an appointment with a notary public at your local bank, library, or county clerk’s office. You must bring proper identification (e.g. driver’s license) to your appointment. Do not sign the petition until you are with the notary. For more information about how to prepare for a notary appointment, click here.

When Updating the Name and Gender Marker, or Gender Marker Only

Nevada Vital Records will issue a new birth certificate with a corrected gender of M, F, or X upon receipt of an affidavit or a physician’s letter reflecting an individual's gender. 

To change your gender marker on your birth certificate, you will need to submit the following: 

  • Application for a Correction of Birth Record
  • Affidavit for Correction of a Record
  • Supplemental Affidavit—completed by someone who has personal knowledge of your transition, meaning anyone who knows your transition firsthand through a personal, familial, medical, or professional relationship. Alternatively, you can submit a written statement on letterhead from a licensed healthcare professional or a court order confirming gender change instead of the Supplemental Affidavit.
  • A copy of the original birth certificate, if available.
  • $40 fee, that includes one certified copy of the amended certificate. Additional copies are $20 each.
  • A certified copy of a court order for change of name (if you wish to update your name simultaneously).

See the Instruction Packet on Changing Gender and Name on a Birth Certificate from the Nevada Office of Vital Records for more information.

Submitting the Required Documents & Next Steps

If you were born in Nevada, you may mail your request, required documents, and fee payment to the Nevada Vital Records Office.

Mailing address:

Office of Vital Records and Statistics
Attn: Corrections 
4150 Technology Way, Suite 104 
Carson City, Nevada 89706

If you are no longer a Nevada resident, but you have a birth certificate issued by the state of Nevada, you are still able to mail-in your request and amend your birth certificate as outlined above. The Nevada Vital Records Office will accept a certified copy of an order for name change signed by a court from your current state of residence.  

If you were not born in Nevada, you will need to follow the amendment instructions from the state’s vital records office. For more instructions, find the state that issued your birth certificate in A4TE’s ID Doc Center and skip to the section on birth certificates.

For more information or questions regarding amending your birth certificate, contact the Vital Records Office.

Nevada Driver's License Policy & Procedures

In order to update the name on a Nevada driver’s license or state ID, you must first change your name with the Social Security Administration. For more information on that process, visit the Social Security Record section of the ID Documents Center.

To change your name on your license or state ID, you will need to make an in-person appointment with the DMV. You can schedule an appointment here. 

You will need to bring the following to your appointment: 

  • A certified copy of your order of name change
  • Application for Driving Privileges or ID Card
  • Proof of identity 
  • Your current DL/ID
  • Updated social security
  • Two forms of proof of Nevada residency
  • The licensing fee (which varies depending on license type, $7.50-$12.50)
When Updating the Name and Gender Marker, or Gender Marker Only

Nevada will issue a gender marker of M, F, or X on a driver's license or state ID, with no medical documentation required.

To change your gender marker on your license or state ID, you will need to make an in-person appointment with the DMV. You can schedule an appointment here. 

You will need to bring the following to your appointment: 

  • Application for Driving Privileges or ID Card—indicate your preferred gender marker when completing this application 
  • Your current DL/ID
  • Updated social security (for name changes)
  • Two forms of proof of Nevada residency
  • The licensing fee (which varies depending on license type, $7.50-$12.50)
  • A certified copy of your order of name change (if you wish to update your name simultaneously)

If you have additional questions, you may wish to contact your DMV at (775) 684-4830.

Additional Resources

For even more information, please check out the A4TE Name Change Overview page as well as the additional state resources listed below. You can also reach out with questions via email at [email protected].

Nevada Legislature Code Citations

Last updated December 2025.

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