To obtain a legal name change in Indiana, an applicant must submit a petition to the court. The applicant must publish notice of the petition in the newspaper for three weeks and the last week’s publication should be at least 30 days before the hearing. The applicant should file a copy of the published name change notice verified by affidavit of a disinterested person.
Individuals who are currently confined in a Department of Corrections facility cannot receive a name change, and individuals who are not currently incarcerated but have a felony conviction within the last ten years have additional notification requirements. (Ind. Code Ann. §§ 34-28-2-1 to 34-28-2-4).
In addition, individuals with past convictions of certain violent or sex offenses are barred fom obtaining a name change for life except in cases of marriage, divorce, adoption, or for purposes of a sincerely held religious belief. In these cases, notification requirements apply. (Ind. Code Ann. IC §§ 11-8-8-23, 31-15-2-19, 31-19-2-1.1, 34-28-2-1.5).
For instructions on legal name changes for minors under 17 in Indiana, see NCTE's Name Changes for Minors in Indiana resource.