Privacy First · LGBTQ+ Affirming · Safety-Aware
Designed with the trans and nonbinary community at the center — open to everyone who deserves a safer, more private path forward.
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Change your legal name.
Privately, calmly, correctly.
A privacy-first toolkit for trans and LGBTQ+ Americans — plus marriage, divorce, and personal-name changes. See a state-specific filing path in about 5 minutes. Free to start, no account needed.
Start Free
Answer 5 quick questions and see your first filing path, readiness preview, and likely privacy blockers before you create an account.
No legal name required. No pressure. You can explore your state-specific path first and decide later whether to unlock the full plan.
Question 1 of 6
Which state are you in?
Your court, fees, and publication rules depend on where you file.
Choose your state to see state-specific safety requirements and your first readiness signals.
NameRight is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice.
Why NameRight
NameRight turns official court records into a state-specific filing plan for trans, non-binary, and LGBTQ+ Americans — privacy-first, free to start, no subscription required.
LGBTQ+ Affirming
Built for transgender and non-binary filers, with privacy and safety features at every step — no generic one-size-fits-all templates.
Community Access
30%, 50%, or free access to the Complete plan. No income proof, no verification docs, no gatekeeping — claimed instantly at checkout.
Apply for Community AccessPolicy-Aware
Flags state- and county-level risks — publication, hearings, privacy waivers — before you file, and watches policy changes for 12 months.
Your Safety Comes First
Designed for people whose safety depends on privacy.
NameRight is built for people whose safety depends on privacy — particularly LGBTQ+ filers in states hostile to them. Here is what that means:
• No account required to start browsing state guides
• Progress data lives only in the private user workspace
• No data selling — sharing only with processors needed to run the service
• Quick Exit button hides the page instantly
• Delete account and all associated data anytime (within 30 days)
• No third-party ad trackers — privacy-respecting analytics only
The process is already hard enough.
The paperwork shouldn't be.
Tired of piecing together Reddit threads and outdated government PDFs?
We consolidate official-source, county-level court information into one clear, step-by-step plan built specifically for your situation.
Worried about filing the wrong form or missing a deadline?
Our document tools walk you through every required field and flag common errors before you submit — so you can catch common missing items before you file.
Got your court order — now what?
Most tools stop at the courthouse door. We keep going: SSA, DMV, passport, banks, insurance, and every institution that still has your old name.
Every name change is personal.
Yours deserves to be handled with care.
"I want my legal name to match who I am."
You've known your name for a long time. Now it's time to make it official — safely, privately, and completely on your own terms.
Privacy and safety are not afterthoughts here. They shape every feature we build.
"I'm updating everything after my transition."
We map every document that needs to change — SSA, DMV, passport, employer, health insurance — and give you a privacy-first action plan for your exact state and county.
"I'm reclaiming the name I was always meant to have."
A fresh start should feel like one. We guide you through the process clearly and quickly — no unnecessary steps, no judgment, no gatekeeping.
"My reasons are my own."
You don't owe anyone an explanation. You have the legal right to a name that feels like yours. We're here to help you exercise that right.
The Reality No One Warns You About
47+ institution types. Every one with different rules.
Miss one, and your old name resurfaces at the worst possible moment.
Government
- Social Security
- Passport
- IRS / Taxes
Work & Money
- Employer HR
- Bank Accounts
- Credit Cards
Travel
- TSA PreCheck
- Global Entry
- Airline Miles
Education
- College Records
- High School Diploma
- Professional License
Most people miss at least one step — not because they were careless, but because the process is scattered across agencies. NameRight sequences every step and flags gaps before they turn into setbacks.
Built on real court records.
Designed around real people's real concerns.
We're not a law firm. We don't pretend to be. What we do is strip the complexity out of a process that was never designed to be this confusing.
All 50 states supported
State filing guidance for all 50 states plus D.C., sourced from official court records and agency sources — not community wikis. County-level details are available where verified.
We review official court sources regularly
We review official court sources regularly, with deeper policy monitoring resources available on Advocate for supported states.
Built from official court and agency sources
Every data update is reviewed before publishing. We structure publicly available court requirements into step-by-step workflows — not crowd-sourced forums or outdated blog posts.
Tools built to get your name change with fewer loose ends
From courthouse forms to credit card accounts, we organize the entire journey so you always know the next step — and why it matters.
State Filing Guide + County Prep Notes
Core fees, required forms, submission methods, and county-level notes where available — not just a generic state-level overview.
Guided Court Form Packet Builder
Build your court packet with a field-by-field preparation worksheet and review guidance before downloading.
Privacy Path Analysis
Know whether your filing will appear in public records — and what steps may help you seal or restrict it. Crucial for anyone whose safety depends on discretion.
Filing Readiness Score
A 4-dimension readiness score — documents, forms, court requirements, and finances — tells you exactly what's missing before you walk into the courthouse.
Policy Monitoring Alerts
The Advocate plan surfaces monitored in-app alerts and revised instructions when filing rules change, so you can adjust before filing.
Post-Approval Roadmap
Your court order is just the beginning. We guide you through updating every downstream document — SSA, DMV, passport, banks, insurance, and more.
Three steps to clarity — here's how it works
Legal name and gender marker changes involve court filings, state and federal agencies, and dozens of institutions — each with their own rules. We've organized everything into a guided experience built around your specific state, county, and situation.
Tell us your situation
Answer a few quick questions — which state you're in, what you're changing, and what matters most to you: privacy, cost, speed, or all three.
Get your personalized filing plan
We generate a personalized filing guide with key forms, fees, submission methods, and privacy protection notes for your state — plus county-level notes where available.
File — then finish the journey
A guided court-form packet builder and Readiness Score help you prepare to file. After approval, a full post-court roadmap helps you update every institution.
Your personalized filing guide takes about 5 minutes. No account required to start.
Sourced from real court records.
Built around real people's concerns.
Illustrative scenarios — names and details have been changed for privacy. These are not verified user reviews.
Every step in our guidance system is sourced from official court records and publicly available government information — not crowd-sourced forums. Each state page shows its verification status and last review date, and requirements can change, so confirm current details with your local court before filing.
This process is already hard enough. Paperwork shouldn't be the thing that stops you.
Community Access Program
Choose 30% off, 50% off, or free access — no income verification, no proof uploads, no gatekeeping.
Explore access optionsPublic Impact Dashboard
See real data on gift codes distributed, advocates active, and people reached — not just marketing language.
View the impact snapshotState-by-State Policy Guide
Review your state's filing requirements before you commit — so publication rules, hearings, and court delays don't catch you off guard.
Browse state guides“I was completely overwhelmed trying to figure out which forms my county required. NameRight laid everything out in minutes. I felt prepared before I filed.”
— Alex T., California
“The privacy path analysis was exactly what I needed. In Texas, public records are a real safety concern. Knowing my sealing options before I filed made all the difference.”
— Jordan M., Texas
“I used Advocate gift codes to help two friends in my trans support group. They were able to start the process with the same guided workflow I used. This tool pays it forward.”
— Sam R., New York
“The fee waiver guidance helped me understand whether it was worth asking the court about a waiver. I never would have known I qualified without NameRight walking me through the eligibility criteria.”
— Kai P., Illinois
“I'm 52 and finally doing this. The guidance answered every question I was too nervous to ask a lawyer — and it felt completely safe and judgment-free.”
— Diana L., Florida
“My partner and I both updated our names. The institution update tracker made sure we didn't miss a single account — from the SSA to our streaming subscriptions.”
— Ren & Casey, Oregon
Need free support right now?
Trusted LGBTQ+ legal and community resources
These organizations offer free legal guidance, peer support, and crisis help. They work alongside your filing plan — not instead of it.
Browse state guides
State filing guides built from official court and agency sources.
Popular guides
Practical guides to help you navigate the name change process.
Publication requirements
Newspaper publication is required in many states for legal name changes, with exemptions and privacy waivers available in others. Covers state-by-state rules and waiver options.
Fee waiver guide
Court filing fees range from $150 to $500 across states. Covers fee waiver eligibility, required forms, and application procedures.
Gender marker change
Updating gender markers on driver licenses, state IDs, birth certificates, passports, and Social Security records across all 50 states.
After court order checklist
A 5-phase checklist for updating institutions after a name change court order: SSA, DMV, passport, banks, and online services.
Guided court form packet builder
Draft court filing forms from your answers — currently 4 California forms (NC-100, NC-110, NC-130, FW-001) with a ready-to-print PDF. New York, Texas, Florida, and Illinois are in active development.
Frequently asked questions
Is NameRight free to use?
Yes. NameRight offers a free tier with real, useful guidance including state-specific checklists and court form previews. Paid one-time plans add deeper filing support: Complete ($49) and Advocate ($149). There are no subscriptions, no auto-renewals, and a Community Access Program offers 30% off, 50% off, or free access for those who need it.
Do I need a lawyer to change my name?
No. Most U.S. legal name changes can be filed pro se (without an attorney). NameRight is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice, but it organizes publicly available court requirements into step-by-step workflows so you can file yourself. For complex cases or legal advice specific to your situation, consult a licensed attorney.
How long does a name change take?
Timelines vary by state and county. The court petition process typically takes 4 to 12 weeks from filing to the judge signing the order, depending on publication requirements, hearing wait times, and mandatory waiting periods. The full process — including updating the SSA, DMV, passport, and banks — usually takes 3 to 6 months.
Which states does NameRight cover?
NameRight covers all 50 U.S. states plus the District of Columbia. State-level guides are available nationwide, with county-level details added where verified. Guides are built from official court and agency sources, and each page shows its verification status and last review date — check the state page before relying on it.
Is my data safe with NameRight?
NameRight encrypts data in transit with TLS and stores data on encrypted hosting infrastructure. We never sell your data and do not use it for advertising profiling. When you use OCR or AI chat, the content you submit is sent to a listed AI provider solely to process that request — you can decline OCR and type fields manually. A Quick Exit button hides the page instantly, Anonymous Mode pauses analytics, and you can delete your account and all associated data from Settings at any time, with deletion completed within 30 days.
Guided self-help, end to end.
One clear path.
Most people can file pro se (without an attorney) using guided self-help. NameRight walks you through the entire journey for a one-time fee, no ongoing billing. Attorneys remain a good option for complex cases — we simply organize what your court requires.
Typical Attorney
Average attorney cost (court filing fees billed separately)
- Weeks of back-and-forth scheduling
- Stops at the court order — no post-approval help
- No privacy analysis or record-sealing guidance
NameRight Complete
One-time payment · No subscription · No surprises
- Your guide ready in about 5 minutes
- Complete post-court institution roadmap
- Privacy path analysis included
7-day refund policy applies · One-time payment only · No hidden fees
You've already done the hardest part —
deciding you deserve this.
We handle the research and the paperwork complexity. You file on your own timeline, at your own pace.
Many people file pro se (without an attorney) using guided self-help. NameRight covers the full journey — from court filing through post-approval institution updates — so you can move forward at your own pace.
Community Access Program
Cost shouldn't be a barrier. Choose 30% off, 50% off, or completely free access — based on your reality, no proof required.
Pay It Forward
Every Advocate purchase helps fund gift codes for people facing financial barriers during their identity paperwork journey.
Free
Forever free · No credit card
Preview your state's process before you commit.
- All 50 state overviews
- Filing fees and timing notes
- Publication and privacy basics
- Official court links
- Readiness preview
Complete
One-time · No subscription
Get a guided filing plan and preparation workflow.
- Know exactly which forms to file, in order
- Confirm county-specific details where available
- Prepare the worksheets you will submit
- Resolve publication and privacy risks
- Check whether you qualify for a fee waiver
Advocate
One-time · No subscription
Complete access plus resources that help others start.
- Everything in Complete
- 3 Complete-level gift codes
- Advocate toolkit hub
- Extended policy monitoring
- Priority organization support
All 50 states supported · county-level verification rolling out · expanding weekly
Upgrade at any time. We credit your previous purchase toward the higher tier — you never pay twice.
NameRight provides informational guidance and document preparation tools. It is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. Always verify current filing requirements with your local court.