How to Change Your Name in Massachusetts (2026): Sealed Records, the $165 Fee & M/F/X Markers

Massachusetts changed the privacy rules for name changes on November 25, 2025, and most older guides online are still describing the pre-2025 law. Under an amendment to G.L. c. 210, § 13, public notice of a name change petition is no longer required by default, and all documents filed on or after November 25, 2025 in connection with a name change petition are impounded — sealed from public inspection — unless the court orders otherwise for good cause, or the petitioner requests access. The Massachusetts Trial Court Law Library’s official guide states this directly on its name-change page.

The courts then codified the mechanics. The Uniform Probate and Family Court Practice XXXV: Change of Name Actions, amended effective January 6, 2026, now includes an Impoundment section: the petition and all related documents “shall be segregated and not available for inspection pursuant to G. L. c. 210, § 13(b)” — only the case caption and docket number remain public. That is a structural reversal. Before the amendment, the law leaned toward public newspaper notice and the file sat in the public record; after it, the default is privacy. This puts Massachusetts at the front of the same trend we covered for Oregon’s HB 4088 and Colorado’s SB 26-018 for minors — see our publication requirement explainer for how states compare.

One honest caveat: the rule is new, so courts are still applying it case by case. Impoundment protects the court file, but it does not remove your old and new names from data brokers, background-check companies, or the agencies you update afterward — work through our name change privacy checklist so the link does not resurface through commercial data.

Massachusetts uses statewide forms. For an adult, the core filing is the Petition to Change Name of Adult (CJP 27), which you must sign in the presence of a notary public (bring photo ID to the notary). The official adult checklist also requires: a certified copy of your birth certificate (a foreign-language birth certificate must come with a professional English translation and the translator’s notarized statement of accuracy); a certified copy of any prior name change (marriage certificate, divorce decree, or prior court order); and the CARI and WMS Release Request Form (CJP 34) if you are 12 or older.

If your photo ID shows a name that does not match your current legal name, you can file a Motion (CJD 400) asking the court to waive the notarization requirement. Two points worth noting: Massachusetts does not require fingerprint-based background checks the way Colorado, Florida, and Texas do — the court runs a Court Activity Record Information (CARI) and Warrant Management System (WMS) check through the Probation Department instead (per Practice XXXV §(f)). And the filing fee section is the same for adults and minors; family filings are covered below.

You file in the Probate and Family Court in the county where you currently live — Massachusetts has no stated minimum residency period; the rule is simply that you reside there. Filing can be done in person, by mail, or online through eFileMA. The fee, per the official adult name change page, is $150 filing fee + $15 surcharge = $165 total. If you e-file a brand-new case, eFileMA adds a one-time $22 platform fee plus a credit-card processing fee. If the court issues an Order of Notice after review, there is an additional $15 citation fee. If an entire family changes names — or two or more children with the same legal parents do — each person files their own petition, but the court assesses only one $165 filing fee for the family.

If you cannot afford the fee, Massachusetts lets you file an Affidavit of Indigency at the same time as your petition; in eFileMA you select “waiver” as the payment option and the fees drop to zero. If your income situation is more complex, you may also need the Supplement to the Affidavit of Indigency. Note that if the court later rejects your indigency application, you may be asked to pay to complete the case — see our fee waiver guide for the broader picture.

This is the part of Massachusetts law that changed most. Before November 25, 2025, publication in a newspaper was close to a default step. As amended, G.L. c. 210, § 13 now provides that the court may require public notice only for good cause shown, and the petition and all related filings are impounded from public inspection by default (the caption and docket number stay visible). Under Practice XXXV §(g), after filing, the court reviews the petition and the CARI/WMS report and can either: (A) decide that no citation is needed and issue a decree without a hearing, or (B) for good cause, issue an Order of Notice on Petition to Change Name (CJP 130) with a Citation (CJP 28).

What counts as good cause? The official Practice lists examples for adults: the petitioner is incarcerated, on probation or parole, committed to the Massachusetts Treatment Center as a sexually dangerous person, and/or in the custody of the Department of Youth Services. For minors, one specific trigger is that a legal parent or court-appointed guardian has not filed a written assent to the petition. If the court does order notice, the Citation will specify what you must do — service by certified mail on interested parties, publication in a newspaper listed in the citation (at least seven days before the return date per the official adult guide), or both — and you must file proof of service before the court finalizes the case. If you believe notice should not be required, you can still file a Motion (CJD 400) asking the court to waive it.

A signed decree does not update anything by itself. The court mails you a Certified Decree of Change of Name (administratively approved cases are completed by mail), and you take certified copies to each agency yourself. Work in this order, because agencies verify against each other’s records:

Massachusetts is one of the most accommodating states for gender markers on state documents. On the driver license or ID side, the official gender identity law page confirms that the RMV allows “X”, “M” or “F” options for gender on an application for a driver’s license, learner’s permit, identification card, or liquor purchase ID (MGL c. 90, § 8N). You update the marker by filling out a license or ID card application and scheduling an appointment at an RMV Service Center, where you get a new photo and signature; the amendment fee is about $25. Official RMV guidance does not require medical documentation for the marker itself — some older guides describe a provider-verification form, so confirm the current form requirements with the RMV before your appointment. If you are changing the name on the card too, bring your certified decree.

On the birth certificate side, people born in Massachusetts can amend the sex designation on the birth record to female, male, or X under MGL c. 46, § 13(e) through the Registry of Vital Records and Statistics (RVRS) sex amendment process. For a marker-only change, no medical documentation, court order, or name-change proof is required — you submit an applicant affidavit indicating your sex (notarized if mailed; you can also file in person by appointment or through the city or town clerk where your birth was recorded). The amendment fee is $50, plus certified copies of the amended record at $20 each in person or $32 by mail. If you want to change the name and the sex together, get the court decree first and include a certified copy with the affidavit.

The federal side is different and worth repeating: Social Security stopped processing sex-marker changes in January 2025, and following the Supreme Court’s November 6, 2025 decision in Trump et al. v. Orr et al., passports are issued only with markers reflecting the applicant’s sex assigned at birth. These restrictions do not change your Massachusetts state documents — see our gender marker guide and nonbinary X marker guide for the broader picture.

A minor’s name change uses the Petition to Change Name of Minor (CJP 25), with the child listed as the petitioner and a legal parent or court-appointed guardian presenting the petition as the child’s “next friend”. Per Practice XXXV §(d), the filing package includes a certified copy of the child’s birth certificate, a certified copy of any prior name change, and a Child Care or Custody Disclosure Affidavit; if the child is 12 or older, the court also requires the child’s own notarized assent and a CJP 34 CARI/WMS release. The filing fee is the same $165 (one fee covers a family’s petitions).

Parental consent is the main complication. If every legal parent and court-appointed guardian signs the petition or files a written assent, the case moves smoothly. If a parent or guardian has not signed, the court treats that as good cause to issue notice (CJP 130 / Citation CJP 28), and the process typically requires mailing the petition and citation to that parent by certified or registered mail with return receipt, or alternate service if their whereabouts are unknown — the official minor checklist walks through the CJP 30 Assent, the Motion for Alternate Service and Affidavit of Diligent Search (CJP 31), and the Military Affidavit where applicable. The judge applies a best-interests standard — see our child name change guide. And the new default-impoundment rule applies to minor petitions too, which is a meaningful privacy gain for trans minors and their families.

Here is the realistic budget for an uncontested adult name change (and, if you want it, a marker change) in Massachusetts, excluding attorney fees:

Q: Is my Massachusetts name change public record? A: Not by default, as of November 25, 2025. Under amended G.L. c. 210, § 13, petitions filed on or after that date are impounded — sealed from public inspection — unless the court orders otherwise for good cause or you request access. Only the case caption and docket number remain visible. Petitions filed before November 25, 2025 are not impounded.

Q: Do I still need to publish a newspaper notice? A: Not by default. As of November 25, 2025, the court may require public notice only for good cause shown — the amendment flipped the old presumption. If the court does issue a Citation, newspaper publication (if required) must happen at least seven days before the return date, at your expense. You can also file a Motion (CJD 400) asking to waive notice.

Q: How much does a name change cost in Massachusetts? A: The court filing fee is $165 ($150 + $15 surcharge), plus $22 for e-filing a new case and $15 if the court issues a citation. Add about $25 for an RMV license amendment and, if you were born in Massachusetts, a $50 birth certificate amendment plus certified copies. The court fee can be waived with an Affidavit of Indigency.

Q: Can I change my gender marker in Massachusetts? A: Yes, on state documents. The RMV allows M, F, or X on licenses and IDs under MGL c. 90, § 8N — about $25 at a Service Center appointment, with no medical documentation required per official guidance (confirm current forms with RMV). Massachusetts birth records can be amended to female, male, or X under MGL c. 46, § 13(e) for a $50 fee, with no court order or medical proof for a marker-only change. The federal side is different: Social Security froze marker changes in January 2025 and passports now reflect sex assigned at birth after the November 2025 Supreme Court ruling — see our gender marker guide.

Q: How long does a Massachusetts name change take? A: Massachusetts does not publish a fixed timeline. Many uncontested petitions are approved administratively without a hearing, which is the fastest path; cases where the court orders notice take longer because you must complete service before the return date. Independent guides estimate the whole process at roughly one to three months in most counties, with busier courts taking longer — confirm the expected timeline with your Probate and Family Court when you file.

Q: Do I need a lawyer? A: No. The forms are designed for self-representation, the fee can be waived for hardship, and court staff can explain procedures (they cannot give legal advice). Attorneys are most useful if a parent objects in a minor case or there are unusual complications.

Q: Do I need a court order to change my name after marriage or divorce? A: Usually not after marriage — under MGL c. 46, § 1D, each party to a marriage may adopt, retain, or hyphenate surnames through the marriage-license process itself, with no court filing. In a divorce, you can ask the court to restore a former name as part of the divorce judgment under G.L. c. 208, § 23. A court petition under G.L. c. 210, § 12 is the route for every other change — see our post-marriage guide and post-divorce guide.