Wisconsin Name Change Fee Waiver: How to File CV-410A and Pay $0 (2026)

Wisconsin adults file a Petition for Name Change (form CV-450) with the circuit court in their county of residence. The filing fee runs roughly $165 to $175 depending on the current fee schedule, plus publication costs that state law requires in most cases. If paying would be a hardship, file form CV-410A (fee waiver petition) and CV-410B (order) alongside your petition. If the judge grants it, your case starts without any payment.

Wisconsin uses a two-path test built into the CV-410A form itself:

Path 1 - Public benefits. If you currently receive any of these, you qualify by showing proof of benefits:

Path 2 - Financial disclosure. If you do not receive public benefits, you complete a detailed financial statement instead: your income, take-home pay, cash assets, household members, debts, and assets worth over $200. The judge decides whether you are indigent based on this affidavit.

You sign the form under oath, so accuracy matters. If your financial situation changes later, you must notify the court immediately.

A granted waiver typically covers:

The waiver stays in effect until your case reaches final judgment. One important detail from the Wisconsin eFiling help center: once a case is closed, each new fee requires a fresh CV-410A. So if you later need another court action, budget for a new waiver petition.

### Option 1 - Paper filing

### Option 2 - Wisconsin eFiling

Wisconsin supports electronic filing through efiling.wicourts.gov. When you file your new case online, upload CV-410A as an associated document and select the document type "Petition and Waiver of Fees/Costs, Affidavit of Indigency and Order". The court reviews your waiver petition along with the case filing.

Here is the part most guides skip. Wisconsin law (section 814.29 and related statutes) generally requires publishing notice of your name change hearing in a local newspaper once per week for three consecutive weeks before the hearing. Newspapers charge for this, often $100 or more total depending on the paper.

Two things to know:

If publication costs are your main barrier, call your county clerk and ask directly about options. Some counties have lower-cost official newspapers than others.

All forms are downloadable from wicourts.gov, and CV-410A is available in Spanish and Hmong as well as English.

Q: How much does a name change cost in Wisconsin if I do not get a waiver?

A: Expect roughly $165 to $175 for the filing fee, plus newspaper publication (often $100 or more for the required three weeks) and small fees for certified copies of your order. Confirm current amounts with your county clerk, since fee schedules change.

Q: Will the judge deny my waiver if I have a job?

A: Not automatically. The CV-410A form asks about employment and income, but the standard is indigency, not unemployment. Low-wage workers sometimes receive partial waivers, where the court lets you file now and pay later in installments.

Q: Can I use the fee waiver for my gender marker update too?

A: The CV-410A waives fees for court actions. Updating the gender marker on federal documents like passports happens outside court, so those agency fees are separate. State ID updates at the DMV may involve fees the waiver does not cover.

Q: What if my waiver is denied?

A: The CV-410B order has three denial outcomes: outright denial, denial with permission to file anyway (the clerk files your case and the sheriff serves papers without prepayment, but you must pay by a deadline), or denial because the poverty claim was untrue. Read the order carefully - option two still lets your case proceed.

Q: I am changing my name for safety reasons. Is there a private option?

A: Yes. Ask the clerk about form CV-451, the confidential name change petition. It is designed for situations where publicizing the name change would create safety risks.

This page is general information about Wisconsin court procedures as of August 2026. It is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Fee schedules, forms, and local rules change - verify current requirements with your county Clerk of Circuit Court or the Wisconsin Court System self-help center before filing.

This guide is general information based on Wisconsin statewide procedures as of 2026, not legal advice, and does not create a lawyer-client relationship. County rules, fees, and procedures vary — for your specific situation, consult the court self-help center or a licensed attorney.

Ready to plan your next step? Use the name change cost calculator for a state-specific estimate, or check if you qualify for a fee waiver in 60 seconds.