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NameRight provides procedural guidance, not legal advice.
Verify requirements with official courts and agencies. Full legal disclaimer
In Illinois, you file a Request for Name Change (NC-A) in the Circuit Court of the county where you live. As of March 1, 2025, publication is no longer required for adult name changes. Illinois supports M, F, and X gender markers on driver licenses and birth certificates.
Where you file
Circuit Court
Estimated court fee
Varies by county; typically $314-$638
Typical timeline
Varies by county; confirm with the clerk
Residency rule
Must be a resident of Illinois (file in your county of residence)
Publication for general filings
Not required
Fee waiver available
Available — ask the clerk
Gender marker options
M / F / X
Links open on the publisher’s site. “Official source” means a court or agency published it, and “Archived copy” means an Internet Archive snapshot of a page that has moved. A third-party resource is not a court document and listing it is not an endorsement. Confirm every form with the Illinois court before you file.
The filing fee is Varies by county; typically $314-$638. Confirm the current amount with the court clerk before filing.
Fee waiver available: Yes
Fees vary by county and change over time — confirm with the clerk before filing.
Newspaper publication for adult name changes was abolished effective 2025-03-01 (Public Act 103-1063, 735 ILCS 5/21-103.8); records may instead be impounded in safety circumstances. Verify current procedure with your circuit clerk.
Publication waiver may be available.
Record sealing may be available after name change. https://ilcourtsaudio.blob.core.windows.net/antilles-resources/resources/c739a9d8-27a9-47e3-af18-a7ec5cfeef00/NC%20Motion%20to%20Impound.pdf Illinois law provides an impound process; self attestation can support hardship-based privacy protection. IDPH also states original birth records and supporting materials for gender amendment are placed in a sealed and impounded file.
Gender marker options: M / F / X. Confirm current procedures with each agency.
Agency by agency
Gender marker rules differ by agency — driver license / ID, birth certificate, passport (federal), and SSA (federal) can each have different options and proof rules. Confirm the options for each record you plan to update.
Self-attestation: Yes
Medical proof required: Verify with the relevant agency
Confirm current procedures with each agency before filing.
After your court order, update your records in the following order to avoid conflicts between agencies.
Illinois has 102 counties organized into 25 judicial circuits. Filing procedures and fees vary by county. Confirm with your local Circuit Clerk.
Featured counties: Cook, DuPage, Lake, Will, Champaign
Free guides explain the general process. Complete helps apply the process to your situation.
No. As of March 1, 2025, Illinois has abolished the publication requirement for adult name changes. You no longer need to publish notice in a newspaper.
You must have been a continuous resident of Illinois for at least 3 months before filing, or expect to meet the 3-month requirement by the time of your hearing.
Yes. You can file a Motion to Impound to request that your court records be removed from public access. This is available for safety, privacy, or other qualifying reasons.
Yes. Illinois driver licenses and state IDs support M, F, and X gender markers. You can update your gender marker using the Gender Designation Change Form (DSD A 329).
You can request a fee waiver using the FW-CIV forms. If the court grants your request, your filing fees will be waived or reduced.
Every claim on this page points back to an official source. Here is what each source supports and when it was last checked — verify details with the source before filing.
Get a personalized filing path based on your situation.
NameRight is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. We provide self-help information, document preparation tools, and public court process guidance based on publicly available information. Court procedures and eligibility rules can change, and your situation may require advice from a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction. Full legal disclaimer