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Rhode Island court form packet

Rhode Island Adult Name Change

Download the Rhode Island petition for change of name of adult packet for yourself. This state-specific self-help form package is ready for instant secure access and includes the packet documents listed below.

  • print-ready PDF format
  • Attorney-reviewed template packet
  • 100% satisfaction guarantee

What you receive for Rhode Island

A practical adult name change packet built around the court filing documents used to request an official name change order.

State-specific court packet

Prepared for Rhode Island adult name change filings, with petition and order materials reflected in the downloadable packet.

Private self-help workflow

Download the files, complete them on your own device, then file with the appropriate court. Your personal details are not entered into an online form builder.

Filing guide + printable checklist

A short PublicLegal filing guide covers this state's age split, publication and service sequence, and after-order updates — ending in a printable checklist to carry to the clerk.

Included packet documents

This state packet includes 1 packet PDF • PublicLegal guide + official Rhode Island form PC-8.1. Use the PDF files for print-ready review and filing preparation.

  • Adult Name Change Packet — PublicLegal guide + checklist + official Rhode Island form PDF

Researched filing overview

Rhode Island Adult Name Change Filing Overview

Who files and where
an adult 18 or older (§ 15-12-1) files the statewide form PC-8.1 Change of Name (Rev. 03/24) with the probate court of the city or town where you live (§ 33-22-28(b)). One form is the petition (page 1) and the decree the judge signs (page 2); sign page 1 before a notary (wet-ink is the safe statewide choice).
Background check
Yes — the court may require a criminal-history record check (§ 33-22-28(e)), and page 2 of the form directs attaching a certified copy of your birth certificate and a BCI report. No fingerprint card and no FBI check. Some courts order the BCI for you at filing; others have you bring it — Providence requires an original Attorney General BCI no more than 60 days old ($5). Ask your clerk which way your court works.
No newspaper publication
Rhode Island law bars the court from requiring public notice or newspaper publication for an adult name change (§ 33-22-28(d), effective 2024-06-17).
Fee
the statewide petition fee is $30 (§ 33-22-21(a)(9)) plus your city or town’s surcharge and certified copies — Providence posts $39 including one certified copy. Ask your clerk for the number you will actually pay; a waiver or reduction is available for indigency (§ 33-22-28(c)).
After the order
the judge signs the Decree (page 2) — the step that completes it. Buy several certified copies, then update records in order: Social Security card (SSA form SS-5, free), written notice to the Rhode Island DMV within 10 days (license § 31-10-32; vehicle registration § 31-3-35), U.S. passport, and — for Rhode Island-born filers — an optional health-department birth-record amendment (a separate post-decree step). A divorce can restore a name without this petition (§ 15-5-17).
Verified against R.I. Gen. Laws § 33-22-28 (as amended P.L. 2024 ch. 163/165, eff. 2024-06-17), § 33-22-21(a)(9), and the official statewide probate form PC-8.1 Change of Name (Rev. 03/24, docs.sos.ri.gov). Sources: Rhode Island Secretary of State — Probate forms (PC-8.1) ; R.I. Gen. Laws § 33-22-28 — Change of Name

Preview the Petition for Change of Name of Adult

See page 1 of the actual blank form and review a plain-language outline. The complete documents are delivered after checkout.

Get Full Packet — $9.99
Page 1 of the official Rhode Island PC-8.1 Change of Name petition included in the download
Page 1 of the actual official Rhode Island PC-8.1 name-change petition included in your packet.

PC-8.1 CHANGE OF NAME (Rev. 03/24). The official statewide Rhode Island probate form — the petition (page 1) and the decree the judge signs (page 2) in one form — that opens an adult name-change case in the probate court of the city or town where you live, under R.I. Gen. Laws § 33-22-28.

NO PUBLICATION: state law bars the court from requiring public notice or newspaper publication for an adult name change (§ 33-22-28(d), effective 2024-06-17). The court may require a state BCI background check — no fingerprints, no FBI check.

The full packet opens with the PublicLegal filing guide whose last page is a printable checklist (before filing / BCI + fee / after the decree), then the official fillable form. The blank form is free at sos.ri.gov.

This outline is not the form itself. Your download includes the complete PDF packet.

Validity and satisfaction guarantee

ILRG is committed to top quality legal forms that are valid in all states. If you are not 100 percent satisfied after purchase, contact us for a full refund.

Frequently Asked Questions About Rhode Island Adult Name Change Forms

Yes. This product is the Rhode Island adult name change packet tied to this state-specific page and the packet documents shown above.

The included packet documents are listed on this page. Where the same document is provided in more than one format, it is grouped once with Word, PDF, or other format badges.

This packet currently includes print-ready PDF format. The document list above reflects the packet contents for this state without exposing internal fulfillment filenames.

Complete the petition and related court documents, then file them with the appropriate court. Court filing fees and local procedures vary by county.

These forms are designed for self-help use, but ILRG does not provide legal advice. Consult a licensed attorney if your situation involves unusual facts, contested issues, or questions about local procedure.

Timing depends on the court, local scheduling, notice requirements, and whether anyone objects. Many name change matters take several weeks, but local timing can vary.

Possibly. Some states impose additional notice, waiting period, or disclosure requirements for certain convictions. Review local rules or consult an attorney if this applies to you.

No. ILRG provides self-help legal forms and information, not legal advice. You are responsible for reviewing local court requirements before filing.

Yes — PC-8.1 is the official statewide Rhode Island probate form for a change of name (Rev. 03/24, published by the Secretary of State under RIGL 33-22-16), used by every city and town probate court.

No — § 33-22-28(d) bars the court from requiring public notice or newspaper publication for an adult name change (effective 2024-06-17).

The court may require a BCI criminal-history record check (§ 33-22-28(e)) — a state BCI report, not fingerprints and not an FBI check. Ask your clerk whether your court orders it or has you bring it.

$30 statewide (§ 33-22-21(a)(9)) plus your city or town’s surcharge and certified copies — Providence posts $39 including one certified copy. Confirm the current total with your clerk; a fee waiver is available for indigency.

Download Rhode Island Packet — $9.99