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Michigan court form packet

Michigan Minor Name Change (Child Under 18)

Download the Michigan petition for change of name of minor packet for your child. 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 Michigan

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

State-specific court packet

Prepared for Michigan minor 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 + checklist + the official Michigan SCAO minor name-change forms (petition, protected-PII form, minor 14+ consent, publication notice, order). Use the PDF files for print-ready review and filing preparation.

  • Minor Name Change Packet — PublicLegal guide + checklist + official Michigan SCAO forms PDF

Researched filing overview

Michigan Minor Name Change Filing Overview

Who files
a parent or guardian files the petition (PC 51) for a child who has lived in the county for at least one year — both parents jointly, the surviving parent, the child’s guardian, or the one parent with legal custody (MCL 711.1(5)). One custodial parent can proceed alone only in narrow circumstances — roughly two years of abandonment or failure to support, or certain serious convictions of the other parent — and the other parent must still get notice and a hearing (MCL 711.1(7)).
The child’s consent at 14
a child 14 or older must file written consent before the order is entered — the consent block on petition page 3 or the separate Minor’s Consent to Name Change (PC 51b, included), not both. Under 14, the judge consults a child old enough to express a preference (MCL 711.1(5)).
Serving the other parent
a parent whose signature is missing must be served with the petition and hearing notice at least 14 days before the hearing (MCR 3.613). If the address cannot be found, notice runs by publication that omits the child’s current and proposed names (form PC 50c), and the family division clerk will tell you which proof-of-service form to file.
Publication, fee, and after
the court orders newspaper publication once, at least 14 days before the hearing, unless the record is made confidential on good cause (the PC 51c track). The filing fee is about $187 — confirm with the clerk, and a fee waiver (MC 20) also covers publication. The judge decides the child’s best interests and signs the order (PC 52). Then update the child’s Social Security record (SSA form SS-5, free), birth certificate — PC 51 item 12 for Michigan births — school and medical records, and passport.
Verified against MCL 711.1 and MCR 3.613 (current through the November 19, 2025 rule amendment) and the official SCAO forms PC 51 (Rev. 5/25), MC 97a (Rev. 9/20), PC 51b (Rev. 4/25), PC 50 (Rev. 1/26), and PC 52 (Rev. 7/26), downloaded from courts.michigan.gov 2026-08-19. Sources: MCL 711.1 — Order changing name (legislature.mi.gov) ; Michigan Courts — SCAO-Approved Forms

Preview the Petition for Change of Name of Minor

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 Michigan Petition for Name Change (PC 51) for a minor, included in the download
Page 1 of the actual official Michigan PC 51 petition included in your packet.

PETITION FOR NAME CHANGE (PC 51). The official Michigan SCAO petition a parent or guardian files to change a child's name in the circuit court family division where the child lives.

Who signs: both parents jointly, the surviving parent, the child's guardian, or the one parent with legal custody (MCL 711.1(5)).

The child's consent: a child 14 or older consents in writing — the block on petition page 3 or the separate PC 51b form included in this packet, not both.

The full packet also includes the MC 97a protected-information form, the PC 51b minor consent, the Publication of Notice of Hearing (PC 50), the proposed Order (PC 52), and the PublicLegal filing guide with printable checklist.

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 Michigan Minor Name Change Forms

Yes. This product is the Michigan minor 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.

A parent or guardian can usually file a minor name change petition, but notice to or consent from the other parent may be required. Requirements vary by state and county.

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

The petition is signed by both parents jointly, the surviving parent, the guardian, or the sole legal custodian. One custodial parent can proceed without the other parent’s consent only in narrow circumstances — roughly two years of abandonment or non-support, or certain serious convictions — and the other parent must still receive notice and a hearing (MCL 711.1(7)).

If the child is 14 or older, yes — the child’s written consent must be filed before the judge signs the order (the petition page 3 block or form PC 51b). Under 14, the judge consults a child mature enough to express a preference.

The court can allow notice by publication, but that publication must not include the child’s current or proposed name (MCR 3.613; form PC 50c). File the proof-of-service form your family division clerk accepts.

Yes. Every form in this packet is the State Court Administrative Office’s current approved edition — PC 51 (Rev. 5/25), MC 97a (Rev. 9/20), PC 51b (Rev. 4/25), PC 50 (Rev. 1/26), and PC 52 (Rev. 7/26) — verified at courts.michigan.gov. Blank copies are free there; this packet adds the PublicLegal filing guide and printable checklist.

Download Michigan Packet — $9.99