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Pennsylvania court form packet

Pennsylvania Minor Name Change (Child Under 18)

Download the Pennsylvania 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.

  • editable Word and print-ready PDF formats
  • Attorney-reviewed template packet
  • 100% satisfaction guarantee

What you receive for Pennsylvania

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 Pennsylvania 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 2 documents in editable Word and print-ready PDF formats. Use the Word version for editing and the PDF for print-ready reference.

  • Minor Name Change Packet — PublicLegal guide + checklist + Pennsylvania minor instruments PDF
  • Minor Name Change Instruments — editable Word set (PublicLegal-authored) Word

Researched filing overview

Pennsylvania Minor Name Change Filing Overview

Who files and where
a parent or legal guardian files the Petition for Change of Name of Minor Child for a child under 18 in the Court of Common Pleas of the county where the child lives — in Philadelphia, minor petitions go to the Clerk of Family Court (1501 Arch Street), not the civil division. Pennsylvania publishes no statewide official minor form, so this packet’s instruments are PublicLegal-authored; county packets control where they exist. Filing fees are county-set, with publication costs separate.
Privacy for the child
under the statewide public-access policy, a minor’s full name and date of birth are confidential identifiers — the petition and the published notice use the child’s initials only, and the full name and birth date go on the Confidential Information Form (the official statewide UJS form, Rev. 1/2022, included in this kit).
The other parent
the court must be satisfied the non-petitioning parent knows about the case (54 Pa.C.S. § 701(a.1)(3)(ii)(B)). The other parent can join the petition, sign the included Consent of Non-Petitioning Parent (it carries both a § 4904 verification and an optional notary block — notarize it, as many counties ask), or be served by certified mail (return receipt) plus regular mail, documented with the included Certificate of Service. The court decides on the child’s best interest (In re Grimes, 1992) — Pennsylvania sets no fixed age for the child’s own written consent, and judges commonly ask older children their wishes at the hearing.
Publication, hearing, and after
notice publishes once in each of two newspapers (one may be the county legal paper) using the child’s initials, unless the court waives notice and seals the file for safety (§ 701(a.1)(3)(iii)). The hearing comes one to three months after filing. Fingerprinting of minors varies by county — the statute draws no age line, but many counties waive it for young children (Lehigh: 12 and under). After the decree: buy certified copies, update the child’s Social Security record first, then passport, school, and medical records — and for a Pennsylvania-born child, ask the Division of Vital Records about amending the birth record.
Verified against 54 Pa.C.S. §§ 701–705 (palegis.us, 2026-08-18), In re Grimes, 530 Pa. 388 (1992), and current county packets (Philadelphia rev. 1/20/26, Lehigh rev. 5.1.26). Pennsylvania publishes no statewide official minor name-change form — this packet’s instruments are PublicLegal-authored to the statute; where your county publishes its own packet, the county’s form controls. Sources: 54 Pa.C.S. Chapter 7 — Judicial Change of Name ; Philadelphia Courts — Name Change packet (minor routing, rev. 1/20/26) ; UJS Public Records — Confidential Information Form

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 PublicLegal-authored Pennsylvania Petition for Change of Name of Minor Child included in the download
Page 1 of the actual Pennsylvania minor name-change petition (PublicLegal-authored, initials-only) included in your packet.

PETITION FOR CHANGE OF NAME OF MINOR CHILD. The PublicLegal-authored Pennsylvania petition a parent or guardian files in the Court of Common Pleas of the child's county — Pennsylvania publishes no statewide official minor form.

Initials-only: under the statewide public-access policy the petition and published notice use the child's initials; the full name and birth date go on the Confidential Information Form.

Caption and child facts: the county Court of Common Pleas, the petitioning parent or guardian, the child's initials and birth facts, the county of residence, the requested new name, and the reasons.

The other parent: the packet carries the Consent of Non-Petitioning Parent (verification plus optional notary block) and a Certificate of Service for certified-and-regular-mail notice when the other parent does not join (54 Pa.C.S. § 701(a.1)(3)(ii)(B)); the court decides on the child's best interest.

The full packet also includes the proposed Order for Publication and Notice, the initials-only newspaper Notice, the proposed Decree, the Certificate of Compliance, the official statewide UJS Confidential Information Form (Rev. 1/2022), a PublicLegal filing guide with printable checklist, and an editable Word set of every instrument.

This outline is not the form itself. Your download includes the complete editable documents.

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 Pennsylvania Minor Name Change Forms

Yes. This product is the Pennsylvania 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 editable Word and print-ready PDF formats. 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.

Both parents can join or one parent’s signed consent can accompany the petition; otherwise the non-petitioning parent must be served with notice by certified and regular mail (54 Pa.C.S. § 701(a.1)(3)(ii)(B)) — the kit includes both the consent and the certificate of service. A genuinely contested case usually needs a lawyer.

Pennsylvania sets no fixed age for the child’s written consent. The judge decides on the child’s best interest (In re Grimes, 1992) and may ask an older child’s wishes at the hearing — plan to bring the child if your county asks.

No — Pennsylvania publishes no statewide official minor name-change form. This packet’s instruments are PublicLegal-authored to 54 Pa.C.S. §§ 701–705 (the included Confidential Information Form IS the official statewide UJS form, and it is effectively mandatory because the child’s full name stays off public filings). Where your county publishes its own packet, the county’s form controls.

Yes, unless the court waives it for safety — notice runs once in each of two newspapers of general circulation using only the child’s initials (never the full name), commonly at least 30 days before the hearing.

Download Pennsylvania Packet — $9.99