Rhode Island Minor Name Change (Child Under 18)

Researched filing overview

Rhode Island Minor Name Change Filing Overview

One form, two people

Rhode Island uses ONE statewide form (PC-8.1, Rev. 03/24) for adults and children — read this first. On a child’s filing, page 1’s biographical fields are the CHILD (occupation “Student”, marital status blank), while “Name of Petitioner”, “Relationship of Petitioner”, the signature, and the notarization are the PARENT or GUARDIAN who files. Leave page 2 (the Decree) blank — the judge completes it.

Who files and where

a parent or guardian files with the probate court of the city or town where the child lives (§ 33-22-28(b)). The Family Court also has jurisdiction over a child’s name change (§ 8-10-3(a)) — if a divorce, custody, or paternity case is pending there, that may be the right door; otherwise the city/town probate court on this form is the ordinary path. Rhode Island sets no fixed age for the child’s written consent; the judge decides.

If the other parent is not filing with you

there is no statutory consent form. Both parents may co-sign one PC-8.1; otherwise expect the court to ask about the other legal parent — many town courts want the other parent to sign, appear, or give written assent. Ask your clerk before filing what your court expects.

Background check and fee

the court may require a BCI criminal-history record check (§ 33-22-28(e)) — ask the clerk whose record your court checks on a minor filing. No fingerprint card, no FBI check. The statewide petition fee is $30 (§ 33-22-21(a)(9)) plus your city or town’s surcharge and certified copies; a waiver or reduction is available for indigency (§ 33-22-28(c)).

Publication and after

the statute is silent on newspaper publication for a child, and current municipal practice has no newspaper step. After the judge signs the Decree, buy certified copies, update the child’s Social Security record first (SSA form SS-5, free), then school, medical, and passport records; for a Rhode Island-born child, the health-department birth-record amendment is a separate post-decree step.