Hello, everybody!My name's Elle, and today I'm going to be telling you the process ofhow I legally changed my name.This is different than most videos I usually do, but I figured that this is a really goodopportunity to teach people how to do this if they're interested in doing it themselves.I thought that this kind of thing could be very beneficial for like, trans people, orpeople who just like, legally wanna change their names, or people who just got marriedand don't know like, what kind of documents they need to change and all that.I'm gonna give you the whole shebang.Before we go into it, let's just start with a little FAQ, because I feel like people askme all sorts of questions now that I've legally changedmy name, and I just want to address all of them.Firstly, why did I legally change my name?I have never really been comfortable with my birth name.I like, wasn't a big fan of it growing up at all, and I... it wasn’t really anythingother than that.Being called my birth name made me so extremely uncomfortable to the point where I just decidedto legally change it.It’s true, yeah, I can just get my family and friends to call me it, by my new name,which is Elle, and they do.They do call me by “Elle”, but I wanted to be referred to by “Elle” in every setting,regardless of who it was.I wanted to be called Elle at the doctor’s office, the dentist’s, jobs.I want to be called Elle everywhere, despite what the name on my ID says.My ID now says “Elle” though, luckily, so I am now referred to by Elle everywhereI go, and it is bliss.Another question I get asked a lot is “What was your name before you changed it?” andmy answer to you is curtly, “None of your business.”I changed my name for a reason.I’m not going to tell you what my birth name was.It doesn’t matter anymore.It doesn’t exist.I’ve been known as Elle for many, many years around my friends and my family, and I justfigured like, we don’t need to talk about my old name anymore.Those are really like, the main two questions that I get, but now we’ve got those outof the way, I’m just gonna share with you the entire process of how to legally change your name!I feel like this whole process was very confusing and I was very on my own with it, just becauselike, it’s such a long process.And there’s no like, help book for this.Like, nobody... you are completely on your own when it comes to changing your name.You have to do everything by yourself.And I feel like it gets very overwhelming and I wish that I kind of had like, a videolike this to teach people how to legally change their names, because it’s just such a confusingprocess if you’re just doing research on your own and looking it it all up.It took me months to figure out how to do this.And I really just wanna like, benefit people who no longer want to go by their legal name,like trans people, or just people like me, who just don’t like their first or middlename, which I changed both.So yeah, let’s just get on with the video.This is how you legally change your name.I want to give a little disclaimer that I live in Florida.I am a citizen of Florida, so this is all how you do it in Florida.I’m sure it’s different depending on where you are, at least in the US, but... it’sprobably like, a relatively similar process, but there are probably variations if you livein different states.So the first step to legally changing your name is to go on the Court of Clerks Office’swebsite for your county and find the form for a legal name change.I recommend just searching up “Court of Clerks” and whatever county you’re inor just like, for whatever state you’re in, and look up where you can find the legalname change form.If you just skim through their website, you are likely to find it.Some places make you purchase it.I called the Court of Clerks before I ever filed my petition for it, and they said that thebooklet, AKA like, the form, was like $15.I just found it online for free and I printed it out and it was fine.So look online, but if not, then you can probably actually go to the Court of Clerks’ officeand request a petition for a legal name change.Then you have to fill out the petition, obviously.That’s just kind of like, information about yourself.Their whole goal basically for a legal name change is to make sure that you are not tryingto deceive people, whether like, crime, or like, trying to run away from a crime, oryou’re not trying to like, change your name to like, a celebrity’s name or something,‘cause like, some places won’t let you do that.They basically just wanna make sure that you are not changing your name for bad purposes.You are changing your name just because you want to change your name.So the information you have to provide is basically just like, your birth name, yourbirthday, Social Security, past addresses, current address, all this kind of stuff.Yeah, it’s a legal form.Like, what do you expect?After you’ve filled that out, you have to go to the Court of Clerk’s office wherever you live.Mine was in my town.I’m pretty sure it’s for the county.But yeah, just look up where the Court of Clerks’ office is in your particular areaand go there, and then you have to file your petition, which you just filled out.This is the most expensive part of the process, because you have to pay to file the petition.And my petition was $400 to file.I know in some places, it’s cheaper.I’ve heard of people changing it for like, as cheap as $100.Mine was $400 to file.You can call them in advance and ask them how much it is to file the petition for alegal name change if you want, just to check to make sure you have everything you need.But yes, mine was $400.So I went to Court of Clerks office, asked to file the petition.Make sure that you have it.You have to bring your ID, all of that stuff, just to make sure that everything is legit,and then they will file it.And then they gave me this piece of paper.I’m gonna cover some information, but they gave me this little pamphlet.It had all this in it.1I don’t want you to see my info.1This all says like, information about representing yourself in court, because spoiler alert:1you’re going to have to go to court in order to get your legal name changed.1You really do not have to get a lawyer.1It says that they recommend you getting a lawyer, but don’t get a lawyer for a legal1name change because that’s ridiculous.1You can do it on your own, and it’s very likely that you won’t have to like, legally1argue to get it done.1However, this was the most important piece of paper, and it had my court number on it,1which I had to call a number.1I had to call the courthouse.1They gave me a phone number.1And then I had to ask when my court date would be set.1They basically said after you file the petition, it will take about two weeks to get that processed,1and they said to just keep calling, ‘cause sometimes it like, falls through and then1they like, have problems with getting these like, court dates in order, but I called for1this about two weeks after I had filed my petition and I gave them my court case number,1which they asked for, and they basically just told me that my court date would be on July124th at 9am and I should be expecting a letter in the mail to tell me the same exact thing.1I’m covering all of this.1This is my court letter.1It has all of the important information about the court date.1So once it was officially set, it basically just told me the name of the judge I would1be presenting in front of, where my hearing would be held– it was at the courthouse.1Which room it would be held in, all that stuff.1And yeah, and then they just gave me all this information, just like, bringing ID, bringing1all my documents, if I needed an interpreter, I could get one.1All that stuff.1Kind of the proper attire to wear.1All that stuff about court.1I was so nervous about appearing in court, ‘cause I had never done it before.1It really was not a big deal.1I’m gonna get to that in a second.1But the same day I filed my petition to get my name changed, they made it clear that I1had to go to the sheriff’s office to get fingerprinted because they wanted to check1to see if I was a criminal.1I am a 21-year-old girl.1I am very innocent.1I was not a criminal, so I was fine with this.1So I had to go to the sheriff’s office to get fingerprinted.1And they basically just made me pay $37.25 for the fingerprinting, and then it was a1$5 fee, I think, as well, to actually get it printed out, which was stupid.1But yeah, so basically I paid like, a little over $40 to get fingerprinted at the sheriff’s office.1It was a very like, not important event that happened, but it was required.1And then they sent that to the Court of Clerk’s office, so I didn’t have to worry about1it after that.1I basically just told them that I am getting a legal name change and that I needed to have1it sent to the Court of Clerk’s office so they could confirm that all of that went down smoothly.1So make sure to make an appointment with the sheriff’s office, all that stuff before1you get fingerprinted.1Just call them and ask.1Then next up is court.1I was so nervous the day of my court date because I was for some reason like, worried1that they weren’t going to give me a legal name change.1But I basically just showed up, and it was so much more informal than I thought.1I thought I was going to have to be like, in this big courtroom all by myself, like,1surrounded by like, a jury, and like, there was a judge there and everything.1No. It was so simple.1It was basically this office room and the judge was there.1And we all like, took turns.1There were like, a bajillion different people there just like, waiting.1It took like, five minutes.1There were a bajillion different people, and they were all just standing there waiting1for their per se cases, which... a per se case means that you are representing yourself.1There is no lawyer.1Usually they’re just about like, small little things, such as like, getting a legal name change.1So people were just like, going in and out.1The bailiff would like, call whoever was next up on the list, and yeah.1So you basically just waited.1It took-- people were in there for like, five minutes at most.1And so it was my turn, I went in, I introduced myself to the judge.1He asked me basically how long I had been living in my county.1I said I had lived there all my life.1And he then asked me why I wanted to change my name.1I gave him my reason, which was like, I just don’t like my legal name and I want to go1by my new name.1And he said “Well, I like both of the names.”1And I was like, “Thank you SO much.”1But yeah, and then he basically just asked me if I was like, doing it for any ulterior1motives, and I said no I’m not, and then he was like, “Okay, sounds good, then.1Boom. Your name is Elle Vivian Buss now.”1And I was like, “Oh! Thank you!” And that’s it.1That was basically the entire thing.1And then he gave me a piece of paper because you1need to get certified copies of your official court order.1They will give you the court order that basically states-- I’ll pull it out for you.1They gave you this piece of paper basically just saying “It is ordered that the petitioner’s1present name, [beep] [beep] [beep], whose date of birth is August 22nd, 1998, is changed1to Elle Vivian Buss, by which the petitioner shall hereafter be known.”1And then he just stamped the little bottom of it.1But I needed to get a certified copy of this, which would take 3-5 days to process before1I could pick it up, so I had to wait, and I couldn’t really do anything.1The certified copies are necessary in order to change any of your documents, basically.1So I had to wait a couple of days before doing anything, but they did give me a piece of1paper saying where I could pick up the certified copies, and they said it would be like, $31per copy or something, but that’s fine.1And so 3-5 days-- I think it was 3 days later, I went to the courthouse again, where I could1pick up my certified copies.1It basically looks exactly the same as the original, except for it has a fancy little1stamp on it saying that it’s certified and it’s officially signed by the judge.2However, this piece of paper is the key to the second step of changing your name.2Like, your name is changed. Boom, you’re done. Everything’s great.2You are NOT done.2And this is the most stressful part of getting everything with your name change.2The most stressful part is the second half, which is getting all of your documents to2reflect your new legal name.2The ultimate first step for changing your name is you have to go to the Social Security2Administration to get a new Social Security card.2You cannot do anything, basically, without your new Social Security card or proof that2you have applied for a new Social Security card.2If you do apply for one, they will give you a little receipt saying that you have applied2for said Social Security card, and you can use that receipt in order to make changes2if you have not received your Social Security card yet, because they give it to you in the mail.2I basically just went to the Social Security Office, and they made sure that I had all2of the necessary documents.2I needed my birth certificate, my current ID that had my birth name on it, I had to2have my Social Security card with my birth name on it, and I needed to have the name2change certificate saying that I had changed my name.2It was a pretty easy process. I just gave it to all of them.2I had to tell them what I would be changing my name to on the Social Security card, and2once I did that, they gave me a little receipt saying that I would get it in the mail in 10-14 days.2I have since received that Social Security card, but I had to use my receipt for most2of the name changing process, with all of my documents, just because2it took like, two weeks to come in.2By the way, my Social Security number stayed the same, so you don’t have to worry about2that changing just ‘cause you got a new name.2My next step for changing the documents to reflect my legal name change was to go to2the DMV and change both my driver’s license and my voter’s registration card.2I am not the owner of my car.2My dad’s name is on the car title.2But if you are the owner of your car, then please make sure that2you get your name changed on that.2You can probably just contact the insurance company or whoever is responsible for your2car title and just let them know about the name change.2I never had to deal with that, but it’s a... the whole process is just a lot of calling2people and telling them about it and going places.2I went to the DMV and I applied to get a new license and they basically just made me show2them my current license, the one with my birth name on it, and then the proof of my legal2name change, and you also need to have proof that you got a new Social Security card, as well.2At the DMV, they do cut the corner of your original license, just to show that it’s invalid now.2But they’re giving you a new license like, on the spot, so it’s fine.2I do keep my invalid license with me, just in case I do need it, but I haven’t really had to use it.2They also asked if I wanted a new voter registration card, and I said yes, of course, please, and2so I’m still waiting on that in the mail, but they’re going to send that to me in2the mail, and I got my new license right there on that day.2They made me pay $35 to get a new license, but that’s not horrible.2I mean, it’s not absolutely awful.2So just make sure you have the money to get a new license as well.2And I got to take a new picture, which is good, because my picture was from when I was sixteen.2(laughs) The next step is the change all of your bank information.2This was probably the longest thing in the process for me, but it was just because my2dad is a co-owner of my account, and I needed to have him come in and actually like, consent2to changing my name on my account.2So it was a little complicated for me personally, but it really wasn’t that bad.2So I went to the bank.2I asked them if I could legally my name on my bank accounts and get new bank cards, both2credit and debit cards, and it was a pretty like, painless process.2I just had to show them my ID, the Social Security thing.2They didn’t need my license.2Well, they asked for my ID, but it had my birth name on it at the moment.2But they accepted it anyway, ‘cause as long as you have the certified copy saying that2you are going from one name to another, as long as you have ID that has one of the names2on it, it should work fine.2So getting the new bank cards wasn’t that difficult.2I just asked to get it changed, gave them all my documents that they needed, and they2changed it in the computer, they checked it and everything, and they told me that I would2be getting new bank cards within the next 10-14 days.2And I got them.2I got both credit and debit, so make sure to change both of those.2Next up was changing all of my medical records.2I mainly go to one big like, kind of clinic thing that has like everything in it for all2of my medical needs, so I had to call them and make sure that they had the information2that I was being changed from one name to another.2It was a pretty simple process.2I just called them, and then they told me to email somebody with the information and2then proof of the name change, which I scanned my certified copy just to send in the email,2and then my license, as well.2So I sent that, and then I got a call from them the next day saying it had been changed2in the system and that everything was good.2Make sure that all of your insurance reflects your new name as well.2You can probably just call the insurance company.2Let them know.2If you have to email them, then email them your copies of everything.2Yeah, just so they’re aware that you have changed your name.2Next up, you have to get your birth certificate changed.2This process was a little weird, because I had to go to the Office of- the Vital Statistics2Office, is what they called it.2The Office of Vital Statistics.2It was like, this weird clinic place that hands out birth certificates.2It was mostly like, a big line of people waiting to like, get their children’s birth certificates.2Like, babies.2So you have to get a form from them to get your legal name changed on your birth certificate.2So they gave me the form.2I filled it out, and I had to send it to Jacksonville, which is like, kinda near the capitol of Florida,2and they had all the information for the birth certificates.2So I had to send it up to them, along with a check for $20, because you had to pay to2get a copy of your birth certificate.2And so the $20 would be covering the new birth certificate that they would be sending to me.2And I also had to like, show them a scan of my new and old license, as well.2So I’m still waiting on my birth certificate in the mail, but you do need to get a new3one, because birth certificates are often used as ID in like, really big formal things.3I also needed to change my Triple A membership, just because it had my legal name on it, obviously.3And I called them- they were very nice about it- so I just told them about my new legal3name, and yeah.3So that was a really easy process.3They sent me a new card in the mail very shortly.3If you are still in school, your school needs to know about your records, as well.3So I am in college. I emailed my college, asking how I can make sure that my legal name change is reflected3on all of my records with the school, and they basically just told me to fill out this3one form that said I wanna get my name changed from this to this and then proof of my legal3name change and my license, as well.3So I did that, sent it to them, and it took like, 3-5 days to process. I checked it.3My name is officially changed on their website and on like, my records and everything, so3everything is fantastic.3And the last big thing is just to make sure that everything in your own personal life3is changed. Like, especially social media.3So like, I had to change my PayPal, because my PayPal had my legal name on it from my3bank account, so I had to get a new PayPal account.3I had to change my Snapchat, ‘cause my snapchat username had my legal name in it.3I had to make sure that my email had been reflected on my new legal name.3I already had been going by Elle for like, forever, so my Facebook and my Instagram,3my Twitter and YouTube and everything all reflect that name already.3But if you have anything that could possible have your legal name on it, you3need to change it to the new legal name.3Things are coming up all the time where I’m realizing that I need to change them, and3it’s not really a big deal because I have all of the really big things out of the way,3but like, for example, my Triple A card, I forgot about that I need to get that changed.3So just like, go through your wallet, make sure that everything reflects that, and you3should be good. Like, things will come up, but it’s fine.3Just like, make sure that everything reflects the name change as soon as you figure out that you need to change them.3But as long as you get these things that I listed out of the way, then3like, you should relatively be good.3These are like, the biggest legal documents that you need to make sure are changed, and3I think that it’ll be fine if like, you forget about one little3thing that I have not listed on this list.3I wish you all the best of luck if you are legally changing your name.3It’s a very daunting and overwhelming and scary process, but I hope that this video3at least helps a little bit to make sure that everything goes smoothly and that you have3everything that you need in order.3Thank you guys so much for watching, and I will see you all in my next video.3Alright, bye!
