Obtaining a South Carolina name change is a legal process that results in a court order. We have helped lots of people throughout South Carolina obtain a name change. Typical situations include:
- The legal name on a driver's license, social security card, birth certificate, or other documents don't all match. A name change can help confirm the legal name and serve to update all agencies.
- Woman after a divorce may have chosen to keep their married name for the children or their own convenience. Later they want to go back to their maiden name, which requires a name change.
- Sometimes names are misspelled entering or exiting from the military or moving to a different state. A name change order cna help confirm the precise legal name.
- People just want to change their name for their own reason. Maybe they never liked their middle name. Or they just want to be known by their nickname.
These are the regular reasons, but in today's modern age of social media and electronic background checks a name change can have some really important real-world benefits.A name change can't help you avoid a legal process or criminal charge. But a name change can absolutely help if there are inappropriate social media, news articles, or other materials online. It can also help you if you need a South Carolina REAL ID (to get on an Airplane or enter into a Federal building), or for any reason.
The process takes just a few weeks in most situations. We help with everything (so no need to try to figure out where to get forms or how to file them). We help with all required background checks, the required affidavit, court filing, and the court order. Most of the time a court hearing is not required. We then request multiple certified copies of the name change court order, so you have everything you need to update the DMV, Social Security Administration, bank, utility accounts, etc.
Here are the steps:
1. Contact us to schedule an initial appointment.
2. All you need to bring is a current photo ID, and know the correct spelling of the new name you wish to have.
3. Our staff can advise you at the time of your appointment what the fixed-price will be for legal as well as other fees required.
4. We'll help you complete the required affidavit along with request for a DSS and SLED background check.
5. You will need to be fingerprinted by a local police department, and then return the fingerprint card to our office.
6. We will send off for the background checks & pay those fee out of our retainer.
7. When the background checks are returned we will prepare a court petition and file with the court. We pay the court filing fee out of our retainer.
8. We will submit the proposed order for the judge to decide in multiple copies and request that they be certified by the Clerk of Court. That way they will be accepted by the DMV, Social Security Administration and other agencies.
To get started, call us today at 1-888-301-6004. We are available do name changes in Lexington, Columbia, and all surrounding counties.