Restoring Your Name After Divorce in Indiana: Steps, Cost & Forms
Verified against Indiana Circuit Court and .gov sources · Last verified July 16, 2026.
In Indiana, you restore your former or maiden name after divorce through the divorce decree — request it in the divorce and the decree is your legal proof. There is usually no extra court fee. Then update Social Security first, then the DMV, then your passport. No newspaper notice is required.
Your personalized plan
Pick your state and situation for your exact filing fee, court, forms, and ordered steps.
What it costs
Restoring a former name is free when you request it in the Petition for Dissolution of Marriage before the decree is final
Circuit Court (or Superior Court) in the county where you live
Step by step
- 1
Ask the court to restore your former (maiden or prior) name inside your Petition for Dissolution of Marriage — Indiana allows this as part of the relief requested and it costs nothing extra.
- 2
The name restoration is not automatic: it takes effect only when the dissolution decree is entered with the restoration included.
- 3
If your divorce is already final and you did not request restoration, you must file a separate name-change petition under Indiana Code 34-28-2 (with the standard filing fee and newspaper publication).
- 4
Get a certified copy of the dissolution decree from the clerk, then update Social Security (SS-5), the Indiana BMV, your passport, and your accounts.
Official forms
Every link goes to the official court or government host — never a paid re-host.
- • Requesting the former name in the dissolution avoids a full separate name-change case — no publication or extra fee is required.
- • The Indiana BMV accepts a certified dissolution decree as proof of a name change when updating your license.
Then update your IDs
Once you have the signed order, update Social Security first, then your Indiana license, then your passport and accounts.
Divorce name change in nearby states
Restoring Your Name After Divorce in Indiana: FAQ
Can I restore my maiden name without paying again in Indiana?
What if I forgot to ask for my former name in the divorce in Indiana?
Do I need to publish a notice to restore my name after divorce in Indiana?
What's the first ID to update after a divorce name change in Indiana?
Sources
Every fee, court, rule, and form on this page traces to an official government source:
- www.in.gov/courts/selfservice
- www.in.gov/bmv/licenses-permits-ids/learners-permits-and-drivers-licenses-overview/drivers-license/amending-your-drivers-license-or-identification-card
See our verification methodology and themaster source list.