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Restoring Your Name After Divorce in Louisiana: Steps, Cost & Forms

Verified against Louisiana District Court (Judicial District Court) and .gov sources · Last verified July 16, 2026.

Quick answer

In Louisiana, 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.

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What it costs

Filing fee
$0 court fee

Resuming a maiden or birth name after divorce is free; no separate name-change filing is required

Court
N/A — because marriage never changed your legal name in Louisiana, resuming your maiden name needs no name-change petition

District Court in the parish where you live

Timeline
1–4 weeks

Step by step

  1. 1

    Because Louisiana law (La. R.S. 9:292) never changed your legal name at marriage, you can simply resume using your maiden or birth name after divorce — no court name-change petition is needed.

  2. 2

    Ask your attorney to include language in the judgment of divorce confirming you may resume your former name; a certified copy of that judgment makes updating records easier.

  3. 3

    Get a certified copy of the divorce judgment from the parish Clerk of Court.

  4. 4

    Use the certified judgment (or simply your birth certificate/Social Security record showing your maiden name) to update Social Security with Form SS-5, then the OMV, then your passport and accounts.

Official forms

Every link goes to the official court or government host — never a paid re-host.

FormCodeOfficial link
Certified divorce judgment — parish Clerk of Court—Open ↗
Application for a Social Security CardSS-5Open ↗
Newspaper publication: Not required
Background check: No background check
Good to know in Louisiana:
  • • No one can be forced to resume a maiden name; it is optional. A person who took a spouse's surname keeps the legal right to use their birth name at any time under La. R.S. 9:292.

Then update your IDs

Once you have the signed order, update Social Security first, then your Louisiana license, then your passport and accounts.

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Divorce name change in nearby states

Alabama →Kentucky →South Carolina →Oregon →

Restoring Your Name After Divorce in Louisiana: FAQ

Can I restore my maiden name without paying again in Louisiana?
Usually yes. If you asked to restore your former name in your divorce, the decree is your proof at no extra cost. In Louisiana you can also request it after the fact.
What if I forgot to ask for my former name in the divorce in Louisiana?
You can still restore it. Louisiana lets you file a short request to restore your former name after the divorce is final — see the forms below.
Do I need to publish a notice to restore my name after divorce in Louisiana?
No. Restoring a former name through a divorce decree does not require newspaper publication in Louisiana.
What's the first ID to update after a divorce name change in Louisiana?
Social Security first (free, Form SS-5), then your Louisiana driver's license, then your passport and financial accounts.

Sources

Every fee, court, rule, and form on this page traces to an official government source:

See our verification methodology and themaster source list.

Last verified July 16, 2026Reviewed by the Name Change Atlas Editorial Team against official court and .gov sources.

We're re-confirming some fee details for this state against the county court. Always confirm the exact current fee with your court clerk before you file.