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

Verified against Maine Probate Court and .gov sources · Last verified July 16, 2026.

Quick answer

In Maine, 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

No fee is charged when a name change is requested as part of a divorce (per Administrative Order JB-05-26)

Court
Maine District Court (through the divorce judgment)

The Probate Court in the county where you live

Timeline
1–4 weeks

Step by step

  1. 1

    Ask the Maine District Court to restore your former or birth name inside your divorce complaint or at the final hearing — there is no separate fee when the name change is part of the divorce.

  2. 2

    If the divorce is already final and you did not request it, file a motion in the same District Court divorce case to resume a former name.

  3. 3

    Obtain a certified copy of the divorce judgment (or a Certificate of Judgment of Divorce, Form FM-170) showing the restored name.

  4. 4

    Use the certified judgment to update Social Security (Form SS-5), then the Maine BMV, your US passport, and your accounts.

Official forms

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

FormCodeOfficial link
Certificate of Judgment of DivorceFM-170Open ↗
Application for a Social Security CardSS-5Open ↗
Newspaper publication: Not required
Background check: No background check
Good to know in Maine:
  • • You do not need a separate Probate Court name-change petition to return to a former name after divorce — the District Court divorce case handles it at no extra cost.

Then update your IDs

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

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Divorce name change in nearby states

New Hampshire →Montana →Hawaii →Rhode Island →

Restoring Your Name After Divorce in Maine: FAQ

Can I restore my maiden name without paying again in Maine?
Usually yes. If you asked to restore your former name in your divorce, the decree is your proof at no extra cost. In Maine you can also request it after the fact.
What if I forgot to ask for my former name in the divorce in Maine?
You can still restore it. Maine 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 Maine?
No. Restoring a former name through a divorce decree does not require newspaper publication in Maine.
What's the first ID to update after a divorce name change in Maine?
Social Security first (free, Form SS-5), then your Maine 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.