PROBATE COURT OF CUYAHOGA COUNTY, OHIO
NEW CASE GUIDELINES – E-FILE NAME CHANGE ADULT
Documents to Submit with Your E-Filing:
 Application to Change Name (Adult) (Form 21.0).
(Application MUST be typed complete with ink signatures or E-Signatures.)
 Copy of the applicant’s birth certificate.
(Non-English certificates must be accompanied by a professional translation.)
In addition to the documents listed above, original documents you MUST bring to your hearing:
 Applicant’s valid photo identification.
Please be aware that all prior name changes (for example, names assumed through marriage, restored by divorce,
or altered in any way by naturalization or adoption processes) may affect your petition.
If you have any questions regarding a legal change of name, please consult an Ohio licensed attorney BEFORE
you submit filings to the Probate Court.
Quick Steps for Filing:
1. Create a Probate Court E-File Account by registering here.
2. Download, complete, sign, and save the appropriate E-File forms here.
Be sure to ink-sign or E-Sign your documents! (E-Sign format example: /S/Applicant’s Printed Name)
3. To prepare for your hearing date, read the Information Regarding Adult Name Change Applications.
(You may wish to print this information for reference before your hearing.)
4. Login, add your parties, add your documents, then review your information before you submit your credit card
payment. The name on the credit/debit card MUST match the Registered Account Name.
5. On the Payment screen, submit the filing On Behalf of the Old Name party role to receive a confirmation number.
Please keep this confirmation for your records.
Filing Status and Notification of Hearing:
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If the filing is accepted, you will receive notification by email.
If a hearing is scheduled, you will receive a Notice of Hearing by regular mail within 3-5 business days.
If the filing is not accepted, you will receive notification of the reason for rejection by email.
Corrected filings may be resubmitted within 72 hours. After 72 hours, you must file a new case.
Additional Information:
Applicants must have been a resident of Cuyahoga County for at least one year immediately prior to filing.
Any incorrect information and/or any changes made to your Application AFTER the initial filing date AND once publication
has started MAY DELAY the Court proceedings. If your Application needs to be AMENDED for any reason, there may be an
additional $50.00 charge and may result in a later hearing date and a re-publication for the AMENDED Application.
If your Application is GRANTED, you will receive certified copies of the Court Order within 7-10 business days. It is your
responsibility to notify any pertinent agencies of the new name. If you wish to obtain an AMENDED OHIO BIRTH
CERTIFICATE, contact the Ohio Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics at 614-466-2531 or www.odh.ohio.gov .
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Go to the Electronic Filing System Home Page. Read the Terms of Use, the Policies and Procedures,
and the E-File User’s Guide.
Select E-File Forms and navigate to the Application to Change Name (Adult) (Form 21.0).
Complete the Application to Change Name (Adult) (Form 21.0) and select Save.
(If printed, all hard copy documents will need to be scanned for attachment in later steps.)
Documents must be TYPED. Handwritten applications will be rejected.
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Applicants MUST fill-in all fields and appropriate check-boxes on Form 21.0.
Be sure to answer Questions 1 and 2 and initial each answer.
Once the Application is saved (including your E-Signature), go to the Electronic Filing Home Page.
If you have a registered E-File Account, Login at the E-File Gateway and continue to page 5.
If you do not have an E-File Account, select E-File Registration and complete all required fields as
shown on page 4.
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Create An E-File Account. Your submission will be reviewed within 72 hours.
Notice of account approval will be sent to your email.
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Go to the E-File Gateway and Login to your E-File Account.
Login using your Login ID (email address) and your Password.
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Go to the E-Filing Tab>File A New Case
For Case Category select CIVIL/MISCELLANEOUS.
For Type of Filing select NAME CHANGE ADULT.
Type the full current name of the applicant in the Case Title field.
Note to Clerk is an optional field for brief notes or questions for the E-File clerk.
(DO NOT use this field to present facts or questions relevant to your hearing.)
Selecting Save will retain the filing with an Incomplete status and assigns an active Confirmation
number. (Use this option if you wish to stop here and complete your filing at a later time.)
Selecting Save and Proceed retains the filing, assigns an active Confirmation number, and advances
you to the ADD PARTY MEMBERS screen.
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Complete Add Party Members and click Save Party for each Case Party Role. For Adult Name
Change filings, the following roles are REQUIRED:
Old Name – The Old Name Case Party Role information MUST match the Present Name as printed on
the form Application to Change Name (Adult) (Form 21.0). If the applicant has one name only, type it in
the Last Name field.
New Name – The New Name Case Party Role information MUST match the Name Requested as
printed on the form Application to Change Name (Adult) (Form 21.0). If the applicant is seeking to
change their name to one name only, type it in the Last Name field.
Attorneys must check the box labeled I am representing this party member for each Case Party
Role represented.
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Attorneys must check the box labeled I am representing this party member for each Case Party
Role represented.
Review the Party Role information before selecting Save and Proceed.
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After you Add Party Members, you must Add Documents for the filing. Application to Change Name
(Adult) (Form 21.0) and Birth Certificate are REQUIRED.
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Select Browse and locate the PDF file that will be used for the filing. Highlight the document and
select Open. Enter the Number of Pages. Then select Add This Document. (Only PDF
documents will be allowed.)
Added document(s) will display in the Document Review area.
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Attach a scanned copy of your Birth Certificate the same way.
Additional documents may be submitted as Supplemental Document(s) Filed
(e.g. translation of Birth Certificate, etc.).
Select Save and Proceed to continue.
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After the documents have been attached, Review all the information.
Select Edit to make corrections.
If all information is correct, select Save and Proceed to continue.
Payment is REQUIRED. Only Credit or Debit Cards are accepted through the E-File Gateway.
Payment is authorized at the time of submission. Your Credit or Debit Card will be charged only
AFTER your E-Filing has been accepted by the Court.
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Filings must be submitted On Behalf of a case party selected from the Filing Party menu.
For Adult Name Changes, select Old Name (person who signed the Application).
Next, fill out the information for the Credit or Debit Card that will be charged, Review your information,
then select Submit.
The name on the credit/debit card MUST match the Registered Account Name.
Third party payments will NOT be accepted.
Once submitted, a Filing Confirmation page displays with your confirmation number.
Print a copy for your records.
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The Filing Confirmation includes the Case, Party, Document and Payment information.
You will receive an email from the Court indicating whether your filing has been Accepted or Rejected.
Your submitted E-Filing now has a status of Received and cannot be edited while under review.
It can be Canceled or Removed from the E-File System through the My Filings tab.
Refer to the Informational Page for Adult Name Changes located under E-File Forms for additional
information about the filing after its acceptance by the Court.
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