COLORADO STATEWIDE
Form JDF 421, Petition for Name Change for a Minor Child
Change your child's legal name in Colorado court — one guided walkthrough.
What is JDF 421 used for?
JDF 421 is the official Colorado court form that a parent or legal guardian files to ask a judge to legally change a minor child's name. After filing, the court schedules a hearing and — if approved — issues a decree that changes the child's name on all legal records.
Get a Colorado court order legally changing your child's name — making the new name official on the birth certificate, school records, passport, and all other legal documents.
If the child is 14 or older and has a disqualifying felony adjudication, the court will deny the petition. Filing without properly notifying or obtaining consent from the non-custodial parent can get the case dismissed or the name change reversed.
Time, difficulty & who this form is for
Average time
30–60 minutes to complete the form; weeks to months for the full court process
Difficulty
moderate
Best for
A parent or legal guardian who wants to change a child's last name after a family change, or change a first or middle name for personal, cultural, or gender-identity reasons.
What do I need before I start?
- The child's current full legal name and date of birth
- Your (the petitioner's) full name, mailing address, phone, and email
- The Colorado county where the child lives
- Your relationship to the child (parent, legal guardian, etc.)
- The proposed new full name for the child
- A reason for the name change (brief written explanation)
- For children 14 or older: a fingerprint-based criminal history check from the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI), dated within 90 days
- The non-custodial parent's current address (if you plan to serve them by notice), or their consent on Form JDF 423 if they agree
- Any existing case number and court name if the child is in an active family case
How the walkthrough is organized
Court and Filing Information
Which court to use, the county, and any existing case number.
Your Information (Petitioner)
Your name, address, phone, and email so the court can contact you.
Child's Current Information
The child's current legal name, date of birth, county of residence, and your relationship to the child.
Requested New Name
The full new name you are asking the court to approve.
Reason for Name Change
Your written explanation of why the name change is in the child's best interest.
Publication Waiver Request
Whether you are asking the court to skip the public newspaper notice, and the legal reason why.
Other Active Cases
Whether the child is already in another active court case, and if so, the case number and court.
Parental Notification
How you will notify or involve the non-custodial parent — consent, notice, published notice, or not applicable.
Signatures
Petitioner 1 (and Petitioner 2 if both parents are filing together) signs under penalty of perjury, along with any attorney.
What happens after I complete it?
Answer the questions, review your document, then follow its official signing and delivery instructions. Downloading does not submit the form.
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