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How much does it cost to change your name in Colorado?

Changing your name in Colorado costs $98 if you file in county court or $268 in district court on the Colorado Judicial Branch fee list — and the filing fee is not the whole story. Every adult petitioner must attach fingerprint-based criminal history checks from both the CBI and the FBI, and must ordinarily publish the proposed change three times in 21 days in a newspaper, so the honest all-in cost is the fee plus checks plus publication.

Colorado name change fees at a glance

The Judicial Branch's own guidance steers most adults to county court: both courts have jurisdiction under C.R.S. §13-15-101, the forms (JDF 433 petition, JDF 426 publication order, JDF 427 public notice, JDF 448 decree) are the same, and the county-court fee is $170 lower. The district-court line matters mainly where a related case already sits there. The national comparison is on the name change costs hub and the state overview on the Colorado court costs guide.

The fingerprint requirement — Colorado's real gate

Unlike Arizona, Colorado makes the background check part of the petition itself: both the Colorado Bureau of Investigation and FBI fingerprint-based reports must be dated within 90 days before filing and attached as Exhibit A, with certified dispositions for anything the reports omit as Exhibit B. The CBI check is $16.50 and the FBI check $18 on the agencies' published schedules — small figures, but a petition filed with stale reports is rejected and the filing fee clock restarts in practice. Adults with a prior felony conviction follow a separate, stricter instruction set (JDF 385) and should read it before paying for anything.

Publication — and the two mandatory waivers

Under §13-15-102, once the court issues the Order for Publication (JDF 426) the Public Notice (JDF 427) must run at least three times within 21 days in a newspaper of record, and proof of publication must be filed before the decree issues; the newspaper sets its own price, so no figure is published here. The statute requires waiver of publication in two situations the petitioner flags in the petition itself: victims of child abuse or domestic abuse, and a person changing a name to conform with gender identity (§13-15-102(2), (4)). A last-name change on marriage or civil union needs no petition at all, and Coloradans 70 or older who are only harmonising name discrepancies for a state ID have a simplified no-publication path under §13-15-101(5).

1. Obtain CBI and FBI fingerprint-based checks first — both must be dated within 90 days of filing $16.50 CBI $18 FBI
2. Complete JDF 433 and sign it before a court clerk or notary; attach the checks as Exhibit A
3. File in county court where you live and pay the fee $98 county $268 district
4. Publish JDF 427 three times within 21 days of the JDF 426 order (unless waived) and file proof of publication
5. Receive the JDF 448 decree; order certified copies $20 each and update Social Security, then your Colorado license or ID

What a name change really costs beyond the clerk

Colorado's beyond-the-clerk list is longer than most states': publication (newspaper-priced), the two fingerprint checks ($34.50 combined), notarisation where used, and certified copies at $20 each — most people need two or three. Even so, the county-court route keeps the predictable total near $150 before publication. Compare Arizona name change costs (no publication, no fingerprints, higher base fee) and Texas name change costs.

Can't afford the fee?

File Form JDF 205, the Motion to File Without Payment with its supporting financial affidavit (JDF 206); a judge decides whether the filing fee is waived. The waiver reaches court fees — it does not pay the CBI/FBI checks or the newspaper, which is worth knowing before you start. The general mechanics are explained in the fee waiver guide.

Sources: Colorado Judicial Branch — List of Fees (name change petition $98 county court / $268 district court; certified copy $20) and name-change instructions (JDF 433, 426, 427, 448; JDF 205/206 waiver) · C.R.S. §13-15-101 (jurisdiction; fingerprint exhibits; age-70 simplified path) · C.R.S. §13-15-102 (publication three times in 21 days; mandatory waivers) · Colorado Bureau of Investigation — fingerprint check $16.50 · FBI — fingerprint check $18. Last verified: October 2026 — confirm current figures with your county court clerk.