Ark. Code Ann. § 9-2-101

This is the official text of Ark. Code Ann. § 9-2-101, part of Arkansas’s Code Ann — part of the compiled statutory law of Arkansas, published by the state as "Code Ann." Browse the sections below, each linked to its official government source.

Not legal advice. This page reproduces the official text of a government statute for reference only. Laws change, and how a statute applies depends on your specific facts. For advice about your situation, consult a licensed attorney in your state.

Name change - Procedure

Official statutory text

(a) Upon the application of any person within the jurisdiction of the court, the circuit court shall have power, upon good reasons shown, to alter or change the name of the person. (b) When application is made to the court under this section, it shall be by a verified petition in writing embodying the reasons for the application. (c) (1) If the court determines cause has been shown, the court shall order the petitioner's name changed in an order that reflects the petitioner's: (A) Prior name; (B) Birth date; (C) Identifying information as deemed appropriate by the court, including without limitation the petitioner's: (i) Social Security number; or (ii) Driver's license number; and (D) New name. (2) (A) (i) The petitioner shall ensure that all confidential information is omitted or redacted from case records that he or she submits to the court in accordance with Supreme Court Administrative Order No. 19.1. (ii) In the case of a filing submitted through the electronic filing system, all confidential information shall be redacted from an electronic document before its filing in accordance with Supreme Court Administrative Order No. 21. (B) The clerk shall ensure that all of the identifying information within the case, other than the petitioner's new name and prior name, is properly redacted. (3) (A) The clerk shall deliver the unredacted order to the: (i) Arkansas Crime Information Center; (ii) Arkansas Driver Control; and (iii) Division of Vital Records, if requested by the petitioner. (B) If the case is not already styled under both the petitioner's new name and prior name, after the name change is ordered, the clerk shall modify the case caption and index the case under both the new name and the prior name. (C) The court shall order the court file sealed upon clear and convincing evidence presented by the petitioner that the petitioner would otherwise be endangered. Amended by Act 2023, No. 331,§ 1, eff. 8/1/2023. Acts 1851, §§ 1, 2, p. 72; C. & M. Dig., §§ 7756, 7757; Pope's Dig., §§ 10123, 10124; Acts 1943, No. 15, § 1; 1985, No. 542, § 1; A.S.A. 1947, §§ 34-801, 34-802; Acts 1989, No. 52, § 1

(a) Upon the application of any person within the jurisdiction of the court, the circuit court shall have power, upon good reasons shown, to alter or change the name of the person.

(b) When application is made to the court under this section, it shall be by a verified petition in writing embodying the reasons for the application.

(c) (1) If the court determines cause has been shown, the court shall order the petitioner's name changed in an order that reflects the petitioner's: (A) Prior name; (B) Birth date; (C) Identifying information as deemed appropriate by the court, including without limitation the petitioner's: (i) Social Security number; or (ii) Driver's license number; and (D) New name. (2) (A) (i) The petitioner shall ensure that all confidential information is omitted or redacted from case records that he or she submits to the court in accordance with Supreme Court Administrative Order No. 19.1. (ii) In the case of a filing submitted through the electronic filing system, all confidential information shall be redacted from an electronic document before its filing in accordance with Supreme Court Administrative Order No. 21. (B) The clerk shall ensure that all of the identifying information within the case, other than the petitioner's new name and prior name, is properly redacted. (3) (A) The clerk shall deliver the unredacted order to the: (i) Arkansas Crime Information Center; (ii) Arkansas Driver Control; and (iii) Division of Vital Records, if requested by the petitioner. (B) If the case is not already styled under both the petitioner's new name and prior name, after the name change is ordered, the clerk shall modify the case caption and index the case under both the new name and the prior name
eliver the unredacted order to the: (i) Arkansas Crime Information Center; (ii) Arkansas Driver Control; and (iii) Division of Vital Records, if requested by the petitioner. (B) If the case is not already styled under both the petitioner's new name and prior name, after the name change is ordered, the clerk shall modify the case caption and index the case under both the new name and the prior name. (C) The court shall order the court file sealed upon clear and convincing evidence presented by the petitioner that the petitioner would otherwise be endangered.

(1) If the court determines cause has been shown, the court shall order the petitioner's name changed in an order that reflects the petitioner's: (A) Prior name; (B) Birth date; (C) Identifying information as deemed appropriate by the court, including without limitation the petitioner's: (i) Social Security number; or (ii) Driver's license number; and (D) New name.

(A) Prior name;

(B) Birth date;

(C) Identifying information as deemed appropriate by the court, including without limitation the petitioner's: (i) Social Security number; or (ii) Driver's license number; and

(i) Social Security number; or

(ii) Driver's license number; and

(D) New name.

(2) (A) (i) The petitioner shall ensure that all confidential information is omitted or redacted from case records that he or she submits to the court in accordance with Supreme Court Administrative Order No. 19.1. (ii) In the case of a filing submitted through the electronic filing system, all confidential information shall be redacted from an electronic document before its filing in accordance with Supreme Court Administrative Order No. 21. (B) The clerk shall ensure that all of the identifying information within the case, other than the petitioner's new name and prior name, is properly redacted.

(A) (i) The petitioner shall ensure that all confidential information is omitted or redacted from case records that he or she submits to the court in accordance with Supreme Court Administrative Order No. 19.1. (ii) In the case of a filing submitted through the electronic filing system, all confidential information shall be redacted from an electronic document before its filing in accordance with Supreme Court Administrative Order No. 21.

(i) The petitioner shall ensure that all confidential information is omitted or redacted from case records that he or she submits to the court in accordance with Supreme Court Administrative Order No. 19.1.

(ii) In the case of a filing submitted through the electronic filing system, all confidential information shall be redacted from an electronic document before its filing in accordance with Supreme Court Administrative Order No. 21.

(B) The clerk shall ensure that all of the identifying information within the case, other than the petitioner's new name and prior name, is properly redacted.

(3) (A) The clerk shall deliver the unredacted order to the: (i) Arkansas Crime Information Center; (ii) Arkansas Driver Control; and (iii) Division of Vital Records, if requested by the petitioner. (B) If the case is not already styled under both the petitioner's new name and prior name, after the name change is ordered, the clerk shall modify the case caption and index the case under both the new name and the prior name. (C) The court shall order the court file sealed upon clear and convincing evidence presented by the petitioner that the petitioner would otherwise be endangered.

(A) The clerk shall deliver the unredacted order to the: (i) Arkansas Crime Information Center; (ii) Arkansas Driver Control; and (iii) Division of Vital Records, if requested by the petitioner.
nder both the new name and the prior name. (C) The court shall order the court file sealed upon clear and convincing evidence presented by the petitioner that the petitioner would otherwise be endangered.

(A) The clerk shall deliver the unredacted order to the: (i) Arkansas Crime Information Center; (ii) Arkansas Driver Control; and (iii) Division of Vital Records, if requested by the petitioner.

(i) Arkansas Crime Information Center;

(ii) Arkansas Driver Control; and

(iii) Division of Vital Records, if requested by the petitioner.

(B) If the case is not already styled under both the petitioner's new name and prior name, after the name change is ordered, the clerk shall modify the case caption and index the case under both the new name and the prior name.

(C) The court shall order the court file sealed upon clear and convincing evidence presented by the petitioner that the petitioner would otherwise be endangered.

Amended by Act 2023, No. 331,§ 1, eff. 8/1/2023.

Acts 1851, §§ 1, 2, p. 72; C. & M. Dig., §§ 7756, 7757; Pope's Dig., §§ 10123, 10124; Acts 1943, No. 15, § 1; 1985, No. 542, § 1; A.S.A. 1947, §§ 34-801, 34-802; Acts 1989, No. 52, § 1

Status: in_force

Need a lawyer in Arkansas?

Find a Arkansas lawyer
About this page: Statute text is reproduced from official government publishers via the Open US Law dataset (Vaquill AI, snapshot v2026.08, CC BY 4.0). Primary legislative text like this is public domain under the government-edicts doctrine (Georgia v. Public.Resource.Org, 2020). We link every section back to its official source so you can verify it independently.