Name Change in Crawford County Probate Court

Reviewed by Stephanie Green · Managing Partner & Co-Founder · Last updated June 17, 2026

You file an application in the Crawford County Probate Court at 112 East Mansfield Street, Suite 103, Bucyrus, OH 44820. An adult uses Form 21.0 (Application for Change of Name of Adult) with a supporting affidavit (Form 21.01); a minor uses Form 21.2 with Form 21.02. For a minor, the parents must receive notice, and the court may require consent (Form 21.4) and a criminal background check (Form 21.14). You must have lived in Crawford County for at least 60 days before applying. The court sets a hearing and orders notice (Form 21.03) — name changes generally require published notice at least 30 days before the hearing — and then signs the judgment entry (Form 21.1 for an adult, Form 21.3 for a minor). The court's Local Rules list an application for a name change (adult or minor) at $100.00.

Crawford County Probate Court

112 East Mansfield Street, Suite 103, Bucyrus, OH 44820. Phone (419) 562-5876, fax (419) 563-1914. Judge Sean E. Leuthold presides over the Probate Division. Open Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.. Court website. Probate Division Local Rules (Rule 7 deposits).

Who this is for

  • You are an adult who wants to legally change your name.
  • You are a parent or guardian asking the court to change a minor child's name.
  • Your legal name and the name you actually use don't match, and you need a court order to conform them.
  • You need to align identity documents (Social Security, driver's license, passport) with a corrected legal name.
  • You want to restore a former name outside of a divorce case.

Ohio standardized probate forms

Adult name change (21.0–21.1)

These are the Ohio standardized forms for an adult name change.

Minor name change (21.2–21.4)

Minor cases add parental notice and consent forms.

Hearing & notice

These set the hearing and give notice; name changes generally require published notice before the hearing.

Name conformity (21.7–21.13)

Use a conformity when your legal name and the name you actually use don't match and you need the court to align them.

Privacy & background check

Use these to ask the court to waive publication and seal the file, or to authorize a required background check.

The Crawford County Probate Court's Local Rules (Rule 7 — Deposits for Court Costs) list an application for a name change (adult or minor) at $100.00. Published-notice costs and any attorney fees are separate. Confirm the current amount in the court's Local Rules or by calling (419) 562-5876 before you file.

Step by step

  1. Decide: name change or name conformity A name change changes the name on record (Forms 21.0 / 21.2). A name conformity aligns your legal name with the name you already use when the two don't match (Forms 21.7 / 21.9). Pick the right path first.
  2. Complete the application and affidavit An adult uses Form 21.0 with the affidavit Form 21.01; a minor uses Form 21.2 with Form 21.02. For a conformity, use Form 21.7 (adult) or 21.9 (minor) with the matching affidavit.
  3. For a minor, handle notice, consent, and any background check Minor cases require notice to the parents and may require consent (Form 21.4) and a criminal background check release (Form 21.14). Make sure each parent is properly served.
  4. File your application and pay the deposit File your application and affidavit at the Crawford County Probate Court, 112 East Mansfield Street, Suite 103, Bucyrus, OH 44820, and pay the $100.00 change-of-name deposit from the court's Local Rules. You must have lived in Crawford County for at least 60 days before applying.
  5. The court sets a hearing and orders notice The court issues a judgment entry setting the hearing and ordering notice (Form 21.03 or, for a conformity, 21.11). Name changes generally require published notice at least 30 days before the hearing; you can ask the court to waive publication and seal the file for safety reasons (Forms 21.6 / 21.6A / 21.6B).
  6. Attend the hearing and receive the judgment entry At the hearing the judge confirms the request is proper and signs the judgment entry (Form 21.1, 21.3, 21.8, or 21.10) — the order you use to update your records.

Good to know about Crawford County

  • File at the Crawford County Probate Court, 112 East Mansfield Street, Suite 103, Bucyrus, OH 44820. The Probate Division is open Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.; you can reach the Probate Clerk at (419) 562-5876 (fax (419) 563-1914).
  • Crawford County uses the Supreme Court of Ohio's standardized probate forms — there is no separate county adoption packet posted online, so each form below links to its official Ohio PDF. Always download the current version before you file.
  • The Probate Division (Judge Sean E. Leuthold) has exclusive jurisdiction over adoptions (R.C. Chapter 3107) — it is separate from the Domestic Relations side of the Common Pleas Court that handles divorces. Bring adoption and name-change questions to the Probate Clerk at (419) 562-5876.
  • Filing deposits are published in the court's Probate Division Local Rules (Rule 7 — Deposits for Court Costs): an adoption is $170.00, an adoption placement is $150.00, and a name change (adult or minor) is $100.00. Confirm the current figure with the Probate Clerk before you file.

Frequently asked questions

Where do I file a name change in Crawford County?
Name-change cases are filed in the Crawford County Probate Court at 112 East Mansfield Street, Suite 103, Bucyrus, OH 44820, before Judge Sean E. Leuthold. The office is open Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m., and you can reach the Probate Clerk at (419) 562-5876.
How much does a name change cost in Crawford County?
The court's Local Rules (Rule 7) list an application for a name change (adult or minor) at $100.00. Published-notice costs and any attorney fees are separate. Confirm the current amount in the court's Local Rules or by calling (419) 562-5876.
What is the difference between a name change and a name conformity?
A name change changes the name on record — you ask the court to give you a new legal name (Forms 21.0 / 21.2). A name conformity is used when your legal name and the name you already use don't match and you need the court to align the record with the name you actually use (Forms 21.7 / 21.9). Pick the path that fits your situation.
Can I change my child's name in Crawford County?
Yes. A parent or guardian files Form 21.2 (Application for Change of Name of Minor) with the affidavit Form 21.02. Both parents must receive notice, the court may require consent (Form 21.4) and a criminal background check release (Form 21.14), and the judge decides whether the change is in the child's best interest.
Do I have to live in Crawford County to file there?
Yes. Under Ohio law you apply in the probate court of the county where you live, and you must have been a resident for at least 60 days before applying. If you live in Crawford County, you file in the Crawford County Probate Court.
Do I have to publish a notice of my name change?
Usually, yes. When a hearing is set, Ohio law generally requires you to publish a notice of the name-change application in a local newspaper at least 30 days before the hearing, and you pay the newspaper's publication cost. If publication would put your safety at risk, you can ask the court to waive publication and seal the file (Forms 21.6 / 21.6A / 21.6B).
What should I bring when I file a name change?
Bring your completed application and affidavit, a photo ID, a copy of your birth certificate, proof that you have lived in Crawford County for at least 60 days, and the $100.00 filing deposit. Call the Probate Clerk at (419) 562-5876 first to confirm the current fee and whether any county-specific paperwork is required.

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