Name Change in Hardin County Probate Court

Hardin County Probate Court

One Courthouse Square, Suite 200, Kenton, OH 43326. Phone (419) 674-2230, fax (419) 674-2274. Open Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM. Court website. Probate fee schedule.

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 line them up.
• 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.

What it costs — two ways to hire us

Limited scope, flat fee — Published flat fees

You hire us for a defined piece of the work — drafting and filing paperwork, a single hearing, a specific motion — at a fixed, published price. The court's filing fee is paid to the Clerk of Courts separately. Every flat fee is on our price list before you call. What each flat fee covers.

Full representation — $3,500 retainer to start

An attorney manages the whole case — strategy, filings, hearings, negotiation. The retainer is known before you sign and is a deposit against work, not the total cost; the total depends on how contested your case becomes. You watch every dollar of it in real time. How full representation is billed.

Is there financing? Yes.

Split any flat fee with Gavvl Direct, our in-house payment plan, on a weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly schedule. Affirm, Klarna, and PayPal Pay Later are also available through LawPay. See every financing option.

Real people, — with direct lines

• Stephanie Green — Managing Partner
• Elizabeth Warren — Managing Partner
• Niva Elgin — Senior Case Manager · Licensed New Mexico Attorney

Your consultation

Stephanie Green or Elizabeth Warren, our managing partners — or Niva Elgin, our senior case manager and a licensed New Mexico attorney. They've heard hundreds of situations like yours and will tell you plainly what you need, and what you don't. Meet the firm.

Your attorney

One of our Of Counsel Ohio family-law attorneys is your attorney for the case — from the first strategy call to the final order in Hardin County. You have their name and a direct line the day your file opens. Our attorneys.

Your case team

Niva Elgin keeps your case moving as Senior Case Manager. Madeline Wampler, Certified Paralegal, handles documents and scheduling. Erin Schultz, Finance Manager, handles billing and payment plans. Real people who answer when you call.

• 95+ five-star Google reviews
• 60+ years of combined Ohio family-law experience
• Super Lawyers Rising Stars honorees on the team: Elizabeth Warren (2021–2023) and Samantha Berkhofer (2019–2021)
• Every flat fee published before you call

From first call to retained, — and every step after

1. Consultation — A 30-minute phone call, $25. You talk with Stephanie Green, Elizabeth Warren, or Niva Elgin about what's happening and what Ohio law actually does with it. Before you hang up you'll know whether you need a lawyer at all — and if you do, you leave with a written quote: the service we recommend, the price, your financing options, and your next steps.
2. Choose — Pick the level of help. Pay, or set up financing. Limited-scope flat fee or full representation — you choose, with real numbers in front of you. Pay online, or secure a Gavvl Direct payment plan or third-party financing in a few minutes. Nothing is billed until you decide.
3. Sign — Your agreement arrives by email. Review the client agreement and sign it electronically — from your phone if you like. While you do, your attorney reviews your intake.
4. Get started — Your first attorney call goes on the calendar. Limited scope: your attorney's first call is scheduled from your intake. Full representation: a paralegal reaches out the same or next business day to open your file and gather what's needed, then schedules your first attorney call — and if something is urgent, you speak with the attorney first.

It's easier than ever to retain an excellent attorney.

How you'll stay updated — you never have to wonder

Every client gets GavvLink™, our client portal, on day one. Your whole case — messages, calendar, billing, status — lives in one place, and your team is a message away.

• Reach your attorney directly. Message, text, email, or call. Request a callback or book time on their calendar yourself — no waiting to hear back.
• Case calendar with reminders. Every hearing, deadline, and milestone, with a reminder before each one.
• Case status updates. See where your case stands and what happens next, updated as it moves.
• Payments and billing in real time. Every entry on your account as it posts, plus links to make a payment or add funds.
• Your case team, one message away. Full-representation clients message their paralegal and case manager the same way — and they answer.
• 24/7 receptionists and direct lines. Something urgent after hours? A live receptionist answers around the clock and reaches your team. You also have your attorney's direct line — and a way to reach the managing partners. We return calls and messages promptly.

Frequently asked questions

Which forms do I need for a name change in Hardin County?

Where to get the name-change forms

Our Hardin County court source confirms that the Probate Court hears name changes and the fee, but it does not publish a Hardin-specific name-change form list. Ohio name changes use the Supreme Court of Ohio's standardized probate forms — download the current versions from the official library below, and confirm the exact forms and any county-required local supplements with the Probate Court ((419) 674-2230).

• Ohio Supreme Court name-change forms (full library) — The statewide standardized probate forms for adult and minor name changes. Always download the current version before you file.
• Hardin County Probate Court forms section — The Probate Court may post these forms and any local supplements here; confirm the exact forms and requirements for your case with the court.

The Hardin County Probate Court's published fee schedule lists a change of name is set by the court, plus an additional for publication where it is required. Any attorney fees are separate. Confirm the current amount on the court's fee page (https://www.hardincountyprobatecourt.com/fees.php) or by calling (419) 674-2230 before you file.

How does a name change move through the Hardin County Probate Court, step by step?

1. Confirm this is a Probate Court matter Name changes are filed in the Hardin County Probate Court (Suite 200), not the Domestic Relations Division. Decide whether you are changing an adult's name or a minor child's name, since the requirements differ.
2. Get the current Ohio name-change forms Ohio name changes use the Supreme Court of Ohio's standardized probate forms. Download the current versions from the Ohio Supreme Court name-change forms library or the Probate Court's forms section, and confirm any county-required local supplements with the Probate Court.
3. File your application and pay the fee File your application at the Hardin County Probate Court, One Courthouse Square, Suite 200, Kenton, OH 43326, and pay the change-of-name fee from the court's fee schedule (plus if publication is required).
4. Confirm notice and any minor-consent steps with the court Name changes may require published notice before the hearing, and a minor's case can involve notice to the parents and consent. Our county source doesn't spell out those steps, so confirm exactly what your case needs with the Probate Court ((419) 674-2230).
5. Attend the hearing and receive the judgment entry The court sets a hearing and, if it grants the request, signs a judgment entry. That order is what you use to update your records — Social Security, driver's license, passport, and more.

What should I know about the Hardin County Probate Court before I file?

• File at the Hardin County Probate Court, One Courthouse Square, Suite 200, Kenton, OH 43326. The Probate Court office is open Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM; you can reach it at (419) 674-2230 (fax (419) 674-2274).
• The Probate Court is a separate division from the Domestic Relations Division that handles divorces and custody — bring adoption and name-change questions to the Probate Court at (419) 674-2230.
• Hardin County's Probate Court uses the Supreme Court of Ohio's standardized probate forms, and may also post local supplements on its own site (https://www.hardincountyprobatecourt.com/). Always download the current version before you file, and confirm any county-required local supplements with the Probate Court.
• Probate filing fees are published on the court's fee schedule (https://www.hardincountyprobatecourt.com/fees.php). The amounts below come from that schedule; confirm the current figure with the Probate Court before you file.

Where do I file a name change in Hardin County?

Name-change cases are filed in the Hardin County Probate Court at One Courthouse Square, Suite 200, Kenton, OH 43326 — not the Domestic Relations Division. The office is open Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM, and you can reach it at (419) 674-2230.

How much does a name change cost in Hardin County?

The court's fee schedule lists a change of name is set by the court, plus an additional for publication where it is required. Any attorney fees are separate. Confirm the current amount on the court's fee page or by calling (419) 674-2230.

Which forms do I need to change a name in Hardin County?

Ohio name changes use the Supreme Court of Ohio's standardized probate forms. Download the current versions from the Ohio Supreme Court name-change forms library or the Hardin County Probate Court's forms section, and confirm the exact forms and any local supplements with the court before you file.

Can I change a minor child's name in Hardin County?

Yes — the Probate Court hears name changes for both adults and minors. A minor's case can involve notice to the parents and the court may require consent. Because the specific steps aren't spelled out in our county source, confirm what your case needs with the Probate Court at (419) 674-2230.

Do I have to publish notice of my name change?

Name changes may require published notice before the hearing, and the court's fee schedule adds for publication. Whether and how publication applies to your case is up to the court — confirm with the Hardin County Probate Court at (419) 674-2230.

Do I need a lawyer to change a name in Hardin County?

Many people file a name change on their own using the court's standardized forms. If a minor's name change is contested or a parent objects, an Ohio family-law attorney can help you present the case and meet the court's requirements.