Name Change in Henry County Probate Court

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

You file an application in the Henry County Probate Court at the 660 N. Perry St., 2nd Floor (Suite 203), Napoleon, OH 43545. 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). The court sets a hearing and orders notice (Form 21.03) — name changes generally require published notice — and then signs the judgment entry (Form 21.1 for an adult, Form 21.3 for a minor). Henry County has not published its name-change deposit online, so confirm the current amount with the Probate Court at (419) 592-7771.

Henry County Probate Court

660 N. Perry St., 2nd Floor (Suite 203), Napoleon, OH 43545. Phone (419) 592-7771. Open Monday–Friday, 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM before Judge Amy C. Rosebrook. Court website. Supreme Court of Ohio probate forms.

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. Henry County's Probate Division uses the Supreme Court of Ohio's standard probate forms; obtain them from the Probate Court at (419) 592-7771 or the Supreme Court forms library.

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.

Henry County has not published a separate Probate name-change deposit schedule online. Confirm the current deposit with the Henry County Probate Court at (419) 592-7771 before you file. Published-notice costs and any attorney fees are separate, and probate copies are $1.00 per page.

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 confirm the deposit File your application and affidavit at the Henry County Probate Court in the 660 N. Perry St., 2nd Floor (Suite 203), Napoleon, OH 43545. Henry County has not published its name-change deposit online, so confirm the current amount with the Probate Court at (419) 592-7771 when you file.
  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 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 Henry County

  • File at the Henry County Probate Court — the Probate Division of the Henry County Common Pleas Court — in the 660 N. Perry St., 2nd Floor (Suite 203), Napoleon, OH 43545. The Probate Division is open Monday–Friday, 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM before Judge Amy C. Rosebrook, and you can reach it at (419) 592-7771.
  • The Probate Division is separate from the Henry County Family Court, which handles divorce, custody, and juvenile cases. Probate handles adoptions, name changes, and marriage licenses. The court website is https://www.henrycountyohio.gov/261/Probate-Division.
  • Henry County's Probate Division uses the Supreme Court of Ohio's standardized probate forms — it does not publish a separate county form set. Obtain the forms from the Probate Court at (419) 592-7771 or the Supreme Court forms library (https://www.supremecourt.ohio.gov/forms/all-forms/probate), and always download the current version before you file.
  • Henry County has not published a separate Probate adoption or name-change deposit schedule online. Confirm the current deposit with the Probate Court at (419) 592-7771 before you file. A certified copy of a record such as a marriage license is $5.00, and probate copies are $1.00 per page.

Frequently asked questions

Where do I file a name change in Henry County?
Name-change cases are filed in the Henry County Probate Court — the Probate Division of the Henry County Common Pleas Court, on the 2nd floor (Suite 203) at 660 N. Perry St., 2nd Floor (Suite 203), Napoleon, OH 43545, before Judge Amy C. Rosebrook. The Probate Division is open Monday–Friday, 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM, and you can reach it at (419) 592-7771.
How much does a name change cost in Henry County?
Henry County has not published a separate Probate name-change deposit schedule online, so confirm the current deposit with the Probate Court at (419) 592-7771 before you file. Published-notice costs and any attorney fees are separate, and probate copies are $1.00 per page.
What is the difference between a name change and a name conformity?
A name change legally 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). If you are unsure which fits your situation, ask the Probate Court.
How do I change my adult name in Henry County?
File Form 21.0 (Application for Change of Name of Adult) with the supporting affidavit (Form 21.01). The court sets a hearing, usually orders published notice, and signs Form 21.1 to grant the change.
How do I change a minor child's name?
File Form 21.2 (Application for Change of Name of Minor) with the affidavit (Form 21.02). Minor cases require notice to the parents and may require consent (Form 21.4). The court sets a hearing before signing Form 21.3.
Do I have to publish notice of my name change?
Name-change cases generally require notice of the hearing, and the court usually orders the notice to be published before the hearing (Forms 21.03 / 21.5). In limited situations — such as safety concerns — you can ask the court to waive publication and seal the file (Forms 21.6 / 21.6A / 21.6B).
Will I need a criminal background check?
The court may require a criminal background check and uses Form 21.14 (Release for Criminal Background Check) to authorize it. Whether one is required depends on your case, so confirm with the Probate Court.
Do I need a lawyer for a name change?
Many adults complete a straightforward name change on their own using the court's forms. An Ohio family-law attorney can help when a parent objects to a minor's name change, when notice or consent is complicated, or when you want to be sure every step is done right.

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