Name Change in Mercer County Probate Court

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

You file an application in the Mercer County Probate Court at 101 North Main Street, Suite 307, Celina, OH 45822. 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). The court's deposit schedule lists an adult name change at $135.00 and a minor name change at $140.00.

Mercer County Probate Court

101 North Main Street, Suite 307, Celina, OH 45822. Phone (419) 586-8779, fax (419) 586-4506. Open Monday 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM; Tuesday–Friday 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM. Court website. Probate security-deposit 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 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 Mercer County Probate Court's published security-deposit schedule lists an adult name change at $135.00 and a minor name change at $140.00. Published-notice costs and any attorney fees are separate. Confirm the current amount on the court's deposit schedule (https://mercercountycourts.com/securityDeposits.php) or by calling (419) 586-8779 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 Mercer County Probate Court, 101 North Main Street, Suite 307, Celina, OH 45822, and pay the change-of-name deposit from the court's schedule ($135.00 adult, $140.00 minor).
  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 Mercer County

  • File at the Mercer County Probate Court, 101 North Main Street, Suite 307, Celina, OH 45822. The Probate division (part of the combined Probate/Juvenile Court) is open Monday 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM; Tuesday–Friday 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM; you can reach the Probate Clerk at (419) 586-8779 (fax (419) 586-4506).
  • Mercer County's Probate division uses the Supreme Court of Ohio's standardized probate forms, and the court also posts an adoptions page (https://mercercountycourts.com/adoptions.php); the current local adoption packet is available from the Probate Clerk. Always download the current version before you file.
  • The Probate Court (Judge Matthew L. Gilmore) is the division with exclusive jurisdiction over adoptions (R.C. Chapter 3107) — it is separate from the Common Pleas court that handles divorces. Bring adoption and name-change questions to the Probate Clerk at (419) 586-8779.
  • Probate filing deposits are published on the court's security-deposit schedule (https://mercercountycourts.com/securityDeposits.php). The amounts below come from that schedule; confirm the current figure with the Probate Clerk before you file.

Frequently asked questions

Where do I file a name change in Mercer County?
Name-change cases are filed in the Mercer County Probate Court at 101 North Main Street, Suite 307, Celina, OH 45822, before Judge Matthew L. Gilmore. The office is open Monday 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM; Tuesday–Friday 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM, and you can reach the Probate Clerk at (419) 586-8779.
How much does a name change cost in Mercer County?
The court's security-deposit schedule lists an adult name change at $135.00 and a minor name change at $140.00. Published-notice costs and any attorney fees are separate. Confirm the current amount on the court's deposit schedule or by calling (419) 586-8779.
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 Clerk.
How do I change my adult name in Mercer 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. The deposit schedule lists an adult name change at $135.00.
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. The deposit schedule lists a minor name change at $140.00.
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 Clerk.
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.

Call (844) 694-2885 or email support@gavvl.com.