Name Change Policy

The following conditions relating to changes of name in University records of students are in effect:

1. If you received a bachelor's or higher degree from UC Berkeley, you may not have your name changed on any of your records preceding the awarding of any such degree without presenting a court order and paying a processing fee of $15.00 plus a $60.00 fee ($75.00 for Law and Optometry O.D.) for the printing and mailing of the replacement diploma bearing your new name. You should complete and submit the following:

   Petition for Change of Name After Awarding of Degree

   Application for Replacement of Diploma

2. If you have not yet received your degree, look at which category you fall into to determine how to proceed with a change of name.
   1. Divorce
      If you wish to change your name because of divorce, you must present a court order as evidence that the divorce decree has been granted. If you are a woman, you may resume use of your maiden name, on your records, after divorce only if such change has been authorized by the court.
   2. Immigrant Students - You may not change to a name which does not appear on your passport.
   3. All Others
      You may change your name without court order by completing a Petition for Change Of Name and presenting proper verification of the new name. This verification must be one of the following pieces of identification showing that a new name has been legally adopted by the student.
      • Driver's License
      • DMV Identification Card
      • Marriage Certificate
      • Passport
      • Legal Court Document
      • Birth Certificate
      • Alien Registration Card

   This proof is required for all changes, even if you are adding or dropping one of the following:

   • I, II, III, IV, Jr., Sr. or some other suffix to the name
   • Middle name or initial
   • Hyphen (Clearwater to Clear-Water)

 Please wait...