Safe at Home is a free state program that assists victims of domestic violence, stalking, sexual assault, human trafficking, and elder and dependent abuse, as well as reproductive health care workers, with a way to prevent abusers from finding them at work, home, or school by providing them with a substitute mailing address. Registration with Safe at Home is required prior to requesting a confidential name change. For more information about Safe at Home, see the video attached below.
If you are a victim of domestic violence, stalking, or sexual assault, there are ways to keep a name change confidential so that it will not appear in public court records. This process requires registration with the Safe at Home program before seeking a court order for the name change.
1. Register with Safe at Home.
a. Register with Safe at Home.
b. Complete and file a Notice of Intent of Name Change with Safe at Home. This form must be requested from the Safe at Home program.
c. Receive a letter from Safe at Home confirming enrollment and that your Notice of Intent of Name Change is on file. Make a copy of this letter for the court.
2. Complete Name Change Forms:
a. NC-100 Petition for Change of Name
b. NC-120 Order to Show Cause for Change of Name
c. NC-130 Decree Changing Name - On this form, instead of listing the new name, indicate "confidential and on file."
d. NC-110 Attachment to NC-100 - Use this form to indicate reasons for name change.
e. NC-400 Confidential Cover Sheet - Name Change Proceeding Under Address Confidentiality Program. For information about this form, see NC-400-INFO. Do not use the current name on this form, but attach it to the front of each of the other documents.
f. A court order is necessary to request filing name change records under seal. For details about that process, and the court forms that are needed, see California Rule of Court 2.577.
2. Make Copies: make 2 copies of all your forms.
3. File Your Forms:
a. File all the forms and copies in the Superior Court of the county where you live.
b. Pay the filing fee or ask for a fee waiver (Form FW-001). For more information about fee waivers, see FW-001-INFO.
4. Publication:
a. Publication of the form NC-120 Order to Show Cause for Change of Name is not required if you are a participant in the address confidentiality program, Safe at Home, and the petition alleges that you are changing your name (i) to avoid domestic violence, (ii) to avoid stalking, or (iii) because you are a victim of sexual assault or filing on behalf of a victim of sexual assault.
5. Hearing:
a. If no written objection is filed at least two court days before the hearing, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. Check with the court to find out if a hearing will be held. If there is a hearing, bring copies of all documents.
b. If the judge signs form NC-130, get a certified copy from the court (this is needed for changing your birth certificate, driver's license, social security card and other pieces of identification).