(a) The petition shall be a statewide standardized form approved by the Illinois Supreme Court and shall set forth the name then held, the name sought to be assumed, the residence of the petitioner, the length of time the petitioner has resided in this State, and the state or country of the petitioner's nativity or supposed nativity. The petition shall include a statement, verified under oath as provided under Section 1-109 of this Code, whether or not the petitioner or any other person 18 years of age or older who will be subject to a change of name under the petition if granted: (1) has been adjudicated or convicted of a felony or misdemeanor offense under the laws of this State or any other state for which a pardon has not been granted; or (2) has an arrest for which a charge has not been filed or a pending charge on a felony or misdemeanor offense. The petition shall be signed by the person petitioning or, in case of minors, by the parent or guardian having the legal custody of the minor.
21-102.Petition; update criminal history transcript.
Article XXI. Change of Name · Last amended 2024 · Last verified July 20, 2026
In one sentenceRequires an Illinois name-change petition to use a standard court form disclosing the petitioner's criminal history, and lets the court order a criminal-history update before the hearing when that history includes a felony or misdemeanor.
Full Text of 735 ILCS 5/21-102
(b) If the statement provided under subsection (a) of this Section indicates the petitioner or any other person 18 years of age or older who will be subject to a change of name under the petition, if granted, has been adjudicated or convicted of a felony or misdemeanor offense under the laws of this State or any other state for which a pardon has not been granted, or has an arrest for which a charge has not been filed or a pending charge on a felony or misdemeanor offense, the State's Attorney may request the court to or the court may on its own motion, require the person, prior to a hearing on the petition, to initiate an update of his or her criminal history transcript with the Illinois State Police. The Illinois State Police shall allow a person to use the Access and Review process, established by rule in the Illinois State Police, for this purpose. Upon completion of the update of the criminal history transcript, the petitioner shall file confirmation of each update with the court, which shall seal the records from disclosure outside of court proceedings on the petition. (c) Any petition filed under subsection (a) shall include
the following: "WARNING: If you are required to register under the Sex Offender Registration Act, the Murderer and Violent Offender Against Youth Registration Act, or the Arsonist Registry Act in this State or a similar law in any other state and have not been pardoned, you will be committing a felony under those respective Acts by seeking a change of name during the registration period UNLESS your request for legal name change is due to marriage, religious beliefs, status as a victim of trafficking or gender related identity as defined by the Illinois Human Rights Act.".
Plain-English Summary
Section 21-102 fills in the paperwork side of a name-change case. The petition has to be filed on a standard statewide form the Illinois Supreme Court approves, so every circuit court is working from the same document. It must state the petitioner's current name, the name sought, how long the petitioner has lived in Illinois, and where the petitioner was born. It must also include a sworn statement disclosing whether the petitioner, or anyone else 18 or older who would be renamed under the same petition, has an unpardoned felony or misdemeanor conviction, or an arrest with charges pending or not yet filed.
If that disclosure turns up a qualifying conviction or pending matter, the State's Attorney can ask — or the court can order on its own — that the petitioner update their criminal history transcript with the Illinois State Police before the hearing, using the Access and Review process the State Police maintain for this purpose. The petitioner files proof that the update happened, and the court seals that proof from public view outside the name-change case itself.
The section also requires the petition to carry a specific warning for petitioners subject to sex-offender, violent-offender, or arsonist registration: seeking a name change during the registration period is a felony under those registration laws unless the request falls under one of the narrow exceptions — marriage, religious belief, trafficking-victim status, or gender identity.
Frequently Asked Questions
What information has to be on an Illinois name-change petition?
The petitioner's current name, the name being sought, how long the petitioner has lived in Illinois, and the petitioner's place of birth, along with a sworn statement about any felony or misdemeanor conviction or pending charge involving the petitioner or anyone else the petition would rename.
Why does the court sometimes require a criminal history update before the hearing?
If the petition discloses a qualifying conviction or pending charge, the State's Attorney can ask, or the court can order on its own, that the petitioner update their criminal history transcript with the Illinois State Police before the case is heard, so the court has current information.
Is my criminal history record made public through this process?
No. Once the petitioner files confirmation that the update is complete, the court seals that record from disclosure outside the name-change proceeding.
What warning does the petition have to include for registered offenders?
A statement warning that seeking a name change while subject to sex-offender, violent-offender, or arsonist registration is a felony under those registration laws, unless the request is for marriage, religious belief, trafficking-victim status, or gender identity.
Who approves the name-change petition form used across Illinois?
The Illinois Supreme Court approves a single statewide standardized form, so every circuit court uses the same petition.
Amendment History
(Source: P.A. 102-538, eff. 8-20-21; 102-1133, eff. 1-1-24; 103- 605, eff. 7-1-24; 103-609, eff. 7-1-24.)
Source & verification. Section text and amendment history are
reproduced verbatim from the Illinois Compiled Statutes, published by the
Illinois Compiled Statutes, Illinois General Assembly / Legislative Reference Bureau. Last verified July 20, 2026.
· Official source
Also known as: illinois name change petition formillinois state police criminal history update name changename change petition requirements illinoisaccess and review illinois state police