§ 25-21,272.Change of name; town, village, or city; procedure.
Article 21: Special Proceedings and Actions · Last amended 1995 · Last verified July 22, 2026
In one sentenceThis section lets a majority of a Nebraska town, village, or city’s legal voters petition the district court for a name change, requires four weeks of published notice, and lets the court grant the change once two-thirds of voters want it and no other place in the state already carries that name.
Full Text of § 25-21,272
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(1) Whenever it may be desirable to change the name of any town, village, or city in any county of the state, a petition for that purpose may, in like manner, be filed in the district court of such county, signed by a majority of the legal voters of such town, village, or city, setting forth the cause why such change is desirable and the name desired to be substituted.
(2) Notice of the filing of the petition shall be published once a week for four consecutive weeks in a newspaper in the county, and if no newspaper is printed in the county, then in a newspaper of general circulation therein.
(3) The court, upon being satisfied by proof that the prayer of the petitioners is reasonable and just, that notice as required in this section has been given, that two- thirds of the legal voters of such town, village, or city desire the change, and that there is no other town, village, or city in the state of the name prayed for, may order the change prayed for in such petition.
A municipality that wants to rename itself follows a different path than an individual. A petition signed by a majority of the town, village, or city’s legal voters goes to the district court of the county where it sits, explaining the reason for the change and proposing the new name. Because a name change here affects an entire community rather than one person, the notice period is longer: publication runs once a week for four consecutive weeks, twice the length required for an individual’s petition under section 25-21,271.
The court will not grant the change on a bare majority. It has to find that the petition is reasonable and just, that notice was properly given, and that two-thirds of the town, village, or city’s legal voters want the new name. It also has to confirm that no other town, village, or city in Nebraska already uses the name being requested, so the state does not end up with two places sharing an identical name.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many voters need to sign a petition to change a town’s name in Nebraska?
A majority of the town, village, or city’s legal voters must sign the petition itself, though the court ultimately requires proof that two-thirds want the change before granting it.
How long does the public notice period run for a municipal name change?
Once a week for four consecutive weeks, twice the two-week notice required for an individual’s name change under section 25-21,271.
What has to be true before a district court will approve a municipality’s new name?
The court must find the petition reasonable and just, confirm proper notice was given, confirm two-thirds of legal voters desire the change, and confirm no other Nebraska town, village, or city already has the proposed name.
Can two Nebraska towns share the same name after such a petition?
No. The court must find that no other town, village, or city in the state carries the name being requested before it can grant the change.
Who files the petition for a municipal name change?
It is filed in the district court of the county where the town, village, or city is located, signed by a majority of its legal voters.
Source & verification. Section text and the amendment-history citation are
reproduced verbatim from the Nebraska Legislature, Revisor of Statutes, enacted by the
Nebraska Legislature. Last verified July 22, 2026. ·
Official source
Also known as:change a city name in nebraskarename a town nebraska proceduremunicipal name change petitionvillage name change district courttwo-thirds voters name change