Hello. My name is Richard, and I’ve been a licensed attorney for over 25 years. Have you filed anything with the court?

What is your reason for wanting to change your last name and drop your middle name? Are there any specific deadlines or timeframes you have in mind for completing this name change process? Have you considered how this name change might affect any legal documents or accounts you currently hold?

Here's how you start an adult name change in South Carolina to drop your middle name and take your stepdad’s surname:

1. Gather the Required Forms
   1. Petition for Name Change (Adult)
   2. Court Coversheet (if your county requires it)
   3. Verification/Affidavit
   4. Hearing Request
   5. Certified copy of your birth certificate
   6. Current photo ID (e.g., SC driver’s license)
2. Fill Out the Petition
   1. List your current full legal name
   2. State your desired new name
   3. Provide your SC residence address and reason for the change (“I’ve been with my stepdad since age 5…”)
3. Get Fingerprinted & Submit to Background Check
   1. Get fingerprinted at your local law enforcement agency
   2. Include the completed fingerprint card with your petition
   3. Clerk forwards it to SLED (South Carolina Law Enforcement Division)
4. File Your Paperwork
   1. Take everything to the Clerk of Court in your county
   2. Pay the filing fee (usually around $150) (S.C. Code Ann. § 15-49-30)
5. Attend the Hearing
   1. You’ll receive a court date
   2. Bring your ID and any documents the judge may request
   3. Judge ensures no fraud or creditor-avoidance
   4. If approved, you’ll receive a signed Order Changing Name
6. Update Your Records
   1. SSA: Submit Form SS-5 with your certified order
   2. SC DMV: Notify within 10 days and show the order
   3. Banks, employer, passport, insurance, etc.: Use certified copies to update all

Once completed, your name is legally changed across South Carolina (S.C. Code Ann. § 15-49-10).

The Clerk of Court in the county in which you reside.