Change of Name Petition. (a) Any CNMI resident who wishes to obtain an official court-recognized name change may file a petition with the CNMI Superior Court. (b) The petition shall be in writing, signed by the petitioner, and shall include the following: (1) The petitioner’s current legal name, date of birth, place of birth, and residence; (2) The name the petitioner proposes to assume; and (3) A declaration, made under penalty of perjury, that the petitioner is not seeking the name change for any fraudulent or unlawful purpose, to mislead or deceive others, to evade legal obligations, or to interfere with the rights of others. (c) The CNMI Supreme Court may establish standard petition forms and set a reasonable filing fee for change of name petitions. A petitioner who is indigent may request a fee waiver. Source: PL 24-38, § 2 (Aug. 27, 2026). Commission Comment: In addition to the severability and savings clause, PL 2438 included a findings and purpose section: Section 1. Findings and Purpose: The Legislature finds that the CNMI currently lacks a standardized procedure for legally changing a person’s name. While the Commonwealth Code provides a name change procedure within the context of adoption and grants the Commonwealth’s Registrar of Vital Statistics the authority to amend a birth certificate upon receipt of a certified court order for a name change, the Code does not establish a general process applicable to adults seeking a legal name change outside of these circumstances. The absence of a general name change procedure has led to uncertainty for residents seeking to change their names for legitimate personal, cultural, or professional reasons. The Legislature recognizes that other jurisdictions provide straightforward and transparent legal mechanisms for individuals to petition the court for a name change, ensuring due process while preventing fraud and misuse. To address this gap, this Act establishes a legal procedure for name changes in the CNMI. The process balances the petitioner’s right to a name change with safeguards to prevent fraudulent or unlawful name
changes. This Act also ensures that court-approved name changes are legally recognized for purposes of updating government-issued identification and official records. By enacting this legislation, the Commonwealth strengthens access to legal name changes while maintaining judicial oversight and procedural safeguards to protect public and private interests. Thus, the purpose of this Act is to establish a change of name legal procedure in the CNMI. In codifying PL 24-38, the Commission renumbered the section from “101” to “20101” pursuant to 1 CMC § 3806(a).