To obtain a legal name change in Texas, an applicant must submit a petition to the court. No publication is required. The applicant must be fingerprinted. Criminal records are required for individuals with a felony conviction; however, they may change their name if more than two years have passed since the end of the sentence and if not under probation or parole, or if the individual has been pardoned. Registered sex offenders must notify local law enforcement of the proposed name change. (Tex. Fam. Code Ann. §§45.101 to 45.106)
For instructions on legal name changes for adults 18 and over, see Texas Law Help Name Change Instructions.
For instructions on legal name changes for minors under 18, see NCTE's Name Changes for Minors in Texas resource.
If you need to update the gender marker on a TX driver's license/state ID or TX birth certificate, you will need a court order recognizing your gender change as well as your name change. For instructions on obtaining a court order for name and gender change, see Texas Law Library Gender Identifier and Name Guide. Please note that these instructions are for Travis County as they have the most streamlined gender change process. You do not need to travel to Travis County to file, you can file electronically.