Name Changes — Sebastian, Florida

A Sebastian resident files a name change petition with the Indian River County circuit court through the Clerk's Domestic Relations Department, because Florida law requires filing in the county where the petitioner lives.

The rule comes from section 68.07, Florida Statutes, which gives chancery courts jurisdiction to change the name of any person residing in Florida on a petition filed in the county where that person resides. The Clerk's Name Changes page repeats the point in its packet descriptions: the minor packet states that an action for change of name may only be filed in the county where the petitioner currently resides, and the adult packet points to the same county of residence. A family that has just moved to Sebastian Highlands, Roseland or Wabasso from Brevard or another county files here, not where it used to live.

The paperwork is handled by the Domestic Relations Department in Room 136 of the Indian River County Courthouse, 2000 16th Avenue, Vero Beach, phone (772) 226-3100. The Domestic Relations page lists the adult and minor name change packets beside its other family law forms. In the north county, the Clerk's Sebastian Office at 1921 U.S. Highway 1 is listed as open Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 8:30 am to 5 pm, phone (772) 226-1147, and the Name Changes page links four Self-Represented Litigant videos on opening a portal account, preparing documents, filing a new case and filing into an existing one.

Some name changes never need this petition. Section 68.07 states that it does not apply to a change of name made in a dissolution of marriage or an adoption proceeding, so a Sebastian spouse restoring a name inside a divorce, or a child renamed in an adoption, is handled within that case instead.

A Sebastian name change petition must be verified and must show residence and domicile in Indian River County, birth and family details, five years of work history, other names used, and that the change is not for any improper purpose.

For a Sebastian petitioner, the list in section 68.07(3) is long and specific. The petition states that the petitioner is a bona fide resident of and domiciled in the county; the date and place of birth, the father's name, the mother's maiden name and where the petitioner has lived since birth, if known; the name of any spouse and the names, ages and residences of any children; and whether the name was changed before, when, where and by what court.

Work and money history follow on the Indian River County petition. The petitioner lists occupation and employers for the 5 years before filing, any business owned and operated with its name and place, any profession and schooling, other names the petitioner has been known by and where, any bankruptcy, and any money judgment entered against the petitioner with the creditor, amount, date, court and whether it was satisfied. The petition also states that it is filed for no ulterior or illegal purpose, that granting it will not invade anyone's property rights such as a trademark or business good will, and whether the petitioner's civil rights were ever suspended and, if so, restored.

For help with the forms, the Clerk's Self-Help Center handles family law forms, and its Sebastian Office location on U.S. 1 offers a legal kiosk and paralegal assistance on Fridays from 8:30 to 5:00, with a break from 1:00 to 2:00. The center's line is 772-226-3162. Center staff and attorneys do not act as the visitor's lawyer, and this page describes the Indian River County process rather than advising on any petition.

Unless a former name is being restored, a Sebastian petitioner must have electronic fingerprints sent to FDLE under the Clerk of Court ORI, FL923810Z, before the Indian River County judge can hear the petition.

Under section 68.07(2), fingerprints for a state and national records check must be submitted before the Indian River County hearing, taken in a manner approved by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and sent electronically. FDLE forwards them to the FBI and returns the results to the clerk, including whether the petitioner is registered as a sexual predator or sexual offender. The clerk must instruct the petitioner on how to have prints taken, and the cost falls on the petitioner, or on the parent or guardian of a minor.

The Clerk's Name Changes page supplies the code: the ORI number needed for live-scan processing is FL923810Z. The same page still carries a note labeled for the COVID-19 closure that directs applicants to a UPS location booked through daontis.com at $58.50; because the note is tied to the closure, that price may not be current. The Sebastian Police Department no longer offers fingerprinting and refers residents to the Indian River County Sheriff's Office, whose afternoon schedule is covered on this guide series' fingerprinting page.

The payment window matters for a Sebastian petitioner. The Sheriff's Office states that FDLE payment must be made within 30 days through the Civil Applicant Payment System, or the Transaction Control Number (TCN) on the card is no longer valid and a new one must be issued. Last verified: October 11, 2026, on the Indian River Clerk of Court website.

A child's name is changed with the Indian River County Clerk's separate minor packet, and when only one parent petitions, the other parent must be served with the petition.

Section 68.07(8) sets the notice rule: when only one parent petitions for a change of a minor child's name, process is served on the other parent and proof of service is filed. If the other parent lives outside Florida, constructive notice under chapter 49 is allowed and proof of publication is filed. For a Sebastian parent whose former partner lives in another state, that allows a published notice in place of personal service.

Families can file together. Under section 68.07(7), a husband and wife and their minor children may join in one petition, which must show the required facts for both spouses, and the children's names may be changed at the court's discretion. The minor packet on the Indian River Clerk site includes the particulars for fingerprinting, and the fingerprint cost for a minor's case falls on the parent or guardian who brings it.

After the final judgment is filed in Indian River County, the Clerk reports the change to FDLE within 5 business days and, for anyone born in Florida, to the state Office of Vital Statistics.

Both reports leave the Indian River County Clerk under section 68.07. For a Florida birth, the clerk sends a report of the judgment to the Department of Health's Office of Vital Statistics on a state form; for a birth in another state, the petitioner receives a certified copy of the final judgment instead. Within 5 business days of filing the judgment, the clerk also sends a report to FDLE, which forwards a copy to the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.

The Florida Department of Health describes the birth record side: a report of a Florida legal change of name is forwarded by the clerk of court usually within 30 days, and the birth record is amended by attaching that report to the original record. To amend a Florida birth record, a Sebastian resident whose name was changed by a court in another state submits a certified copy of the order with an amendment application, photo identification and a non-refundable $20 fee.