Women who wish to restore their maiden name can do so during a divorce proceeding for no additional charge. In order to do so, the Petition for Dissolution of Marriage (or the Counterpetition for Dissolution of Marriage) must allege that the Wife seeks to restore her maiden name and the Wife must appear at the Final Divorce Hearing.
Women can also seek to restore their maiden name after a divorce proceeding has been closed by initiating filing a Florida Petition for Name Change; however, the filing fee for the separate name change proceeding is $400, and fingerprints must be submitted to the Court prior to the final hearing. A substantial amount of time and money can, therefore, be saved by seeking restoration of a maiden name during the pendency of a divorce proceeding.
