Naming rights
Description
In the Federal Republic of Germany, the name of a person is assessed according to the private law provisions of the Civil Code. According to this, name changes of a family law nature are essentially possible:
- as a result of marriage or formation of a civil partnership,
- after adoption as a child,
- after subsequent establishment of joint parental authority or extension of the parental name change to children,
- after being named into a further marriage of a parent with custody,
- as a result of further declarations under name law (e.g. after dissolution of marriage).
The private law regulations on marriage, the determination of the paternity of a child, the use of the names of spouses and children, custody and adoption are regulated in the Civil Code.
There are special regulations for expellees, ethnic German repatriates and certain groups of persons, such as naturalized persons, who acquired their name under foreign law, but are now subject to German law in this respect. They can adapt their names linguistically to the German environment by means of a so-called declaration of approximation.
If the wish to use a particular name cannot be taken into account under the provisions of civil law, there is also the possibility of a name change under public law under the Act on the Change of Surnames and First Names.
This procedure for changing the name is exceptional in so far as it serves only to eliminate inconveniences in individual cases and thus to avoid particular hardship. The law can be applied to Germans and to stateless persons, homeless foreigners, foreign refugees and persons entitled to asylum who have their residence in the Federal Republic of Germany.
A change of the first or last name is only possible if there is an important reason, e.g. the previous name is offensive, looks ridiculous or causes frequent confusion.
Information for Kassel: Namensrecht
The responsibilities for changing names under public law are set out in the Hessian Ordinance on Responsibilities in Name Change Law (NÄndGZustV-HE) of 20.12.1978 in the version of the amended publication of 04.04.2018, GVBl. page 31. Applications for a change of name under public law must generally be submitted at the place of main residence of the person whose name is to be changed.
The district of Kassel is responsible for changing the surnames of German nationals who have their main place of residence in the district of Kassel. It may also change the surnames of non-German nationals if certain conditions are met.
The district of Kassel is also responsible for changing the first names of persons whose place of residence is in a district town/municipality with a population of less than 7,500.
In towns/municipalities with more than 7,500 inhabitants, the magistrate/municipal council is responsible for this.
Competent office
Information for Kassel: Namensrecht
In certain cases, the General Social Service (ASD) of the Youth Department is called in.
Contact point
Information on civil name declarations and declarations of approximation can be obtained from the registry offices; the declarations can also be received there.
The district committees of the districts or the magistrates of the district-free cities are responsible for changes of name under public law; in municipalities with more than 7 500 inhabitants, only first name changes are made.
In order to find the responsible office for your town, please enter your municipality name in the upper location search field.
Contact person
Stadt Naumburg - Bürgerservice und Verwaltungssteuerung
Address
address
PO box address
Post office box 20
34309 Naumburg
Opening hours
Montag bis Freitag 8:00 Uhr bis 12:00 Uhr
Montag und Dienstag 14:00 Uhr bis 15:30 Uhr
Donnerstag 15:00 Uhr bis 18:00 Uhr
(Abweichungen im Einzelfall möglich)
Contact
telephone: 05625 7909-20
telephone: 05625 7909-21
telephone: 05625 7909-22
telephone: 05625 7909-23
telephone: 05625 7909-24
telephone: 05625 7909-26
telephone: 05625 7909-29
telephone: 05625 7909-63
telephone: 05625 7909-64
telephone: 05625 7909-73
telephone: 05625 7909-75
fax: 05625 7909-50
e-mail: verwaltung@naumburg.eu
Contact person
Maria Hamel
Jozef Marku
Anne-Christine Bandurski
address
telephone: 05692 602-162
e-mail: anne-christine.bandurski@wolfhagen.de
e-mail: standesamt@wolfhagen.de
Patricia Adamietz
address
telephone: 05692 602-163
e-mail: standesamt@wolfhagen.de
e-mail: patricia.adamietz@wolfhagen.de
Internet
Required documents
Information for Kassel: Namensrecht
You can obtain information about the documents to be submitted from our office or from your city/municipal administration.
Forms
Information for Kassel: Namensrecht
You can obtain them from the city/municipal administration responsible for accepting your application.
Prerequisites
Information for Kassel: Namensrecht
A change of name under public law may only be carried out in exceptional cases if there is an important reason and serves to eliminate exceptional difficulties.
We recommend that you contact us or your municipality of residence before submitting your application in order to clarify the chances of success of your application in advance.
Basis for legal action
Information for Kassel: Namensrecht
- Act on the Amendment of Surnames and First Names - NamÄndG -
- General Administrative Regulation on the Act on the Change of Surnames and First Names - NamÄndVwV -
- First Ordinance on the Implementation of the Act on the Change of Surnames and First Names
Deadlines
Information for Kassel: Namensrecht
There are no deadlines to be observed. In the case of underage applicants, the application must be submitted jointly by the legal representatives; under certain circumstances, the minor must be heard by the family court. As a legal representative, a guardian or carer also requires authorization from the guardianship court to submit an application.
Processing time
Information for Kassel: Namensrecht
The processing of the application requires the involvement of numerous departments, which is why it is not possible to make a binding prediction of the processing time.
Costs
The fee for a declaration of name rights at the registry office is 21.00 euros. For a change of name under public law, there are so-called "framework fees", which are between 28.00 euros and 560.00 euros for the change of a first name, and between 28.00 euros and 1,680.00 euros for a family name.
Information for Kassel: Namensrecht
When determining the fee, the significance, economic value and other benefits of the name change for the applicant, the administrative costs of all authorities involved and the financial circumstances of the applicant are taken into account. A non-binding cost estimate can be provided in advance; the total costs will be bindingly determined in the name change notification.
Please note: The obligation to pay fees arises as soon as the application is submitted; the withdrawal or rejection of an application is also subject to a fee. The processing of the application can be made dependent on the payment of an advance on administrative costs in the amount of the expected total costs.
Further Information
Information for Kassel: Namensrecht
For persons with limited legal capacity (children and young people), the application must be submitted by their legal representatives. In addition, a personal hearing of the person concerned by the family court is required after the age of 16.
Area of validity
Hesse
Official approval
Officially approved by Hessian Ministry of the Interior and Sports on 06.01.2017
Keywords
Eheschließung, Vatersname, Einbenennung, Doppelname, Familienname, Vorname, verwitwet, Nachname, Adoption, Angleichungserklärung, Mittelname, Namensänderung, Namensrecht, Scheidung, Ehename