Difficulty: Moderately Easy
Things You’ll Need:
- Telephones
- Note Card
- Marriage Licenses
- Thank-you Greeting Cards
Step1
Order extra certified copies of your marriage certificate for agencies that require originals before allowing you to change your name on documents, such as the department of motor vehicles.
Step2
If you're a man changing your name at marriage, check your marriage certificate to see if there is a space to indicate a name change. If not, you will need court papers to legally change your name. Contact a local attorney to find out the procedure for name changing in your state. (This is not necessary for women.)
Step3
Request a new Social Security card or cards reflecting the name change. Call the Social Security Administration at (800) 772-1213 to obtain forms and instructions.
Step4
Make an appointment to visit the department of motor vehicles for a new driver's license. Ask in advance which documents you'll need to bring in order to certify the validity of your name change.
Step5
Obtain and complete a Passport Amendment/Validation Application. Send this along with appropriate fees, your current passport(s), and a certified documentation of your name change (such as a certified copy of a marriage certificate or court papers) to the nearest passport agency.
Step6
Order replacements for checks, business cards, credit cards and other documents that contain your old name.
Step7
Call employers and schools (if you are a student) to let them know your new name, and ask them to change it in their records.
Step8
Change your name on your car registration, with your insurance and mortgage companies, and with your frequent-flier program.
Step9
Contact the post office, utility companies and registrar of voters.
Step10
Make the announcement to friends and family (ideally to your in-laws first), using stationery or thank-you cards with your new name printed on them, or order name-change cards designed for such an occasion.
After the wedding it's traditional for the woman to change her name
Comments
EasyNameChange said
on 9/10/2008 Thats correct. Your identity only changes if you submit your marriage certificate and any extra supporting paperbook to your local government & your bank/utilitity/finance/super etc companies.
Quartny said
on 8/28/2008 What if you want to change your first name at the same time? I have been spelling my name differently for 10 years, but now that I am married and changing my last name, I would like to change my first name all in one fell swoop. Can I do that just on the forms, or do I have to go through the court process for the first name? Also, my passport does not expire for a few more years, do I have to get a new one for my name or can they just do an ammendment in it?
Quartny said
on 8/28/2008 What if you want to change your first name as well? (I am actually just changing the spelling) Can you do this all at once with the marriage forms or do you have to go through the court process for the first name?
Amouse said
on 7/4/2008 it depends on where the marriage license was issued. In some states, the license has blanks on it for your new names after marriage if either spouse wants to change. If you don't fill those in, your name doesn't change. In other states, it's implicit. Changing or not changing the name on the driver's license is not what causes your name to legally change. You have to check the law in the state she was married in.
Cromaglious said
on 6/15/2008 Now that Same Sex Marriages are legal in at least two states. The rules for names changes change slightly in those states. For example in California, either party may change thier middle to thier Birth/Maiden and last to thier partners name or Partners to Middle name, then Maiden or Current to last. Or change their last name to a combination of both last names such as Reagan and Ford to Reagord or Hyphenate or take the maiden last name of one of the parties in the marriage.