Changing your last name after the wedding isn't hard. It is mostly about doing things in the right order, because each agency checks your new name against the one before it. Social Security checks your marriage certificate. Your DMV checks Social Security. The IRS matches your tax return against Social Security records. Do them out of order and you get a rejected application or a delayed refund.
Below is the order that works, what each step costs at the federal level as of October 2026, and the timelines the agencies themselves publish. State steps (DMV, vital records) vary, so we show how to check them instead of guessing.
The short version
| Step | Where | Cost | What you bring |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Certified marriage certificate | county clerk / recorder where the license was issued | set by the county | the recorded license |
| 2. Social Security card | SSA (online in some states, or Form SS-5 in person/by mail) | free | certified marriage certificate + ID |
| 3. Driver's license / REAL ID | your state DMV | set by the state | marriage certificate + current license (and any other documents your DMV lists) |
| 4. Passport | U.S. Department of State | $0 / $130 / $165, depending on the form | certified marriage certificate + current passport |
| 5. Everyone else | banks, employer/HR, insurers, voter registration, utilities, doctors | usually free | new ID and/or marriage certificate |
Step 1: Get certified copies of your marriage certificate
After the ceremony the officiant returns your signed license to the county (or the clerk's office does it for you), and the county records it. Only then can you order certified copies, the versions with the official seal. Photocopies don't work: Social Security says it accepts only original documents or copies certified by the issuing agency, not photocopies or notarized copies.
Order 2–3 copies. The passport office keeps the documents you mail until it returns them with your new passport, and you may want to send to Social Security and the State Department in the same weeks. Prices vary by county: Clark County, Nevada, for example, lists $20 for a certified marriage certificate. Check your own county clerk's fee page.
How long recording takes is up to the county. Harris County, Texas, for example, says the original license can take 1–2 weeks to come back after it is returned for recording (its FAQ says up to 30 days).
Step 2: Social Security (always free)
Social Security is the first agency to update. The IRS says to report a name change to SSA before you file your next tax return. Otherwise its systems can't match your new name to your Social Security number, which can hold up a refund.
How to apply:
- Online. SSA lets some newlyweds request the name change through a my Social Security account if the marriage was recorded in a participating state. The list of participating states has been growing, and SSA has told applicants to wait at least 30 days after the wedding before requesting the card online. Check eligibility at ssa.gov before you plan around it.
- Form SS-5. Otherwise, fill in Form SS-5 (Application for a Social Security Card) and bring it, with your documents, to a Social Security office or card center. You can book an appointment.
What you need: a certified marriage certificate and proof of identity, such as a U.S. driver's license, state ID or U.S. passport. Your number does not change.
Cost: $0. SSA says changing your name is always free and warns that some businesses charge for a "service" you can do yourself at no cost.
Timing: SSA says the new card is usually mailed within 14 business days after approval.
Step 3: Driver's license and REAL ID
Wait until Social Security has your new name, since many states check it before issuing a license. Under the federal REAL ID rules (6 CFR 37.11), a state that issues a REAL ID in a name different from your source documents must see evidence of the legal name change (your marriage certificate) and keep a copy. It must also verify your Social Security number with SSA.
In practice:
- Bring your certified marriage certificate, your current license, and whatever else your DMV lists for a REAL ID (usually proof of address and SSN).
- Requirements, fees and whether you need an appointment are set by each state, so check your DMV's own page.
- Update your voter registration at the same time if your state handles it through the DMV.
Step 4: Passport (three forms, three different prices)
The State Department uses three forms for a name change. Which one you need depends on when your current passport was issued:
| Your situation | Form | Fee (October 2026) | How |
|---|---|---|---|
| Passport issued less than 1 year ago, and the name changed within that year | DS-5504 | $0 (fees only if you choose expedited service) | by mail |
| Passport issued less than 15 years ago, you were 16+ when it was issued, and it's undamaged | DS-82 (renewal) | $130 book, $30 card, $160 both | by mail, with a certified marriage certificate |
| Can't use either (passport lost/damaged, issued 15+ years ago, issued before age 16) | DS-11 | $130 + $35 acceptance fee = $165 for an adult book | in person at an acceptance facility |
Optional extras: expedited service $60 and 1–3 day delivery $26.87 (passport books only). The DS-82 form says you can renew by mail with a name change if you include proper certified documentation, such as a certified copy of your marriage certificate. You send in your old passport, the new photo and the certificate, and the originals come back to you.
Processing times change through the year. Check the current routine and expedited times on travel.state.gov before booking international travel.
Honeymoon trap: an airline ticket has to match the passport you travel on. If the honeymoon is soon after the wedding, book it in your current name and start the passport change after you're back. (We say the same in the marriage license guide.)
Step 5: Everyone else
Once you have the new Social Security card and ID, the rest is usually free and goes faster:
- Employer / HR and payroll. Your W-2 has to match Social Security.
- Banks, credit cards, loans, investment and retirement accounts. Most want the new ID, and some also want the marriage certificate.
- Insurance (health, auto, life) and beneficiary designations.
- Voter registration, if the DMV didn't do it.
- USPS, utilities, landlord or mortgage servicer.
- Doctors, pharmacy, dentist.
- Professional licenses, TSA PreCheck / Global Entry, airline loyalty programs.
- Email signatures, social media, the wedding website (or leave those as they are).
Address changes are separate from name changes. If you moved, the IRS uses Form 8822.
What it costs in total
At the federal level, between $0 and about $165 for one person, plus state and county fees:
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Social Security card | $0 |
| Passport | $0 (DS-5504), $130 (DS-82 book) or $165 (DS-11 adult book) |
| Optional passport expediting / fast delivery | $60 / $26.87 |
| Certified marriage certificates | county fee × 2–3 copies |
| Driver's license / REAL ID update | state fee |
Paid "name change kits" only fill in the same free forms. Nothing in this process needs them.
Common mistakes
- Going to the DMV first. If Social Security doesn't have your new name yet, the DMV may not be able to verify it.
- Bringing a photocopy or the souvenir certificate. Agencies want the certified copy with the official seal.
- Ordering a single certified copy and then waiting for it to come back from the passport office.
- Paying a renewal fee you don't owe. If your passport is less than a year old, DS-5504 is free.
- Booking travel in the new name before the new passport arrives.
- Forgetting payroll. Your employer's records feed your W-2, which the IRS matches against Social Security.
Not changing your name?
You don't have to; changing your name is a choice. Hyphenating, swapping, or a partner taking your name generally follows the same steps with the same documents.
FAQ
How long does a name change take from start to finish?
It depends mostly on county recording and passport processing. The agency figures we can quote: SSA usually mails the card within 14 business days of approval, and the passport timeline is whatever travel.state.gov lists that week. Allow a few months for everything.
Is there a deadline to change my name after marriage?
There's no federal deadline. Your marriage certificate stays valid proof. The passport timing matters, though: within one year of your passport's issue date the change is free with DS-5504, and after that you pay the DS-82 renewal fee.
Can I change my name on my passport online?
Check the current eligibility rules on travel.state.gov. The mail-in DS-82 and DS-5504 routes both handle a name change with a certified marriage certificate.
Do I need a new Social Security number?
No. The number stays the same; only the name on the card and in SSA records changes.
Sources
- Social Security Administration, documents needed for a Social Security card (originals or certified copies only; ID; free): https://www.ssa.gov/ssnumber/ss5doc.htm
- SSA blog, "Did You Get Married This Year and Want to Change Your Name? Start with Social Security" (22 October 2026): https://www.ssa.gov/blog/en/posts/2026-10-22.html
- SSA blog, online name change for newlyweds (participating states; wait 30 days; card in about 14 business days): https://www.ssa.gov/blog/en/posts/2024-08-29.html
- Form SS-5, Application for a Social Security Card: https://www.ssa.gov/forms/ss-5.pdf
- IRS, Newlyweds tax checklist (report name change to SSA before filing): https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/newlyweds-tax-checklist
- IRS Publication 504 (SS-5, Form 8822 for address): https://www.irs.gov/publications/p504
- U.S. Department of State, United States Passport Fees, October 2026 (DS-11 $130 + $35; DS-82 $130/$30/$160; expedite $60; 1–3 day delivery $26.87): https://adoptions.state.gov/content/dam/tsg_aem/passports/documents/forms-fees/Passport_Fees_OCT_2026.pdf
- Form DS-5504 instructions (no-cost name change within one year of issuance): https://eforms.state.gov/Forms/ds5504_pdf.pdf
- Form DS-82 instructions (renewal eligibility; name change by marriage with certified documentation): https://eforms.state.gov/Forms/ds82_pdf.PDF
- Travel.state.gov, Change or Correct a Passport: https://travel.state.gov/en/passports/renew-replace/change-correct-passport.html
- 6 CFR 37.11 (REAL ID: evidence of name change; SSN verification with SSA): https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/6/37.11
- Clark County Clerk fees (certified marriage certificate $20): https://www.clarkcountynv.gov/government/elected_officials/county_clerk/fees
- Harris County Clerk (returned licenses take 1–2 weeks, up to 30 days per FAQ): https://cclerk.hctx.net/PersonalRecords.aspx
- Fees and forms as of 27 October 2026. State DMV and county fees vary; check your own state's pages.