How we rateFind a service

Advertiser disclosure: Paperwork Hero is free to use. We may earn a commission when you sign up through our links. It never changes our scores. How we make money

Home / Name change / Checklist
Free checklist

Name change after marriage: the step-by-step checklist

Order matters. Most agencies won’t accept your new name until Social Security has it on file, so doing things out of sequence means repeat trips. Follow these five steps and you’ll only do each one once.

By the Paperwork Hero editorial team · Updated Nov 2026 · 7 min read
Short on time? A name change service fills out and checks the federal forms for you.
Compare services

The 5 steps, in order

1
Get certified copies of your marriage certificate
Order two or three certified copies from the county clerk or vital records office where you married. Agencies want certified copies, not photocopies, and you’ll often need to mail one while you’re using another.
2
Update your Social Security record (free)
File Form SS-5 with the Social Security Administration along with your marriage certificate and proof of identity. There’s no fee. You keep the same number and get a new card in your new name. Everything else depends on this step, so do it first.
3
Update your driver’s license or state ID
Give Social Security a few days to update its records, then visit your DMV with your marriage certificate and current license. If you’re getting a REAL ID, bring every document that links your old and new names.
4
Update your passport
Which form you use depends on when your passport was issued: Form DS-5504 if it’s less than a year old (no fee), Form DS-82 if you’re eligible to renew by mail, or Form DS-11 in person otherwise. Book flights in the name that matches the passport you’ll travel on.
5
Update everything else
Once your ID is updated, work through your employer and payroll, banks and credit cards, insurance, utilities, voter registration, professional licenses, doctors, airline and hotel loyalty programs, and trusted traveler programs like TSA PreCheck and Global Entry.
Taxes
The IRS checks names against Social Security records, so file your next return in the name Social Security has on file. If you haven’t updated it yet, use your old name to avoid processing delays.
★ Want it done for you?
G+
GovPlus
★ 4.8 Hero Score

Steps 2 and 4 are where most mistakes happen. GovPlus fills out your Social Security and passport forms from simple questions and checks them before you submit.

Start my name change
🎁 $30 off your first application · Government fees are separate
Compare all name change services

How long does it take?

Plan on about 6–10 weeks for the core steps. The passport is the slowest part: routine processing takes 4–6 weeks plus up to 2 weeks of mail each way, or 2–3 weeks if you pay the $60 expedite fee. Leave a few days between your Social Security update and your DMV visit so the records match.

Name change FAQs

Do I have to change my name after marriage?

No. Changing your name is optional. If you keep your name, you don’t need to update anything.

Can I change my name online?

Partly. Some steps, like many bank and account updates, can be done online, but Social Security usually requires you to submit original or certified documents, and your passport update goes by mail or in person.

What if my passport was issued less than a year ago?

Use Form DS-5504 to correct the name. There’s no application fee if you apply within a year of when the passport was issued.

Best name change services
GovPlus, MissNowMrs and HitchSwitch compared.
Compare services
Can I renew my passport online?
Who qualifies and which form to use.
Read the guide
GovPlus review
Is guided help worth it?
Read the review