How to change your name in America
Tools you will need
- Marriage License / Certification -or- Divorce Decree (if available)
- Name Change Petition (Choose Your State Above)
- State ID
Legal Name Change Requirements
- Cannot change your name if you are seeking to change for: Running from Debt(s), Monetary Reasons, Racial or obscene Language, etc.
- Must be a resident of the State for at least six (6) months.
Step 1 – Choose the name the you want your name to be changed. If you were just married or divorced, this process will be much easier for you as you may be able to skip a few steps. If you are changing your name because you for personal reasons, then you may have to attend a court hearing to explain the reasons for your change.
Step 2 – Fill-Out a Name Change Petition and make sure to have it notarized. A notary is very easy to find as every branch bank in the United States has a notary on duty and if you have an account they will most likely do it for free. If not, they will charge a small fee.
Step 3 – Submit your Name Change petition to the proper county clerk’s office which will most likely be the probate court office. If you choose your state where you will be petitioning we have all the courts to submit to on the bottom of the page.
Step 4 – Wait to hear from the Court. This is a case by case situation, if for some reason the court wants to hear your case, most likely if you are changing your name for personal reasons you may be asked to represent yourself. Otherwise, if you have just got married or divorced this will most likely not be necessary.
Step 5 – Make a publication in the newspaper proving your name change has been presented publicly. Usually newspapers have a direct line for this and are very easy to do. The court will have an affidavit that you will need to sign upon publication in the newspaper that proves you in fact did make your name change public. If you have just been married or divorced you may not have to do this step as you have already made your marriage or divorce public, but this depends on your state.
Step 6 – Upon proper submission to the court of your name change publication you will be granted your order granting name change which will be your identification until you change your name on your driver’s license, passport, and social security card.
How to change your name after marriage in America
Congratulations on your marriage! Now comes the pesky times of changing your name. You must note that you will not be able to change your name until after you are married. So you cannot shortcut the process and try to apply beforehand. Remember those marriage certificates that you were given? Well now you are going to need them so I hope you kept them in a safe place. Make sure you are holding the original certified marriage certificates and not copies. Also to save yourself a lot of time, make sure that the certificates are long-form marriage certificates because you are going to need them when you go to the social security office.
Now let’s go to the good old Social Security Office! Here you are going to update your Social Security information with a Social Security form SS-5. This is basically just a form to update your social security card. You will also need documents that provide proper I.D. and they must be originals. Bring your driver’s license, birth certificate, and social security card if you can along with your marriage certificate. You must realize that it is important to do this because if your social security information is not updated the IRS will reject your tax return and you will lose out on your money. Next we go to the DMV, which is even more fun! As always, make sure to get there early to avoid the long waits, but you already knew that. At the DMV you will be applying for a new license and to do that you must bring your marriage certificate to prove your new name and also your address (if it has changed).
After about 2-3 weeks depending upon your state, you should have your SS and DMV information all set to go which will allow you to change all the rest of your personal matters. Changing is not a difficult thing to do but it is a process and you must be persistent with it. Make sure to check with the following: Employers, Cell Phone Company, credit card companies, banks, schools, gym memberships, and your passport. You will need to change everything that has your name on it financially. Good Luck!
How to Change Your Name on Your Passport in America
Step 1: Did you just get married? If so, do not change your name just yet! Make sure you travel with your maiden name if you are planning to leave the country on your honeymoon. Why? Because to change your name on a passport can take 10-12 weeks. Why so long? Before you can even think about your passport you have to change your name in the county where you have been a resident for at least 6-months (not where you got married, a common mistake). The first step is to file a name change petition in your state. After receiving your court order, now you can proceed with the following steps.
Step 2(a) – If you received a new or renewed passport within the past year:
Fill-Out the Passport Application DS-5504
Make Sure to Attach
- Recent Photo (Go to the Unites States Postal Service Branch in your area)
- Certified Copy of the Court Ordered Name Change -or- Marriage Certificate
- Your Current Passport
- *If Choosing Expedited Service include a check for $60 made out to the “Department of State”.
Now, there is NO FEE for this service but for an extra $60 you can choose to have an expedited service which will guarantee your passport back to you within 14 days (trust me, I have done this and I got it back within 1 week!).
Where to Send Passport Application for Expedited Service:
(Make Sure to Write Exactly Below on the Outside of Your Envelope)
Expedited Service
National Passport Processing Center
Post Office Box 90907
Philadelphia, PA 19190-0907
Where to Send Your Passport for Standard Service
National Passport Processing Center
Post Office Box 90107
Philadelphia, PA 19190-0107
Step 2 (b) If you received a new or renewed passport beyond the past year:
Fill-Out the Passport Application DS-82
Make Sure to Attach
- Recent Photo (Go to the Unites States Postal Service Branch in your area)
- Certified Copy of the Court Ordered Name Change -or- Marriage Certificate
- Your Current Passport
- Check for $140.00 made to the “Department of State”
- *If Choosing Expedited Service include a check for $60 made out to the “Department of State”.
For an extra $60 you can choose to have an expedited service which will guarantee your passport back to you within 14 days
Where to Send Passport Application for Expedited Service:
(Make Sure to Write Exactly Below on the Outside of Your Envelope)
Expedited Service
National Passport Processing Center
Post Office Box 90955
Philadelphia, PA 19190-0955
Where to Send Your Passport for Standard Service
National Passport Processing Center
Post Office Box 90155
Philadelphia, PA 19190-0155
Want to receive your Passport EVEN FASTER?
Add an additional check in the amount of $12.72 to the “Department of State” and in the memo write in “overnight delivery”. This way if you are cutting the time frame short you will guarantee the fastest retrieval of your passport.
How to Change Your Name for Social Security in America
Changing your name on your social security card is much easier than you may think. If you have just been married, divorced, or just changing you name for whatever reason and you are running down the checklist this may be your easiest one. You actually do not even have to leave your home on this one!
The first step is filling out the social security card application. Then you can either take the completed application to your nearest social security office but remember to bring with you the court order name change as well as your marriage certificate if you were just married, or your divorce decree. Remember that the Social Security office does not take copies and everything must be originals or it will not be accepted (no matter how much cleavage you have).
Did I mention you do not have to get off your couch? You can also mail these documents if you are not fond of hanging around social security offices in you spare time.
Remember, the first step in changing your name whether it is for the DMV (Driver’s License), Bank accounts, or any other institution is to file a name change petition in your state.
How to Change Your Name on Your Driver’s License in America
So, you have gone through the court system to change your name and now you are left with the task of going through the endless checklist of places you must notify of this change. The one that is probably at the top or close to the top is changing your name on a driver’s license. It is actually one of the easiest ones on the list. Believe it or not, the hardest tasks are going to your bank and private institutions and changing your name because they do not deal with it every day.
Step 1 – Gather your current driver’s license (or state ID card), Proof of Name Change, and depending on the office location they would like to see your marriage certification or divorce decree if that applies to you.
Step 2 – Go to Your local Department of Motor Vehicles Office.
Step 3 – Get out of that stinky DMV office and you should have a new driver’s license within 6-8 weeks!
Most DMV offices will grant you a temporary ID just in case you get pulled over in between. Next on your list is probably changing your name for social security and change your name on your passport and you should all set with Uncle Sam!
