Congrats! If you’re reading this you either just got married, or are getting married soon and would like to know all the places to change your name after getting married. Oh, and if you’re still in the throes of wedding planning I wrote articles on how to save thousands on your wedding, how to plan a wedding in less than three months, and makeup tips to look beautiful on your big day.
Now, I’m not proud of this, but it took me almost two years to change my last name on everything. Mainly because it was overwhelming, but also because of just plain laziness. So I want to make things easier for you by providing for you a handy checklist to make sure you’re covered.
7 Places to Change Your Name After Getting Married
But first, can we talk about the elephant in the room? I’m not here to argue with you about whether you should keep your name or take your husband’s. If you keep your name then kudos – you don’t have to change anything! But for those that choose to take their husband’s name I’m here to help.
By now you either got your marriage license or are working on it. Thankfully my husband took care of that, although, because of how quickly we got married and how far away it is, we didn’t go to the county clerk office to get our certificate until almost closing time the day before our wedding. But we still got it done! Thankfully.
Note: Some state require a blood test to get your marriage certificate so make sure to look this up well in advance to make sure you are not missing anything.
Now that you have your marriage license we can move on to the most important places you need to change your name: government agencies.
Social Security
I’d argue that this may be the most important one because you can’t change your name anywhere else without it. Here is how to change your name on your social security card and here is the application to fill out a form for a new SS card.
After that you an either drop it off at the social security office OR mail it in, as long as you have a copy of your marriage certificate to send with it. If possible ask your county/city/town clerk office to give you an extra copy or two to mail into the Social Security Administration while keeping a copy for yourselves. Your new Social Security card should be mailed within two weeks.
Driver’s License
After you receive your new Social Security card, you are going to want to head to the DMV to get a new license. Look, I know it’s no fun, but until you’ve sat through a DMV waiting line in Washington, D.C. you don’t know what FUN is.
Now, when you go, make sure you take EVERY form of ID with you. I mean every single one or else you will be like me and wait three hours in line only to find out you brought your old SS card, instead of your new one.
Double check your local DMV website for the complete list. While there make sure to change your voter registration as well.
Passport
You are going to need to update your name on your Passport with the State Department.
Now, you might wonder, “Should I change my passport before or AFTER my honeymoon?”
Depending on when you go on your honeymoon, the answer is usually after. For me, we had already booked our flight tickets to Cancun weeks ahead of our wedding so the tickets were in my maiden name. Therefore, my passport had to match. As soon as I came home though I took care of it immediately, though.
It costs between $110 and almost $200 for your passport depending on how quickly you need it. If waiting the usual time it should take 4-6 weeks.
Work
Depending on where you work you might have A coworker in charge of changing your name for you on your emails, business cards, etc. If not, you will need to change those over yourself very soon to avoid confusion. You can even leave a message on your old email account for people to reach out to you at your new email.
Personal
Take inventory of everything personal that your maiden name is on and then how to change it. Gosh, this is a tedious task, but you will feel so much better when it is done! Here is a good list, but let me know if I am missing a few:
- credit cards
- health insurance
- investment accounts
- mailing address (post office)
- bank account/checks.
Home/Auto
Make sure to change your name with your property manager or landlord as well as on your auto insurance. Maybe you can pass this one off to your husband like I did.
Social
This is probably the first one most women change because we want to show the world we got MARRIED. But besides your Facebook account, don’t forget to change it on Twitter, Instagram and anywhere else.
Now you know all the places to change your name after getting married go. I believe in you and pretty sure you can do it in less time than I did. (Covers head in embarrassment)
Good luck!
7 Places to Change Your Name After Getting Married
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Not gonna lie, I have been married for 3.5 years and haven’t done some of these. Not on purpose. It’s incredibly embarrassing that I have put it off for so long, but I just keep avoiding the lines. lol
No, I sympathize. It’s a pain! haha
It’s so much work to change your name! Not to mention the long lines at the SS office and DMV. The last place I remembered to change my name was on my student loans.
A ton of work and time and energy. I am relieved I’m finally done!
great list! I got married 10 years ago and spent YEARS changing my name on all my documentation.
I am getting married in less than a month and this has been one of the biggest things stressing me out! I have been so worried I would forget something or not even realize all of the places I need to do it so this is SOOOO helpful! Thank you so much for sharing your wisdom! 🙂
awww very welcome! I hope it can at least take off some of the stress and wish you a beautiful wedding 🙂
Wish I’d had this 5 years ago!! There’s so much to do for a woman after she gets married!
SO.MUCH.
This is such a great reminder for after you get married. I’ve been married since April and I still have a few of these to check of my list. Adding them to this week’s to do list!
Hey sounds like you’re on your way though!
I changed my name on everything EXCEPT one of my bank accounts, and it’s been 3 years now since we’ve been married! haha
If that one bank made it easier for me it would have been done already, but since it’s inconvenient and I have to go in person it just hasn’t been done yet. (also not local)
One day.. hahaha
hahaha I hear ya. I just changed it at the dentist this week because it wasn’t convenient until I had to go in again!
The one place I haven’t changed my name yet is my passport. We just haven’t travelled out of the country since then! LOL
It took me so long to get my name changed on everything! Of course social media was first, then went through the hassle of everything else!
Thank goodness changing it on social media was easy! haha
Ughh this list just reminded me to get my passport updated. It’s been almost 2 years since I got married but I keep putting this one off!
My husband just had to do that and he didn’t even have to change his name! haha
This is a great and well thought-out post! I totally needed this a year ago haha
Great list! My sister just got married, and had a hard time figuring out where she should start first!
I did too! Hopefully she has some good direction now.
This is such a great article with really valuable pieces of necessary info.
Got married seven years ago and I still remember how confused I was with the name changing buy a lot of patience, I ended up changing everywhere except my I.D card which I don’t really mind it staying.
You need a ton of time and patience for it – that’s for sure.
I found it a pain to change my name on all the accounts I have, like mortgage, credit cards, etc. It was such a process!
I know! I wish there was a one stop shop.
Great post! This blog is going to make life easier for so many ladies! Love your concise list, it’s too much to remember when your planning a wedding…this is fabulous! I’ll definitely be keeping up with this info…great knowledge and experience!
I wish I had this list after I got married! Changing my name was such a hassle! I love that you rounded up all the stops in one place! !
Exactly – I wish I had had this list too!
Wow, lots of places to think of! My good friend is getting married in a few months, I’ll have to share this with her!
You never realize how many places you need to change your name until you get married and you have to start doing it. Such a hassle!
I just hollered into the other room to my fiancé, “I’m going to have to get a new passport when we get married!!!” That one hadn’t even occurred to me! Thank you SO much for this list!
haha so glad it was helpful!!
It was so much work (and pricey) to change my name. I’m still figuring out how to change my personal email.