My Marriage Certificate Is Missing My Married Name. Now What?
So, your marriage certificate is missing your married name, and you're wondering if you can still change your name. Maybe it just has your maiden name or current name.
Did you leave the new name field blank, forget to choose, or miss it entirely? Are you stuck? If so, what's the fix?
Your marriage certificate isn't broken
In most states, you can change your name after marriage even if your marriage certificate doesn't display your new name—this is completely normal.
That's because marriage license applications in 36 states don't ask for a new married name. As a result, marriage certificates in these states only list your current and maiden name.
However, in 14 states, you can specify a new name on the application. If you left that field blank, your certificate won't show a married name—but you may still have options.
Which states ask for your married name?
Here are the 14 states where you can designate your new last name when applying for a marriage license:
- California
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- Minnesota
- New Hampshire
- New York
- North Dakota
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- South Dakota
If you got married in one of these states and left the new name choice blank—or want to change your selection—keep reading to learn your options.
Note: Nevada dropped its married name choice option in 2024 (SB 211), repealing a 2017 rule that let couples choose new names on the marriage license application.
So, everyone's good to go?
In the 36 states that don't ask for a new name on the marriage application, your marriage certificate is all you need—it's legal proof of your authorization to change your name.
Quick note: You can change your middle name through marriage in 47 states, including those listed above. In a handful of states, you can even change your first name.
Want to avoid the headache of figuring out all these state rules? Our name change kit does the heavy lifting for you.
Why the split?
So why do those 14 states even bother? Why doesn't every state just omit new name options? Because the states that ask for a new name tend to offer more choices.
In these states, you can opt for more creative name combinations. They provide explicit clarity—everyone knows what they're allowed to change to, including men.
For example, states like California, New York, and Nevada let you mix and match names in multiple ways—it's written right into their statutes.
Not impressed? How about this—in California, a Williamson marrying a Hamilton could legally create up to 1,980 unique hybrid surnames, from Willton to Hamson to Liamil.
That's a level of creativity most states don't allow.
States that don't ask for a new name follow a default system: you can take your spouse's name or hyphenate, but extra options aren't clearly spelled out.
And by default, we don't mean these states have statutes listing approved name changes—most don't mention name changes at all.
It's simply a minimum understanding accepted by federal, state, and private agencies, such as when updating your social security card, driver's license, and passport.
They asked for my new name, but I left it blank
There are many reasons someone might leave the new name field blank: they overlooked it, forgot, or didn't realize it was an option and froze in the moment.
Some may have wanted to preserve the option but feared that listing a new name would make the change mandatory—not true, by the way.
Let's talk solutions…
1. Get a new marriage license
If you haven't gotten married yet, you're in luck. Just apply for a new marriage license and include your preferred new name.
Both your marriage license and certificate will reflect it, and that's it—you're done.
But if you're already married, read on…
2. Accept the defaults
Even in states that let you choose a new name on the marriage application, leaving it blank doesn't mean you're out of options.
Your marriage certificate will simply reflect your existing name, but you can still take your spouse's last name or hyphenate—these default options are widely accepted.
Consider this the Que Sera, Sera, Zen-mode approach:
- Creative name changes? Gone.
- Traditional options? Still there.
Except in California—if you don't select a new name when applying for a marriage license, you lose the ability to change it through marriage. A court petition becomes your only option.
Who would've thought California, the state with the most flexible name change options, would also be the one to slam the door shut—without much explanation? Go figure.
This only applies if you married and live in California:
- If you married there but live elsewhere, no problem.
- If you live in California but married out of state, you're fine.
We've reviewed statutes for every state, and California appears to be the only one with this restriction. For everyone else, default name changes remain an option.
3. Get your marriage certificate amended
If you're already married, you can ask the clerk who recorded your marriage license to amend your certificate with your new name. It'll likely be an attachment to the original.
Marriage record clerks have wide discretion, especially since state statutes are often ambiguous, but amendments are typically for typos, not changes of heart.
That said, clerks are human. Some might be willing to make a slight edit—a quiet nip and tuck—especially if it's a small adjustment. It never hurts to ask.
If a lower-level clerk denies your request, politely escalate to the head clerk—they have more leeway, and how you present your case can make all the difference.
4. Petition the court
If the default options don't work and amending your marriage certificate isn't possible, your only remaining option is to petition the court for a legal name change.
It takes time, money, and effort, but it guarantees you the name you want. Once approved, your court order—not your marriage certificate—becomes your legal proof of name change.
Your name change isn't blocked
If your marriage certificate doesn't show your married name, don't panic—it's usually not a problem and often standard, even if it only lists your current name.
In most states, your certificate serves as legal proof that you're authorized to change your name, no matter what it does—or doesn't—show.
If you married in a state that lets you specify a new name on the marriage application but left it blank, you can still take your spouse's last name or hyphenate.
California is the exception—if you didn't specify a new name when applying, a court order is your only path to change it now.
If you'd rather skip the research, our name change kit makes the process easy.
Hello! This page is so helpful. I have a random specific question (just like everyone else on here!)- my husband and I got married about a year ago in Massachusetts. At the time I put down his name on the marriage certificate but wasn't planning to go through the change process until this summer. I also wasn't 100% sure if I was going to change it or not.
I decided I want to keep my last name as a second middle name and have been researching the process to do so through a MA court order. However, I didn't realize that the marriage certificate automatically legally changed my name – someone from the probate court said that the name on the marriage certificate is my legal name even though it does not match my SSN (as I never changed it).
Does this mean that to go through the court process I would have to first change everything (SSN, license, etc.) to what's on my marriage certificate and THEN start the court process? Or am I just allowed to basically ignore what I put on my marriage certificate? Any insight would be greatly appreciated.
It's nonbinding. The only entity that could report your name change is you. If you ignore your marriage certificate, so does everyone else. That's the real world impact.
Yes, you can disregard your marriage certificate.
Hello, I got married 202 and the person that filed our information for the marriage license didn't ask any questions about if I wanted to take my husband's last name, which I wanted and still want.
I'm a foreigner so I was doing all the process for my adjustment of status and I got my employment authorization card and it has my maiden name on it, we were told that someone (not sure who, nobody told us) was going to ask me if I was taking his last name. But no one asked and since we filed ourselves, we didn't know what to do about my last name.
Is there a way to change my last name to my husband's? I only have the employment authorization card valid for 2 years now, so I'm still in process for the green card. Is there any options to change my last name still?
We are in Florida,
Thanks in advance
Hi Joana. You don't have to update your EAD. You can request your name change during the interview process.
Me and my fiancé got married last Saturday Sep 17, 2022 when we went to get marriage license, there was nowhere to put my new last name on? I would like to take my husband last name? Because on our marriage license just says my maiden name? What should I do? They didn't ask us if I was changing my name?
Hi Angela. Where did your marriage take place?
I tried reading through all the previous comments but didn't find anything similar. Here it goes…my husband and I got married in Hawaii in 2017. On the marriage certificate, I declared his last name as my own. We live in TX.
When we got back home, he decided to take my last name instead. Social Security office and Drivers License all accepted our certificate and his decision. Now we need to apply for his passport…will it be an issue if the marriage certificate doesn't state that he took my name? We were told the passport would have his birth name on it, but then it would not match his Social Security, License, and all other documents.
Thanks in advance!
Hi Julie. He should be fine. He can use his birth certificate to confirm his birth name.
Hi, so, I'm kind of lost on what to do or if there's any options: my wife and I got married back in June, in Arizona. There was no line to put for name change on the marriage license. So the certificate came back to us and reflects both of us with still our birth names and doesn't show a new name field.
Is it possible and if so, how would I go about taking my wife's last name? Where/who do I go to get that name change done? Or any helpful links? And would my wife need to go with me?
Also, I saw the most recent comment from a couple days ago and the end of it, I have questions regarding my situation. Would I be able to go to Social Security office/dmv/passport and apply with my wife's last name even though our marriage certificate doesn't show a name change for me?
I appreciate any sort of advice to point me in the right direction.
Thanks for your help!
You would have to petition the court for a name change. Not because of something you missed with your marriage license, but because a man must petition in Arizona to take his wife's name.
Arizona Superior Court.
See the AZ courts name change page.
Your wife needn't accompany you. You can complete the process yourself.
At this point, you can ignore your marriage certificate. Your eventual court order will supersede it.
When seeking an Enhanced ID from our state's Driver and Vehicle Services (DVS) department, my application was rejected because my birth certificate had apparently omitted listing my middle name — which has been on all my legal documents since I was an infant.
My full name is also on my Marriage Certificate, which, because I didn't take my husband's surname, includes my first, middle, and maiden name like all my other legal documents do.
My question is, would my Marriage Certificate be acceptable to the DVS as adequate proof of my "name change" (actually name correction) from my provided Birth Certificate name (e.g., XZ) to my full name (e.g., XYZ)?
Or must I instead (or additionally?) have to amend my Birth Certificate's name — either by using my Marriage Certificate's listing of my full name and those of my parents to show linkage between the name changes; or even by having to get a court-ordered legal "name change" (again only a name correction) to add my middle name to my birth certificate?
Yes, for name change. No, for proof of identity.
Which state is this taking place in? You would have to show sufficient evidence of your middle name.
Your marriage license wouldn't be sufficient.
That would work, but you could just substitute your birth certificate with an unexpired passport. Assuming your password shows your middle name.
I read all the comments, I couldn't find the answers to my query. I hope if you could reply and help. I got married recently (non-citizen) to my husband (US citizen) in Illinois. They didn't offer to name change and asked to go through SSN etc.
I'm not the citizen and therefore don't have SSN. We are going to file petition through USCIS. Can I use my new surname (his surname)? Can marriage certificate be used to use my new name like that? I hope you understood my question. Thank you!
Yes, you would still use your marriage certificate as proof of name change with the USCIS.
Thank you!
I do not have marriage certificate with a name change. It has my maiden name. So, I hope it would work?
We just got our marriage license a few days ago but it has an error (Idaho) she put our last names given at birth where it asks for "maiden names if previously married" and neither of us have been married before.
Our ceremony still hasn't been performed. What should we do? Can we just apply for a new license since no ceremony has been given yet?
Hi Monica. It's possible the recorder made that notation intentionally for record-keeping and genealogical purposes. You can contact them to inquire if it was a mistake or intentional. If it was a mistake on their end, they should issue you a replacement without charge. They may even be willing to reissue you a certificate if you're adamant about having a "clean" license.
My husband and I got married in 2013 in Kansas. I left the "new name" section blank on our certificate at the time, but about six months later, changed my last name to his through the Social Security office. I also changed my last name on my drivers license, and my military ID also shows my last name as his.
My question is in regards to getting a new passport under my married name so it matches my other forms of IDs. Because my old passport (which is expired) has my maiden name and my marriage certificate does not reflect my new name, I'm not sure what the best course of action would be to rectify this.
Hi Olivia. You should be still be fine to change the name on your passport.
Hello. I got married in Miami, FL this past week. I really want to have my husbands last name but just realized that the clerk never asked me if I wanted to change my last name and I didn’t ask I guess of how excited I was with the ceremony that it didn’t cross my mind.
So I am looking at my marriage certificate and it only has my maiden last name. What steps should I take go make the name change happen?
Just use your marriage certificate as-is to complete your name change. Florida marriage certificates will only show your current name at the time of application, not a new name post-marriage.
Hi I got married 10 years ago in Delaware. However, I live in NY. I now want to change my name so I can have the same name as my husband and my child for the birth certificate. I give birth in 2 months by the way. I guess I’m on a time crunch.
I want to still use my maiden name professionally and on all business documents. What’s the best way to go about this I would like my name changed but not for business purposes.
Since we were married in Delaware can I use the license to change it in NY or do I need to get a new license?
Do I need to change my name on everything. Including corporations and banking documents..etc?
Also if this process takes longer than expected can I still just write my married name on the birth certificate even though it’s not changed legally yet?
If you have professional licenses registered with the state, you should notify them of your name change, but inquire in the use of an alias. So, have your legal name on file, but continue the use of your maiden name in business contexts.
Your Delaware marriage certificate will work fine to change your name in New York.
You don't have to, but it would make sense. Upon request, you bank should be able to accommodate the continued use of your maiden name on your checks and debit cards. They would still need to have your legal name on file. They may also require a new signature card in your new name.
No, as that wouldn't be your legal name at the time. However, who's to stop you?
Hi, I had a name change to my husband's last name on the marriage certificate but since the pandemic, I never went to Social Security to change other documents.
Now a year after we got married, I realize what a hassle it would be to change my name on everything, especially now that I have renewed my passport with my maiden name.
Can I keep using my maiden name even though there is a name change on my marriage certificate? Will my husband need the certificate as proof that we are married after I die?
Yes, name change isn't mandatory regardless of what new name appears on your marriage certificate.
Yes, the marriage certificate could serve as proof. The new name appearing on it won't cause a problem in the future.
Hi, I just got married in TN 2 days ago but I live in Missouri and the people at the clerks office filled out our paperwork while asking questions but never asked if I wanted to take my husbands last name.
So now the marriage certificate has my maiden name on it and not the married last name and I have no idea on what I need to do to get it changed over to his last name.
Hi Tiffany. There is nothing that needs changing. Just use your certificate as it stands to change your name.
So I got married in Georgia in 2014. I'm pretty sure I missed the line about the new name or either it wasn't there. But I do want to change my last name to my husband's last name now. Do I have to go through the courts? My certificate and license is printed with my maiden name on it.
Hi Brandee. You're probably okay. Marriage certificate formatting isn't universal or standardized in Georgia. The state has 159 counties and each county's probate court is responsible for its own certificate design.
Even today, some counties don't apply the married name to the certified marriage certificate, even when it's asked on their marriage license application.
Thank you so much for this article! I think I know the answer to my question but would love an opinion.
My husband and I intended to get married May 2022 in CA. We got our marriage certificate in March 2022 and I put on the marriage certificate that I was only going to change my last name to my husband's name. My Dad very suddenly passed away Mid-April but we were able to get married in front of him a few days before his death. One of the last things he did was sign our certificate.
I live in Massachusetts so I just recently went to the SS office, showed my marriage certificate (which showed my birth middle name and husband's last name) and asked the clerk if it was possible to change my middle name to my maiden name and last name to my husband's name. She said no problem which I was grateful for.
Is this going to be a problem in the future that my SS name is different than my marriage certificate? I really don't want a new marriage certificate because of my Dad's signature but wondering if I need another document about new name? Do I need to do this in CA where the marriage certificate was issued or can I do this in MA where I live?
No, this won't be a problem. Once the SSA has approved your name change, there is no risk of them taking it back. Or are you concerned about blowback from another government agency?
No, you don't need another document.
There's nothing you need to do. If you were to amend it, it would take place in California, not Massachusetts. But such an amendment wouldn't get accepted in CA, as it wouldn't be considered an error.
Hello,
In our Nevada marriage certificate, we have my birth name listed only, we opted out of the name change when we applied. After we got married, I eventually changed my mind and changed my name with Social Security, and I now have my maiden name as my middle name and I took his surname.
When I went to a NV DMV to change my name on my real ID, with my documents (current real id, new SSN, marriage certificate, proof of residency) they rejected my application because my marriage certificate did not reflect my new name (they said it's not a proof for a name change and I'd have to go to court).
The only change they offered to do was to hyphenate our last names or to keep my old middle name and replace my last name to my husband's. This would make my new SS card and new real ID different from each other which is not what I want.
Is that really the rules for a DMV real ID? Why offer those options but not put the same name as my social security on my ID?
They offered you the default choices. This is the unfortunate downside of not choosing a married name on your marriage license and certificate—one agency might accept it, while another disagrees.
You can try to get your marriage certificate amended, but that's tough to achieve without an error cited. You could claim that you left the new name portion of the application empty by mistake.
You could try a different DMV with your new social security card in hand, but that might yield little, as they're not obligated to agree with the SSA.
If all else fails, you can file a court petition for name change in Nevada with your county clerk of court. Expect to pay $200+ for the filing.
Hi,
I am Brazilian and a permanent resident, I got my green card in 2019. I got married this July in Illinois and I plan to change my name. As a Brazilian, I have no middle name and multiple last names.
Being married in Illinois, I didn't have an option to pick my new name with the marriage license or certificate. My plan was to keep only part of my maiden name as my middle name, and then take my husband's last name.
Is making only part of my maiden name as a middle name going to be an issue? Do I go to USCIS first to change the green card? How do I prove to them that I have a new name if the marriage certificate had only my maiden name?
Very helpful forum, thanks a bunch!
Yes, that would be a problem. You can't carve off a portion of your maiden name.
Yes, use Form I-90.
They'll derive your new name from your spouse's name on the certificate.
Hi there!
Thank you for such an informative article! I'm hoping you can help me on a question I have regarding my name after marriage.
I am a resident of California, my marriage license was obtained in California, and was married in California. I intended to make my maiden last name my middle name after marriage, but this was left out of my marriage certificate. I already went through a court order to add my maiden last name as my middle name. Do I have to submit an affidavit to amend my marriage record to add my maiden last name as my new middle name?
I was told by my clerk recorder office that it would not be necessary to amend the marriage certificate if I have a court order name change, but they would not be able to change that section of the marriage certificate anyways since missing my middle name is not considered a typo or clerical error. They didn't seem very sure of their answer, so I was wondering if you know the answer?
Thank you so much!
No, you don't need to modify your marriage certificate. Just use your court order by itself. You no longer need your marriage certificate for name change purposes.
Correct.
Correct. Amendments are reserved for errors.
Me and my husband recently got married in NC, I used my maiden name when applying for our marriage license and we just got our official license back and it has my maiden name. Will I still be able to change my last name to my husbands last name by going to the SSA office?
That's standard in NC.
Yes, your marriage certificate will work fine to change your name.
Mr. Jones – this post and the comments section are pure gold – thank you very much for your work here.
I would very much value your counsel on my situation:
– I got married in New York in 2010. At that time, I elected to retain my birth name on my marriage license and certificate
– I now would like to take my husband's last name, while adding my birth last name as a second middle name – i.e. going from First Middle BirthLastName to First Middle BirthLastName Husband'sLastName
My Questions:
1) Even though I elected not to change my name at the time of my marriage, and so my marriage certificate only has my birth name, can I still proceed to legally change my name with the SSA, DMV, USCIS and all other entities?
In other words, is it okay to "skip" the step of changing one's name on the marriage certificate in New York (as I understand NY is one of the states that offers the option of stating one's new married name on the marriage cert) – and still proceed to have their name legally changed everywhere else?
2) The NYC marriage bureau has something on their website about needing to "remarry" in order to get a new marriage certificate with one's desired married name. If it is not necessary to have one's new married name reflected on the marriage cert in order to legally change one's name with the SSA, DMV and USCIS – then what's the point of this "remarry" option? Who typically uses it and why?
3) I am now a resident of PA and so would be working with the PA DMV on my driver's license change – are there any peculiarities I should know about with dealing with the PA DMV on the basis of my NY marriage cert, that does NOT reflect a name change on it?
4) I currently live overseas in Australia and so need to be able to accomplish all name change steps remotely (online or via mail). From my research, it sounds like the SSA processes these name changes via mail. USCIS I presume I can work through the Australian consulate as US citizens residing overseas routinely do with normal passport renewals? PennDOT sounds like will be an issue as they only seem to offer an in-person approach. Would you please confirm all of the above from your knowledge?
5) Assuming the above is correct, does that mean I cannot complete the full legal name change process if I get stuck at the DMV step – and so would need to wait until I'm next visiting home to accomplish my name change?
6) With all of the above agencies, is there any issue with the new name format I want to take (First Middle BirthLastName Husband'sLastName)? Will they all derive it correctly or will any of the agencies force a different default format (e.g. only one middle name)?
Thank you so much!
-KG
You can use your marriage certificate as-is to take your husband's last name. But you must obtain a court order to add a second middle name. Were you only opting to replace your middle name with your maiden name, your marriage certificate would be usable.
Yes, but with the limits previously stated.
Correct, they'll issue a new marriage certificate for remarriages.
If a new name is shown on a marriage certificate, the SSA will only honor that name. If it's empty, they'll allow limited defaults.
Someone may choose to remarry to get themselves unbound from the new name they chose. Otherwise, it's either change their non-preferred choice, don't change their name, or go to court.
Remarriage also makes sense when they want to choose a new, alternative, complex name that NY law allows, such as taking a portion of each's current or prior surname. This kind of splicing isn't allowed in most states without petitioning a court. Yet New York allows it through marriage when designated on the marriage certificate.
Pennsylvania will accept your New York marriage certificate fine.
You're correct. SSA foreign offices accept mail, Australia has consulates, but PennDOT requires in person name changes.
You can complete the rest and deal with the DMV later.
As stated previously, two middle names requires a court order.
Thank you very much for your prompt reply. Of the two options – court order vs. "remarry" as NY state allows, which would you recommend for changing my name as I want to (i.e. to First BirthMiddleName BirthLastName Husband'sLastName) and why?
In which state should I apply for the Court Order – NY, where I was married or PA, where I hold residency (own a house, am registered to vote, where my current driver's license is, etc.). Noting that I currently live overseas in Australia?
Are Court Orders achievable remotely / all my mail or online?
Thank you so much.
Hi KG. Court order would make sense due to your desire for a second middle name. You should file in your state of residency, which is Pennsylvania.
Court orders must often be done in person, but you can contact the court clerk to determine if they accommodate proxies, such as an attorney to represent your petition or videoconferencing.
Will do. Thank you again for your help.
Hello!
So I just decided this year I do want to change my last name to my husbands, problem is we got married 5 years ago in Las Vegas and we live in California. At the time I didn't know if there was an option to change my last name or just missed it.
How would I even start that process if it's already been many years. I've read online that it could cost 500$ and need a court hearing. Please help. Thank you in advance!!
I don't believe the Nevada marriage license applications had the new name after marriage section five years ago. You should be fine to use your marriage certificate as-is.
Hi, looking for help. I got married June 2021 in California. At the time I put both my maiden and husband's last name under new last name. It’s been over a year, could I still request an amendment?
I want to drop my maiden name all together and only have my spouses last name. I live in another state now, if I have to petition would I have to go back to CA to do so?
Such an amendment wouldn't get accepted no matter how much or little time has passed.
You can't change the name on your marriage certificate after the fact, unless there's an error.
You don't need to go down this path, as you're not required to change your name to match what appears on your certificate.
Hi there. I got married in TN in Nov 2022 and reside in CA. The TN marriage license did not have a spot to fill in desired new name, so my marriage certificate shows my maiden name.
I want to take my husband's name, and everywhere I am reading says I have to have my new desired name on the certificate to do this. Is my situation an exception since I was not married in CA and instead married in a state that doesn't operate this way?
Will it just be a coin flip of whether I get lucky that they will allow it? Thanks for your help!
That's only for certain states, Tennessee not included.
Yes.
It won't be a coin flip. It will work for sure.
Help pls! I got married in 2007 and didn't take my husband's last name right away. One year later I decided to take his last name. I started by changing it on my SS card first. They didn't ask for legal paperwork just my marriage certificate. Since then all my paperwork and IDs have been under my new name.
Recently I have run into situations where I am required to show how I changed my last name legally. Either on my marriage certificate or court papers.
Do I need to change my name legally now or is there another option I can provide to satisfy the requirements. I'm sure many other people have done the same before the laws changed and social security started requiring more. Thank you for your help.
Your marriage certificate should satisfy the requirement.
Hi,
I'm so lost and upset and would truly appreciate some guidance. My husband and I got married last August in GA. During the process of filing there was a slot for "Designated Last Name" meaning last name after marriage.
I filled out my husband's current last name as the plan was to take his last name. However, when we received the marriage certificate months later, it has my maiden name on it.
Since I'm a total perfectionist when it comes to paperwork with authorities, I kept and still have copies of the paperwork filled out for our marriage license which clearly states that the marriage certificate would have had my husband's last name for the both of us.
What are my options to move forward and change my name? We currently live in NJ as my husband is military and have been unable to get ahold of the county clerk office that provided our marriage license.
Is it even a possibility that they would go back in the records and admit they made a mistake? Would I be able/have to get a new certificate to proceed getting my named changed? Or is my only option at this point to file a legal name change with the court in NJ?
I am not a citizen in the U.S. and I didn't grow up here so I don't fully understand the process. Filing for my green card I also have to provide proof of name change as I want the correct name on the card.
Truly appreciate any guidance. Thank you in advance.
Hi Evelina. You should be fine to use your Georgia marriage certificate as-is. Georgia is odd with their marriage license to certificate inconsistencies. Their forms are designed by each county probate court. Some will include the new name on the certificate, others won't. This results in the confusion you've experienced, but shouldn't be a hindrance.
Hi. I was married in 2018 in Illinois. If I remember correctly, there was no option to on the marriage license to use a new married name hence I did not fill it out with my preferred name which was to hyphenate my last name with my husband's.
Our marriage certificate has my maiden name on it. I want to know if it's possible for me to change my name (hyphenate last name) with Social Security using this marriage certificate. And if successful, use the new social security card with updated name to update other legal documents/ID (driver's license, passport, etc.) Thank you for your help
Yes, your marriage certificate will work fine.
Your social security card isn't a true identity document, so you wouldn't use it to update other documents. Your marriage certificate will serve that purpose.
In Texas here. Married in 2017 and kept my maiden name. Now I am wanting to change my last name to my husband's last name.
Do I need to petition the court for a name change since my marriage cert has my birth name only?
TIA,
Aimie
Hi Aimie. You do not need to petition the court for a name change. Your marriage certificate alone will suffice.
Hi, I got married in CA in 2017. When filling out our marriage license I asked the clerk in which order I should have my last name since I have two, name A- name b. She said she couldn't help me so I ended up putting name A-then my husband's last name.
I hate it though because now I have things addressed to me with either two last names or just my maiden name. At this point I'm considering a whole name change, but I would like to know the cons of doing that. Thank you!
You'll want to review the California court petition section about what a full name change would entail. The pros are you'll get the name you want. The cons are the time, effort, and expense ($435 filing fee) required.
My name is Ashley Rhoads. I got married to my husband John Marra in October 2021 in FL, and we currently live there. We are both attorneys, and as such we take things very literally.
When filling out our marriage license, it asked for our full names, and then it asked for my maiden surname. As such, I wrote my full name Ashley Marie Rhoads, and then my maiden surname as Rhoads (I assumed that was what I needed to put because it asked for my name, and that is my name).
And there was no space to write in what I wanted to change my name to. Now, I want to change my name to Ashley Rhoads Marra. However, my marriage license and marriage certificate only has Ashley Marie Rhoads on it.
Do I have to petition the Court for a name change? Or can I change my name through the SSA with my marriage certificate as-is?
Hi Ashley. You can change your name through marriage using your Florida marriage certificate as-is. Their application, license, and certificate will only list your current name at the time of application, and your maiden name.
When it comes time to notify the SSA, they'll use your and your husband's names as shown on your certificate to "derive" your married name from a set of allowed configurations.
Hello,
I got married in California in 2012. When we filled out the application for our marriage license, the clerk kept pressuring me to change my last name. She kept saying it was easiest and free to do it now in case I changed my mind later. I very explicitly told her that I would never change my last name.
Fast forward to 2023, and we have moved to Germany temporarily, and we got our marriage certificate translated to German for documentation here. When registering in our new city, the person found at the bottom of the translated certificate that my new name had been listed with my husband's last name. We then saw that it actually says that on our original marriage certificate.
Germany will now not recognize that we are married because if they do, my name doesn't match my passport. It is messing up our taxes, and I'm worried it will affect our visa extension that we are working on now.
We contacted the county clerk's office where we applied, and they sent us a scan of our application and said we signed the document with the name change request on the bottom. But in the scan, our answers are typed. Then there were two handwritten corrections that we made for parents because we accidentally hadn't put their maiden names. Then, hand written in neither of our handwriting, is the name change, when we had typed — in that field.
I know I did not sign the application with that on there. The clerk's office is saying that even if it was written on after we signed, the fact that we did not catch it before the ceremony and get it corrected (it is typed in tiny font at the very bottom of the marriage certificate) makes it valid.
Do we have any recourse? At this point, I have to pay to legally change my name back to my maiden name and go through all the paperwork and hassle, all because Germany won't recognize our marriage certificate as it is. Everything else – my passport, my real ID – have come through with my correct, original name without a problem.
Thank you for your help!
Hi Elicia. Could you obtain a new certified translation with an affidavit claiming that there's a clerk-issued error citing your new name? Or have the translation omit mention of it?
The alternative is to contact an attorney in California to work the county clerk's office on your behalf as a proxy. You wouldn't have to return to the state for this.
My husband and I eloped in Hawaii and live in California. We got married last month, but I want to wait to change my name till we have our ceremony in July. The Hawaii marriage certificate has my maiden name listed as my declared name. When July comes how will I change it?
Hi Haley. When you applied to get married, did your Hawaiian marriage license application provide an option to specify a new name after marriage? I do believe their agents make that an option.
Hi – I am trying to update my name on my passport (leaving in a month for Mexico and my passport has been hung up since January). I submitted all the information (at least I thought so) to change my name on passport (marriage certificate with maiden name, SSN documentation of new name) but still not processed.
The US Dept of State is asking for a marriage certificate with my new name but I only have that with my maiden name. We were married in Texas and I am so lost at what to do. Please help!
Hi Megan. Texas marriage certificates do not show new names. It would only show your current name and birth name. Your "new name" could be extrapolated from your marriage certificate by piecing together your last name and your spouse's last name.
There must be a misunderstanding somewhere, as your certificate should have worked fine as-is to change the name on your passport.
Hi. Thank you so much for your very useful advice! I got married in Hong Kong back in 2010, and have a marriage certificate issued by the Hong Kong government. I later moved to CA and obtained a court-ordered delayed CA marriage certificate in 2020 based on my Hong Kong marriage. I didn't know at the time that I had to add a new married name onto the marriage certificate, so my CA marriage certificate's "new name" section is blank.
I recently decided to finally take my husband's name as my last name, and use my maiden name as my middle name. Although SSA said I couldn't change my name based on my CA marriage certificate because my new name section is blank, they were able to process my name change based on my Hong Kong marriage certificate.
My question is for DMV and passport name change, what marriage certificate do I need to show/send in? Would the CA certificate alone suffice, given that my name has already been changed on the SSA database, or would I need to attach the Hong Kong certificate as well?
(I only have one copy of my Hong Kong certificate and I am concerned about losing it as the process to reapply for it is very cumbersome.)
Thank you so much!
Your Hong Kong marriage certificate should be sufficient for all federal and state entities.
Your Hong Kong certificate alone should work fine for your driver's license and passport.
Consider future-proofing your situation by obtaining one or more official copies of your marriage certificate. (Just in case.)
When I married my husband in NC in 1979, I used a copy of our marriage certificate to change my SS card and other documents. Our marriage certificate has my birth certificate First, Middle and Maiden Name on it only but my SS card has my birth certificate Middle Name, my birth certificate Maiden Name and my husbands Last Name.
Our DMV office said that my marriage certificate was not proof of my name change because my birth certificate First Name was not on my SS card.
Isn’t it logical that a marriage certificate saying, for example, Mary Jane Doe is married to John K Smith, that Jane Doe Smith is the same person?
Are you saying your marriage certificate did not specify your first name? Or did it specify a first name that did not match your birth certificate first name?
Having a first name mismatch would be as problematic as a last name mismatch.
Hello!
My husband and I got married in Nevada in 2021. Originally I wanted both his last name and my maiden name to appear on the marriage certificate. After the wedding is when I realized they gave me both his last name and his mothers maiden name on the certificate (on his license both names appear) would that be considered a clerical error or do I have to change it with the court?
It's a clerical error if the county clerk made the mistake. They can confirm this by pulling the original marriage application and comparing it against the marriage license and certificate.
If it's found the oversight was yours, then they are under no obligation to amend your marriage record. Then you'd have to petition the court.
My husband and I got married in 2020 in California. I left the "new name" section blank on our certificate at the time, but about 2 months later, changed my last name to his through the Social Security office. I also changed my last name on my drivers license to shows my last name as his.
My question is in regards to getting a new passport under my married name so it matches my other forms of IDs. Because my old passport has my maiden name and my marriage certificate does not reflect my new name, I'm not sure what the best course of action would be to rectify this.
Hi Richelle. You can still use your marriage certificate to change the name on your passport.
Hello,
I am a Indian citizen and my husband is a US citizen. We got married in Texas in April 2023. The marriage license/certificate bears my maiden name.
I am applying for a new DL in Austin. Can I use my marriage certificate, which contains my maiden name which is also on my Indian passport, to make a change to my husband's last name on my driver's license?
This question will perhaps be better directed to an immigration lawyer, but what name should I use on my USCIS forms to file for an I-130? Can I use my new name once I get my new DL?
Yes, you can use your marriage certificate.
Use your married name.
Hi, was married in Massachusetts in 2020. At the time I was told I didn’t have to decide my last name and could change it after with Social security. The marriage certificate shows my husbands last name as surname after marriage. I have not changed any of my documents (social security) and would like to now. However I want to hyphenate my last name with his. Is this still possible to do?
Hi Sarah. You'll likely have to go to court due to your new name omission.
Recently married in South Carolina. Marriage certificate only shows maiden name (I'm US citizen). Don't remember been given option to have husband's name on certificate.
I do want to have husband's name but not sure what to do with AOS forms RE putting maiden or married name down as not changed any identification documents.
Hi Caroline. You can use your SC marriage certificate as-is and specify the married name on the AOS forms.
Hi, I'm in CA and recently got married in Feb 2023. At the time, I didn't include my husband's last name on my marriage certificate but now I want to add it. Is there a way to add it after the certificate has been issued?
No, California law will not allow you to add a name to your marriage certificate after its been recorded. Exceptions are made for typos and clerical errors, but this does not apply to your situation.
Literally just got married like a month ago. I feel like this is redundant but SSA states all over their site that your marriage license "must have your name" and it's giving me massive anxiety and second guessing so if you don't mind easing and reassuring me.
My WI application and license asked for the "current name" and birth name of each spouse. I listed my birth name for each because technically the were the same and I signed as such. It didn't say birth name and married name. I'm just adding my husband's name to mine. Did I mess up? My license lists both my names as the same.
Hi Julia. Wisconsin marriage certificates will show your current name for you and your spouse. Not an explicit new name. That's fine for the SSA, as they can derive your new name from you and your spouse's current last names. They'll piece it together.
Hi,
My wife and I got married in Maryland. There is no space in the license for name change. So, the certificate is showing as our normal names. My wife wants it changed and we’re not sure how to go about it. Can we apply for new social security requesting the name change despite no name change in the certificate?
Yes, just use the Maryland marriage certificate as-is.
Hello, I think you’ve answered this question but I’m still confused for my situation. My husband and I got married in 2020 in CA and I opted keep my maiden name/make no changes to my name on the marriage certificate, however, now I would like to adopt my husband’s last name. Would I go to the county’s office and ask for an amendment to the marriage certificate or would I have to go to court?
They would not make such an amendment. You would have to go to court.
Thanks Tyrone. Would I have to use a lawyer for this?
Hi Kirsten. You can petition the court yourself without a lawyer.
Hello, I just recently got married in court this week. Got married in Chicago, Illinois. They never asked me about changing my last name to my husband’s last name. I haven’t pick up our marriage certificate. I fear that it will show my maiden name instead of my husband’s last name.
I am planning to change my name on my drivers license, social security etc. Can I use my marriage certificate as proof for the name change even if it’s showing my maiden name as my last name?
I also need the name change for immigration (adjustment of status). Do I need to change my name on my working permit now? Or wait when I file for adjustment of status? Thank you. Your help is much appreciated.
It will. You're fine.
Yes, that will work.
You can wait until you file for AOS.
Hi, I got married in Vegas in Feb and live in NY. On the marriage license I left the new last name blank. I knew I would be changing my last name but I didn’t think leaving it blank would be a problem because I didn’t plan to do SSA until the fall. Will I have an issue bringing it to NY SSA to change my last name to my husband's? Do I have to amend it? Thank you :-)
Hi Mack. You should be able to change your name fine, as you're opting for a standard taking of your spouse's surname.
When we got married in Texas in 2017 my wife still carried the name of her ex husband and that’s what she put down on the marriage license. She did not want to change it at the time out of respect for her son with the same last name. But I did not wish to adopt her ex’s name so kept my maiden name.
Now, the kid is an adult and my wife changed her name to her maiden name. I would love to change my name now to her maiden name as well. How do we go about that?
Hi Tina. In Texas, you would have to petition your county courthouse for a change of name.
Hello,
My fiancé and I live in MO but will be getting married in AR next month. We both do not want to keep our current last names. We would like to make my middle name our new last name (so I wouldn't have a middle name anymore). What would be the easiest way to do this?
Hi Andy. Making your middle name your new last name through marriage will not work in Arkansas. The easiest approach is to pursue a court-petitioned name change in Missouri, change your social security card and driver's license to match, then apply for your Arkansas marriage license under your new name.
This sequence allows your fiance to change her name to your new middle name using the marriage certificate instead of having to pursue her own name change through the court system.
Hi! My husband and I live in Michigan, but we got married in Massachusetts in March 2022 and have a Massachusetts marriage license. I left my name as my maiden name on the license because at the time, I was graduating college and didn't want anything to slow down my professional licensing applications.
Now, I want to include my husband's last name (changing mine to two last names vs hyphenating) in Michigan. Can we just apply for a new marriage license in Michigan? Or can we amend the Massachusetts license? I have a feeling we will have to go through the court process in Michigan to change my name at this point. Thanks :)
I don't believe Michigan allows a space-separated last name, so you're looking at going to court.
Not in Michigan. New York may be the closest state that allows this.
You could try and amend your Massachusetts marriage record, but it likely does not meet the necessary requirements, such as a typographical error.
Ok, so originally married in New York, marriage license changed name from birth name to married name. Only changed driver's license, all else (passport, SSN) remained maiden name.
Divorced in New Jersey, documents say I kept married name, which is still only on driver's license.
Married in Hawaii under maiden name. Can I use this document to change driver's license to maiden name, since passport and SSN back it up?
Yes, you can use your Hawaii marriage license to complete your name change, while ignore every other event and document that occurred before your current marriage.
I’m trying to apply for a Chinese tourist visa and since I got married recently, I need to show proof of name change.
I was told that my marriage license/certificate was insufficient because it only shows my maiden name (I got married in Utah where there is no place for married name).
All of my identity documents have my married name already. Do I have to petition in court to get a name change document with my married name?
Hi Annah. Whoever denied your request has a fundamental misunderstanding of how Utah marriage certificates are formatted.
Perhaps you can contact the Utah county clerk's office that issued you your marriage license and certificate for a note on their official letterhead that details how Utah statutes only allow for the current name to be listed on the marriage certificate.
I will try that. Thank you for the answer!
Hello! my fiance and I are getting married in South Carolina (we live in NY), the online marriage application doesn't have a spot for new last name, but I intend to take my current last name as my middle name and his last name as my last. Do I fill out the application with the new names and sign it with my original name?
Thank you so much for this awesome resource, I had no idea where to even look for help with this!
Fill out the application with your current name.
I am an officiant, a wedding that I recently officiated went very well but then when we went to sign the marriage certificate, I had told the bride to sign her maiden name because it is her legal name. The groom agreed with me on this and said that since that is her legal name she needed to sign it that way.
Well the photographer kind of butted in and said no. She needed to sign her new last name. There was a bit of a back and forth. Not much but to save argument as I know the bride was already stressed and I did not want to ruin this occasion I just kept my mouth shut.
The bride then signed her married name and not her maiden name. I am a bit worried as I don't want this to have to come back that their marriage document is not legal due to her signing the wrong name.
I'm not sure what I should do if I should just let it go or ask the bride to put her maiden name in parentheses maybe just so her maiden name is on there?? Or will it be fine that she signed it with her new married name and just let it go?
Oh I should also add we are in Indiana. I have officiated many weddings and have always had the bride sign with their maiden name as that is their legal name. This is the first time I've had someone argue with me about what the bride should sign. Everything I have ever researched and been told has always been the maiden name which is why I'm concerned.
You were right and the photographer was wrong. In Indiana, the married couple should sign their current legal names, and not their intended married names.
Hi Sandra. The bride signing her maiden or married name wouldn't invalidate the marriage, nor would it hinder any subsequent name change she might pursue.
The SSA even allows certain signature discrepancies on their own SS-5 application, which is used for name change purposes.
It would be a minor, understandable signature disparity anyway, as the signed married name could be derived from her printed maiden name and spouse's name.
I got married in 2010 in Minnesota and at that time on the marriage certificate I changed my name to have my new middle name be both my original middle and last names (so I have 2 middle names) and my new last name is just my husband's last name.
I changed my name everywhere this way at that time and that's how my name has appeared on every document, social security, drivers license, taxes, W2s, mortgage, credit reports, car titles, voter registration, etc. for the last 13 years.
I applied for the real ID a few weeks ago and just found out it was denied because my names don't match. Apparently for my name after marriage, the marriage certificate has my middle name as my original middle name and my last name as 2 names – both my original and my husband's last name.
The county office said it's been too long since the marriage to make an amendment to the marriage certificate, so I have to do a legal name change through the court. Is this correct?
How is the marriage certificate incorrect when everything else is correct? I'm so confused how I've never seen/received what they're saying is my "legal name" on any documents or run into any issues with this in the past 13 years.
Hi Trish. Unfortunately, it looks like you'll have to pursue a court-petitioned name change to satisfy REAL ID requirements. The problem you're facing is that you have a new name section on your marriage certificate, yet your specified new middle name doesn't match your preferred middle name. Note, the REAL ID deadline has been extended from May 3, 2023 to May 7, 2025.
Thank you!
I have a similar situation of getting married in Pennsylvania and I used my maiden name on my marriage certificate, live in NJ. On the social security website it says "You must provide a marriage certificate that shows your new name." But you're saying that's not the case and I can bring in my current one along with my driver's license/passport with my maiden name?
Hi Dena. "Shows your new name" doesn't mean your marriage certificate must say current name here and new name here. Your marriage certificate must list sufficient information to construct your new name.
For instance, if you were taking your spouse's last name, the SSA would pull that name from your spouse's current name on the certificate. Like mixing and matching.
Got it, so I should be good with the marriage certificate I have for social security. But for the NJ DMV, it says I need "A certified copy of the court order granting your legal name change".
Do you know if they'll take my marriage certificate and either my updated social security card or a receipt from the social security office?
Yes, your marriage certificate is good for updating your social security card and driver's license.
The official NJ MVC name change page states the following:
So your marriage certificate is sufficient for name change purposes.
Your marriage certificate alone is enough. You don't need to bring your updated social security card or documentation from the SSA.
Hello, My (same-sex) spouse and I married in Denmark in 2021. Can we use the Danish marriage certificate (which is in both Danish and English) as a basis for a name change in the US (we live in NJ)? Thanks!
Yes, your foreign marriage certificate will work fine for changing your name.
I got married in Pennsylvania a while back and am trying to use my marriage certificate from Pennsylvania to change my drivers license last name in California where I live. I have updated my social security card to reflect the last name change but the DMV has turned me away both times when I tried to update California DL.
The first time I was turned away because they didn't like that the way Pennsylvania does the marriage certificate is by taking the marriage license and adding the signature/date/seal (it still says marriage license at the top). They were expecting a completely different document which is not how Pennsylvania handles. I even got a letter from the court in Pennsylvania to explain this but that didn't help.
The second time I tried at a different DMV field office and was turned away because my new last name is not listed anywhere on the marriage certificate. This is how the process in Pennsylvania works, not an omission by me at the time of getting married. Any suggestions on how to handle? I am hoping to not have to go the path of getting a court order. Thanks!
Hi Chad. Two questions: 1) Are you trying to change your name to something more complex than taking your spouse's surname, such as combining a section of both your and your spouse's surnames (current or birth names), and 2) are you sure you presented a certified copy of your marriage record after it was recorded and issued by the clerk's office?
In general, it appears you've encountered agents from two offices who were unaware of how another state's marriage certificate differs from their own.
As you already know, not all states issue marriage certificates that say "certificate." For those states, the marriage license is the certificate. Only the status changes from license to certificate after the marriage is solemnized. The letterhead still shows "license" or "license and certificate of marriage." It's surprising the DMV agent from office #1 wasn't aware of this.
As for the second office, not showing your new name on the certificate is standard for most states, but not for California. Is it possible you encountered two agents from separate offices that live in the California bubble? It's surprising.
You can try another office or return to the same office and ask for a supervisor to override or at least show in writing the rationale for their denial. But make sure that they realize this is a non-California marriage certificate. If they weren't paying close attention and assumed they were looking at a California certificate, their reactions would have been understandable.
I really appreciate your response. In response to your questions. #1, my husband and I are combining and hyphenating our last names. My existing last name will go 2nd. And for #2, the copy that I presented was a certified copy (dated and with raised seal).
Hi Chad. Hyphenating is a standard name change option that should work fine.
I have encountered the same issue for my husband. Got married in 2020 moved 2021 forgot about name changing until recently. He did change it with SSA but DMV will not allow it cause he has to have court approved of name change is what they told us.
We said no we don't. Lady kept arguing with me. That our marriage license needs to have new names and court order stating can do a name change. No PA doesn't do that. They don't do name change.
DMV in NY are giving us issues. Saying we need 6 points to change and you can't change bank without a new ID showing proof of name change. So we are back in circles.
I got married in Nevada in Nov 2022 and when filling out my marriage license I did not fill out the "New Name" portion, so my certified marriage certificate does not have my new name, and lists my maiden name. Will I have problems changing to my married name when I go to the Social Security office, or will they take the certificate as proof of marriage and update my name to my married name? Thanks!
Hi Tori. You can still change your name, but you're now limited to the basic options: take spouse's name or hyphenate.
Married in WI. Only my maiden name shows on my marriage certificate. I did change my last name with SSA & the DMV to my married name, but now want to change my last name back to my maiden name.
Because my marriage certificate shows only my maiden, would I be able to change it again from my married name back to my maiden name with SSA and the DMV without a court order?
That's standard in Wisconsin.
Take a look at the undo name change article.
Hi there. My husband and I were married two weeks ago in Nevada. We reside in California. I missed indicating that I would like to take his last name and now our marriage certificate shows no new designated name for either of us. What do I have to do to change my name? Thank you!
Hi Arzu. Since you're changing your name in California with a non-California marriage license that omits your married name, you're limited to taking your spouse's last name or hyphenating.
Hello. I got married in 2018 in Florida. "Name of spouse" says my last name at that moment which was the same as my maiden surname. Is it right or I should of changed it at that time?
So my application to marry and my certificate of marriage seem to be one page and my new surname isn't mentioned anywhere.
I'm an immigrant, so when I applied for a green card I used my husband's surname and got the green card issued without a problem.
But for traveling purposes I need a certificate of marriage that would clearly show that my name was changed and that I have my husband's surname now. How can I get this type of certificate?
Florida's marriage license application will only ask you for your current legal name and your last name at birth. It will not have a spot to specify your preferred married name.
Your Florida marriage certificate as-is provides sufficient evidence of authority to change your name. It doesn't need to list your new married name next to your first name.
The mere appearance of your husband's name next to yours is enough to extrapolate your married name from your spouse's.
Hello! I have a similar situation, I got married in Florida so my marriage certificate shows just my maiden last name, but on my green card they put my husband's last name.
Right now I want to update my Russian travel passport and it says on their website that: “If the marriage certificate does not contain a record that a Russian citizen has changed his/her surname, such a certificate as a document confirming the change of surname is not a determination. The Advisory Department does not accept any other documents (residence permit (Green Card), passport issued by foreign countries, driver's licenses, certificates, etc.) as evidence of a change of surname.”
What can I do in this situation then? I’ll really appreciate any response. Thank you!
Hi Anastasiia. Florida marriage certificates will only show an applicant's current name at the time the marriage license is issued.
I understand what you've spelled out, but in many instances, there's a written standard and a practical standard.
For instance, many state statutes don't explicitly specify that a person may change their name through marriage, but for all practical purposes, the SSA and state DMVs allow such changes using a marriage certificate.
This might be the case with updating your Russian passport. Your citation makes it seem as though your marriage certificate as-is would be problematic, but are you likely to face real-world resistance?
You can give it a try and explain that Florida marriage license statutes and marriage certificate statutes don't support specifying a new name on the marriage certificate.
New names should be derived from the marriage certificate by extracting the new name from the spouse's name as it appears on the certificate.
Hi, I got married in NY in 2017 but did not elect to change my name at the time, so my marriage certificate just says my maiden name. I'd like to change my name now (planning to use my maiden name as my new middle name and take my husband's last name) but since I did not indicate the name change on the marriage certificate, do I need to petition the court for a name change at this point? Also, is there any issue with having waited so long (6 years) since we got married? Thank you!
Hi Samantha. You can take your maiden name as your middle name while taking your husband's last name as-is or hyphenate, but nothing more elaborate than that. Your new name omission relegates you to the those allowed defaults. And, no, waiting six years or more won't hamper your ability to change your name.
Hi! My husband and I will be getting married in February in Illinois. Do you know if Illinois allows you to declare your new last name on the marriage license and marriage certificate?
I was recently told by a friend to put my husband’s last name on the marriage instead of my maiden name to make it easier to legally change my name after the wedding.
Hi Kara. In Illinois, you do not put your married name on the application. You will be directed to put down your current last name and maiden name.
My husband and I married in 2018 in Iowa. I didn't change my name at the time, but have since changed my mind. We now live in Texas, and I'm wondering if I would need to file a marriage cert amendment with the original county in Iowa, or if it needs to be done locally?
You'd have to file your amendment request with the original custodian of your marriage certificate, which is the Iowa county recorder's office where you applied for your marriage license. But that's unlikely to work, as you're not correcting a typographical error or faulty data.
Hello. My partner and I are getting married today but I realized the marriage license doesn't have my middle names written… it's partly my fault because my passport doesn't have them (administration's mistake at the time) but my birth certificate does.
I completely forgot to write them down during the process of getting the license. Could I redo it with my birth certificate? What should I do? (I I'm in Texas). Thank you so much for all the information.
Hi Audrey. You can contact the county clerk's office where you got your marriage license (which is the same office who will issue your your marriage certificate) about amending your marriage certificate after it's recorded.
My wife and I married in Massachusetts in 2018. For professional reasons, my wife chose to keep her maiden name as her "name after marriage" on the marriage certificate.
She will be taking my last name before we have children, and we've come to realize it probably would've been better to take my name on the marriage cert and just wait to go through the paperwork process later…
We currently live in Virginia, and it seems many states have different rules and procedures for marriage certificates and how they connect the dots to arrive at what's considered a legal name.
Will she be able to change her name with SSA, VA DMV, etc. using our marriage cert, even though she technically chose not to change her name by MA standards? My guess based on reading other comments is we need to petition the court, but I wanted to clarify.
Additionally, how does getting her name changed via the Virginia courts affect our Massachusetts marriage certificate if we are unable to amend her name on it? I assume the cert will still be accepted as valid if we show the proof of name change from VA? Thanks!
Hi David. Your wife will be able to change her last name to your last name in Virginia using the Massachusetts marriage certificate, even though she omitted her new name during the application process.
When there's a new name omission, Virginia (and most states) will allow the base defaults, which is taking your spouse's name and hyphenating.
Even though she didn't omit a new name, but wrote her maiden name as the new name? We wrote her maiden name on the "name after marriage" line of the certificate. It's technically not an omission because we didn't leave it blank. Hope that clarifies.
Hi David. It would be nice to be optimistic and assume the SSA agent who deals with the application would realize the birth, current, and new name are the same and disregard it, but you may want include a note with the application explaining the discrepancy. This may be a case where filing the paperwork in office has advantages over submitting them by mail.
I got married in New Orleans, but we didn't know that they use birth certificate names only for the marriage license. At the time my fiancé had all the paperwork for her legal name change, EXCEPT for the birth certificate because we didn't even know changing birth names was a thing.
So on the license they used her birth name and not her legal new name. She has since corrected her birth name and now I want to change my last name to hers… we live in TX. If the license still shows the old birth name, what do I do?
Hi Megan. If the name your fiancé put on the marriage license application was not her current legal name, then she can contact the parish clerk to issue a corrected marriage certificate.
Keep in mind, Louisiana marriage license applications will ask for both your current legal name as well as your last name at birth.
Now, if you're suggesting your fiancé's last name underwent a legal name change after getting married, while the name on the marriage license was correct at the time, then you have unfortunate timing.
In this instance, you can't use the marriage certificate to change your name. You'll have to petition the court instead. But based on your wording, it's not clear if this is the case. If not, please clarify.
Different situation here…
When we got married (NY) my husband used his maiden name on the marriage certificate. After a few months he changed his last name, he took my last name.
Now we are getting divorce and when I went to fill out the paperwork it asks for the name that is on the certificate, but it isn't his legal name anymore.
What should I do? Should I use the maiden name from the certificate OR use his current last name? His ID and SSN has his new last name.
Thank you
Are you referring to the "Certificate of Dissolution of Marriage" form? If not, could you specify the name of the form so that I could see what it's asking for in greater context?
Hello. My husband and I both reside in California, but got married in NJ. We have a copy of our marriage certificate – but no where on the license or certificate was there a place to file for my new requested name.
All copies and documents I filled out and signed with my current maiden name. I even asked the registrar if I filled out the applicant correctly for a name change after and they said to contact Social Security office.
I plan on going in person this week but am so nervous… especially being on complete opposite coasts. I've also read I will need to file a court order if my documents do not show the name change. I would like to take my husbands last name. Any advice is helpful. Thank you.
The SSA is context-aware and understands that your NJ marriage certificate will only show your current name and maiden name. You'll be able to change your name fine using it as-is.
Had you gotten married in California instead and omitted your new married name, then you'd have to obtain a court order to change your name.
We got married by proxy in Montana in 2022. I elected not to change my name at the time on the paperwork, but the marriage certificate doesn't have a space for new names. Do I need to file in court to change my name now?
Hi Kelsey. You can use your marriage certificate as-is to complete your name change.
Hello,
I got married in 2018 in CA. On my marriage certificate I kept my full name and added my husbands last name without the hyphen. I never changed my name on any documentation and am thinking about doing it now since we moved to AZ.
I now wish to only have one last name on my license. I was told since I technically have two last names on my marriage certificate, when I go to the DMV or social security office I can choose to pick just one. Does that sound correct?
Also, if I changed my middle name to my maiden name and just took my husbands last name, would that be a legal name change and have to go through the courts.
Thanks so much for your time & help!
Hi Lindsay. The SSA will only change to the new name shown on your marriage certificate. If you want to deviate from that (i.e., middle name or last name), you'll have to petition the court. The DMV doesn't much matter, since they'll require the name on your driver's license to match what's on your social security record.
Hi!
I got married February 16, 2024. I can't remember if I elected to change my name when filling out the application, I'm pretty sure I did fill in my new last name as this was very important to me to take my husband's last name.
We recently received our marriage license and my maiden name is what is listed. The line underneath for my new name is blank and a little box is checked stating new name is the same as previous name.
Will I have a problem changing my name with SSA and the DMV due to this? I am calling the town clerk tomorrow as it's Sunday and very late. I really don't want to get re married but will if it's the only way to change my name on other documents.
If the town clerks office made an error is it an easy fix? And if I somehow missed the spot on the application and left it blank, is re marrying the only way?
Thanks!
Hi Amanda. If the clerk made a mistake by omitting your new name on your marriage certificate, they would have to issue an amended certificate without charge. They could verify this by reviewing your marriage application on file.
Hello,
My husband and I were married in Arizona in 2022. At the time I signed my marriage license/certificate using my birth/maiden last name and was not advised to sign it using my new last name.
I always intended on changing my last name to my husband’s last name but put it off for professional reasons.
We currently live in Montana. Will Montana accept my Arizona marriage certificate as is? Or do I need to get a revised marriage certificate?
Thanks, Jules
Hi Jules. Your Arizona marriage certificate will work fine in Montana, as Arizona's marriage license application doesn't have a new name section to fill out anyway.
My husband and I got married July of 2023. I have not changed my last name yet due to personal reasons that we had talked about but want to finally do so. I submitted a request with SSA but I feel like I'm missing a step before that.
We live in Missouri. My maiden name is on the marriage license, and I do not remember checking a box or filling anything out about my new last name when we applied for it. Is submitting through SSA enough or do I need to contact county clerk?
Hi Mykayla. You can submit your name change directly to the SSA, as Missouri marriage certificates don't list "new name" fields.
Hello!
I am in a similar situation to a few others here. My husband and I were married in CA in 2016 and I hyphenated my last name for professional reasons. This is reflected on my marriage certificate and is the name on my social security card.
Since we have a child, I would like to take my husband's last name. We currently live in NV. Will I need to do a name change order in NV or CA? How does this work when the marriage certificate is from a different state?
Thank you for your help!
HI Samantha. If your name is hyphenated on your marriage certificate, that's what the SSA will use to change your name.
You should change your name in the state where you live, not the state where you got married. The process is the same either way.
Hi! I was married in NV and then moved to MS. I changed my name through the SS office to first name-maiden name (as new middle)-new last name. No issues.
Recently moved to KS and they will not issue me a DL because the marriage certificate from NV didn't designate a new name (so I'd have to just take husbands last name or hyphenate). But SS was changed years ago and did not catch this. What are my options to get everything sorted?
Hi LB. From the details you've provided I assume "new last name" is neither your husband's last name or a hyphenated variant. So that leaves you choosing an entirely new last name or a segmented name. If that's the last name you changed to, then that would go against SSA guidelines, especially since you didn't choose a new last name on your Nevada marriage license application.
If this is the case, Kansas has no basis to change your name. You may want to correct your last name with the SSA to your husband's last name or hyphenate (assuming that's an acceptable transition). Then you can return to the driver's license office to change your name to match your updated social security record.
The alternative to that is to petition the court to your true preferred name, which will be accepted by all federal and state institutions in perpetuity.
Hello,
I got married two years ago in CA. The person swearing us in asked if I wanted to change my last name later (instead of right then and there), and he said he was going to checkmark or do something so it would be easier for me to change my last name in the future when I was ready. Now I'm ready & I have no idea if he really did anything?
The Social Security website says "You must provide a marriage certificate that shows your new name. We may ask to see identity documents showing the new name and the old name. You can use expired documents with your old name."
I would appreciate some clarity on the matter if you could!
Also, debating if I should use that new concept, NewlyNamed. Do you think it's worth the money?
Thank you!
It preserved the option for you to change your name through marriage. Had they not notated your new name, you'd have to go to court to change your name.
Your California marriage certificate should designate your pre- and post-marriage name.
Your marriage certificate should show this.
If you were married within the past two years, the SSA may accept your marriage certificate alone as proof of ID. This makes changing your name by mail more convenient by not having to mail out your driver's license or passport.
Like this website, they're a name change service that offers convenience and consolidation. It's up to you whether or not it's worth it.
Hi there,
I'm in a predicament for my mother whom I'm Health and Durable POA for. She's a legal resident with a I-551 old type green card with her maiden name (these types of green cards have no expiration). However CA DL expired and I noticed her name was incorrectly done.
I have moved my mom to NV to be with me since my father passed. Am going to the DMV this week and want to get her a current NV ID but to get the ID requirments say to have to provide proof of identify.
Since her green card is her maiden name, I need a marriage certificate. So I got her apostilled marriage certificate (luckily my parents got married in Vegas) however it doesn't show a name change or any place where there would be one!
This website says NV is one of the 15 states that specifies a name change. She got married back in the 80's so were marriage certificates done differently then?
Curious if I bring all this documentation to the DMV will they give me any hang-ups regarding her last name to be done correctly or will they consider this a name change I have to go to the courts for. Sorry if it sounds confusing. I'm confused as well.
Hi Mik. Marriage certificates were different back when your mom was married, and would only show her current name and married name at the time of application.
Marriage certificate is missing help to document certificate.
Hi Ashokan. Which state and county was your marriage certificate obtain from?
Hi,
I married in NYS this summer and somehow didn't add my new surname on the license, so my marriage certificate has a box checked stating I was keeping my maiden name as my surname.
I was still somehow able to legally change my name with SSA and DMV (But DMV wont issue me a real ID bc of the box being checked). Now because my names already been changed the clerk is telling me they can't fix the marriage certificate. Do you know what my next steps/options are?
Hi Sarah. You can look into applying for a new marriage license and getting remarried. It works like a marriage vow renewal, but with official paperwork and a reissued certificate. If your clerk's office doesn't provide that, you're looking at obtaining a court ordered name change.
I married overseas but did not adopt my husbands last name, I then went to Social security and I showed proof of marriage certificate and they changed my name, now the country I got married in will not accept my name change as they say social security does not have authority to change my name.
How do you prove internationally that social security has the authority in the US to change your name. Living in California. It's been 29 years since my ss name change, and 3 us pasports later, and 4 Driver Licenses later
See SSA POMS Evidence Requirements and Evidence of Name Change based on a Foreign Marriage.