Change Your Name After Marriage

After getting married, many people choose to change their last name. Some take on their spouse's last name, and some combine last names (either by hyphenating or making their maiden name their middle name). Changing your name is a pretty straightforward process, whether you live in the US, the UK, Ireland, Canada, Australia, or New Zealand. Start at Step 1 if you live in the US, or skip to the appropriate method if you live elsewhere.

Steps

Changing Your Name in the US

  1. Get a few extra copies of your marriage certificate. They can easily be obtained by a quick trip to your county clerk (where you got married, that is). Each copy must be certified, which is why you can't change your name until after you're officially married. This is the most important piece of your name changing exercise. And the hardest (so the rest must be super simple).
    • If your state has the ability to issue both a short-form marriage certificate and a long-form marriage certificate (which contains your parents' information and places of birth), make sure you get the long-form marriage certificate. You'll need it when you go to the Social Security office.
  2. Fill out the Social Security form SS-5. This is an application to update your Social Security information. To be approved, you will need several original documents (not photocopies) besides your marriage certificate, proving your age, identity, and U.S. citizenship or lawful immigration status (like a driver's license or passport). If you aren’t a U.S. citizen and don’t have DHS work authorization, you will need to prove that you have a valid reason for requesting a card.[1]
    • The SS office is usually packed with people who have complicated issues to resolve. Get there before the office opens and be prepared to be there for a while. Make it even snappier by going in with a form already completed, which you can find online.[1]
    • Within 10 days of filing your name change form, the Social Security Administration will notify the Internal Revenue Service. This is important because if you file a tax return with your new name without the IRS being notified, your return will be rejected.[2]
  3. Update your driver's license. The Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) or equivalent should be stop number two. Look on your state's DMV website for the forms to fill out so you'll be prepared when you go. You may actually have to re-apply for your driver’s license using a basic application and cross-reference your current license on the form; again, this varies depending on your state. They may even want to take a new picture and update all your information.
    • Be sure to have your marriage license with you as they will use this to prove your new name. Include your new address, too, if you and your spouse are living in a new location.
    • See what you need to do to change your vehicle title/registration. If you don't own your car (for example, because you have a loan out on it), you will likely have to fill out paperwork to send to your lien holder, who will then submit it to the DMV for change. Check with your lien holder for more information.
    • If hell existed on Earth, it would be at the DMV. Bring something with you to occupy your time, or you'll be regretting that ring around your finger.
  4. Update your name everywhere else. Once you have your new forms of ID in hand (both the SS office and the DMV take an average of two to three weeks to send your new cards), you can change your name with all the other agencies, as necessary. For example, if your paycheck is automatically deposited, you’ll have to add your new name to your account before you change it with your employer. Be extra diligent in informing your creditors, who might think you’ve stopped paying your bills if they don’t find out soon enough. Here is a list to get you started:
    • Place of employment
    • Banks
    • Credit card companies
    • Passport
    • Insurance companies (health, home, fire, flood, vehicle, renters, life, etc.)
    • Doctors (GP, ob/gyn, dentist, etc.)
    • Utility companies (cable, phone, Internet, gas, electric, etc.)
    • Cellphone company
    • School, if you are actively enrolled
    • Student loans
    • Alumni associations
    • Club memberships (Costco, gym, grocery store cards, etc.)
  5. Finished! Nope, you probably don't have to go to court to file a petition. In very, very rare circumstances you may have to, but the majority of newlyweds don't have to worry about it.[3] The hardest part of changing your name is simply waiting in line!
    • If you do need a court order, it's not a scary process. A trip back to that same county clerk will get you started. They'll be able to direct you from there.

Changing Your Name in the UK

  1. Start using your new name. In comparison to the US, changing your name in the UK is a piece of cake. There's no legal process you have to go through to change it. Just start using it! However, if you want (or need) evidence, it can take on four forms:
    • A letter from a responsible person
    • A public announcement
    • A statutory declaration
    • A deed poll
  2. If you do need proof, order several official copies of your marriage certificate. Some official bodies (for example, the Identity & Passport Service, and the DVLA) will insist on seeing an original, while for others a photocopy will suffice. Call to make sure.
    • You can normally use your marriage certificate to change your name. Your marriage certificate is sufficient evidence when you want to change your name to:[4]
      • Your partner's surname
      • Your partner's surname, but keeping your maiden name as a middle name
      • A double-barrelled name formed from you and your partner's surnames
  3. If you want to make any other sort of evidenced change to your name, change your name by deed poll. You can get the form from the law stationers, go online or have a solicitor prepare it for you (fees will be incurred). It is just a document that says you are abandoning your previous name, you will use your new name at all times, and that you require all persons to address you by your new name only.[5]
    • The UK Deed Poll Office and the Legal Deed Poll Service charge less than £15, but it could cost up to £35 at other, bigger agencies.[5]
    • You can choose to get the deed poll enrolled by going to the Central Office of the Supreme Court. This step is optional -- but if you want it to be super official, on the record in very permanent ink and able to make copies and whatnot, this is the route to go.
  4. Notify all organisations and bodies that hold your information in their records. You may be committing fraud if you don't tell persons with whom you have contractual or legislatively obligated relations (although the common law may protect your choice of name usage). Find out whether each body needs to see the original marriage certificate, or whether you can send a photocopy. It's also a good idea to include a reference by which the organisation can identify you (for example, your account or policy number). Here is a list to get you started:
    • Employer
    • Inland Revenue (obtain your reference and address from your employer)
    • Department for Work and Pensions
    • GP
    • Dentist
    • DVLA
    • Identity & Passport Service
    • Building Society (mortgage and/or savings accounts)
    • Credit card and store charge-card companies
    • Bank/finance or loan companies
    • National savings and investments
    • Companies that you have shares in
    • Pension companies
    • Insurance companies (for example, motor, medical, life, property, property contents etc.).

Changing Your Name in Ireland

  1. Use your new name. There are only minute differences between the process in the UK and in Ireland. Both allow you to use your new name as you see fit with no legal process required, but it can be officially done by deed poll, if desired.
    • The deed poll is the same -- a simple statement that you want this new name and that people must call you by it. The purpose of it is to avoid confusion down the road; you can attach it to your birth certificate, make administrative processes easier, etc., etc., and so forth.[6]
  2. Obtain several official copies of your marriage certificate, if proof is desired or necessary. Some official authorities will require an original, while for others a photocopy will suffice. Call the agency at hand to make sure.
  3. Change your name by Deed Poll. Any adult can complete one at any time. (A non-citizen must first obtain a licence for a Deed Poll by contacting the Change of Name Licence Section at The Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform.) In Ireland, you can either get a solicitor do a Deed Poll for you or you can do one yourself. Note that to do your own, you must:[7]
    • Get the necessary documents in person from the Judgments Section of the Central Office of the High Court
      • Their hours are ridiculous. 10 - 12:30 PM on Tuesdays and Thursdays.[7] Sheesh.
    • Bring your original birth certificate as well as your marriage certificate and a photo I.D. such as your driving licence or passport.
    • Bring the affidavit to a solicitor or a Commissioner for Oaths (for a small charge)
    • Bring the completed documents back to the Judgments Section in the Central Office of the High Court in person
    • Pay stamp duty (€35)[7]
  4. Update the relevant organisations. Be sure to include a copy of your marriage certificate as well as a number by which the agency or organization can identify you (for example, account or policy number). Here is a list to get you started:
    • Employer
    • Inland Revenue (obtain your reference and address from your employer)
    • Department of Health & Social Security (write to the Contributions Agency at your local Social Security Office)
    • Doctor/dentist
    • Passport Office
    • Building society (mortgage and/or savings accounts)
    • Credit card and store charge-card companies
    • Bank and finance/loan companies
    • Premium bond office
    • Investment companies/companies that you have shares in
    • Pension company
    • Insurance companies (for example, motor, medical, life, property, property contents, etc)

Changing Your Name in Canada

  1. Visit your province's website. Unfortunately, the process for changing your name varies depending on where you live. Quebec is the strictest and looks at each proposal on a case-by-case basis. But if you're not changing your name to something like R2D2 Queen Elizabeth Urinetown III, Esquire Jr. Dot Com, you'll be in the clear.
    • If not done within 90 days after your wedding, the Northwest territories come in at a whopping $10 for the application, while Prince Edward Island and British Columbia will put you out over $180. Have you considered moving, instead?
  2. Complete the Election to Change Surname form specific to your province or territory. This changes the name on your birth certificate. If you do this within 90 days of getting married, there is no charge.[8]
    • You can submit the form to the ministry of government services, court of justice, registrar of civil status, or vital statistics office, depending on where you live. In some cases, you need a witness and to give fingerprints. Again, visit your area's website for specific information. It's not impossible, it's just tedious.
  3. Use your marriage certificate to change all your identification. If you are a woman, your maiden name remains your legal name. This is the most common practice in Canada. Name changes are only traditional and never assumed.[9] Documentation to update may include your:
    • Health card
    • Driver's license
    • Passport
    • Banking information
    • Credit cards

Changing Your Name in Australia

  1. Use your new name. Australia is similar to UK and Ireland in that if you use a different name, it's legal. Many women opt to use their husband's name in social circles but retain their maiden name on their official identification. However, if you want to use your new name anywhere any everywhere, all you need is your marriage certificate.
    • The only exception to this rule is if you're taking on a new name entirely. Then, you need to stick to the standard name changing process the non-newlywed Australians must adhere to.
  2. Use your marriage certificate to change your identification. If you were married in Australia, you don’t need to register a name change. However, note that if you were married in Victoria, you will need to apply for a marriage certificate by filling out an application form, providing proof of identity, and paying a fee.
    • Showing your marriage certificate will work with most major documentation, such as changing your passport or your driver’s licence. Documentation to update may include your:
      • Health card
      • Driver's license
      • Passport
      • Banking information
      • Credit cards
  3. If you were married overseas, obtain a name change the normal way. Unfortunately, Australia won't issue you a marriage certificate if you get married elsewhere, and that certificate is your golden ticket to ride. Because of this, you'll need to change your name by filling out various forms and receiving your Change of Name certificate.
    • There are "wedding kits" available online to help you change your name for you. Obviously, they aren't free -- but they may make the process a bit easier.

Changing Your Name in New Zealand

  1. Register the name change with Births, Deaths and Marriages. You can find the name change form online and it's just a simple declaration.[10] There is a fee associated with this, for the record (currently it's NZ$127.70, for typical situations). The name change applies also to a civil union.
    • If you were born in New Zealand, this is super easy; you just need the form. If you weren't, you'll need proof of identity, generally your passport and birth certificate.[11]
  2. Obtain a name change certificate. Once you've registered your name change, you'll need proof. At the same place you filed for a name change, ask for a certificate. It currently costs NZ$26.50. Once you have one, you're all set![10] You can then go about proving your new identity.
  3. Apply to the various agencies and organisations to update your information. If you don't, you may run into legal mumbo jumbo. Documentation to update may include your:
    • Health card
    • Driver's license
    • Passport
    • Banking information
    • Credit cards

Tips

  • If you're a licensed professional (doctor, lawyer, even a dental hygienist or massage therapist), you will have to register a name change with the licensing boards and any associated organizations, many of which ask for a marriage certificate or other proof of your change of name. If you have an established career in your field, you may want to keep your old name for professional purposes.
  • After you change your name with the bank, order new checks (cheques).
  • If you have automatic payments set up (for example, your gym charges your credit card on the first of every month) update your billing information when you get the new card.
  • Note that in the UK, you can change your name on your passport up to three months before you get married in order to facilitate international honeymoon travel.[12]

Warnings

  • Beware of identity theft. It is not unheard of for not-so-nice people to steal your old name. Because of your marriage, your old name is not entirely gone for good and can be linked to your new name. Make sure you shred or otherwise destroy any unnecessary documentation for your old name.
  • If you're going on your honeymoon after the wedding, make sure your papers match your name! If you don't have time, change it after the vacation.
  • Beware of any non-governmental fees for changing your name. There shouldn’t be any in most cases. If there are, make sure you are dealing with a reputable company and everything is on the up-and-up. Some government agencies may charge a fee to issue documents in your new name, but many will not.
  • Don't order your credit cards before you have your new ID. If you get carded on a purchase, you won't have an ID to match.

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 http://www.socialsecurity.gov/online/ss-5.pdf - US Social Security form SS-5 (PDF)
  2. ↑ Bankrate article on changing your name
  3. ↑ http://www.courts.ca.gov/1051.htm
  4. ↑ http://deed-poll-office.org.uk/advice/woman-getting-married Deed Poll Office - Advice for a woman on getting married
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 http://www.theguardian.com/money/2013/feb/06/changing-your-name-dos-and-donts
  6. ↑ http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/birth_family_relationships/problems_in_marriages_and_other_relationships/changing_your_name_by_deed_poll.html
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 http://www.courts.ie/offices.nsf/0/B43B2E45023B633B802573D10045B030?OpenDocument - Central Office of the High Court’s information on Deed Polls
  8. ↑ http://www.ontario.ca/en/information_bundle/individuals/ONT06_018602 Ontario.ca, On changing your name
  9. ↑ http://www.ontario.ca/en/information_bundle/individuals/119599 Ontario.ca, On assuming your spouse’s name
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 http://www.dia.govt.nz/diawebsite.nsf/wpg_URL/Services-Births-Deaths-and-Marriages-Forms-Fees-and-Information-Brochures?OpenDocument#six
  11. ↑ http://www.dia.govt.nz/Services-Births-Deaths-and-Marriages-Changing-a-Name?OpenDocument#five
  12. ↑ http://www.weddingguideuk.com/articles/legal/changingyourpassport.asp - Wedding Guide UK on changing your passport
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