How to change your name: the steps, in order
To change your name, do these five steps in order: get your name-change document → change Social Security → update your driver's license / REAL ID → change your passport → update banks and everything else. Social Security comes first because state DMVs verify your name against its records. The Social Security card is free, and the passport is free too within one year of issuance.
The process is the same whether you're changing your name after marriage, after a divorce, or for another reason — only the first document differs. Below is the ordered process, with the real .gov page behind every step, so you walk in with exactly what each agency asks for.
What is the name-change process, step by step?
Take it one step at a time. Each one clears the way for the next.
Get your name-change document
This is the one document that proves your new name. After marriage it's a certified marriage certificate; after divorce it's a certified copy of your divorce decree; for any other reason it's a county-court order. Agencies require an original or issuing-agency-certified copy — not a photocopy — so order a few certified copies up front.
Change your name with Social Security (free)
Update your Social Security card first. It's free, and it's the step everything else depends on: state DMVs verify your name and SSN against Social Security's records, so doing this first prevents a rejection on a mismatch.
Update your driver's license / REAL ID
Bring your updated Social Security record and your name-change document to your state DMV. REAL ID has been enforced since May 7, 2025, so the DMV needs a document that traces your old name to your new one. The exact list of documents varies by state.
Change your passport (mind the 1-year window)
If your passport was issued less than a year ago, the name change is free with Form DS-5504 and your name-change document. Older than a year, it's a paid renewal. You mail in your current passport, so plan the passport step around any international travel.
Update banks and everything else
Last, update your banks, employer or payroll, insurance, voter registration, and memberships. These don't gate the earlier steps, so they come at the end — but they're the longest list, so a checklist helps you not miss any.
Get the exact steps for your reason
The order above is universal. For the precise document and the details that change by reason, follow your path:
See your exact steps free
Answer a few quick questions and we'll tell you what to do first, second, and third for your exact situation — each step linked to the real .gov page. No account, no card.
Frequently asked questions
- What's the first step to changing your name?
- Getting your name-change document — a certified marriage certificate, a certified divorce decree, or a court order. Once you have it, you change Social Security first, because every agency after that checks your name against Social Security's records.
- What is the correct order to change your name?
- Your name-change document, then Social Security, then your driver's license / REAL ID, then your passport, then banks and everything else. The order matters: if you update the DMV before Social Security, the name verification can fail.
- How long does the name-change process take?
- Social Security cites roughly 5 to 14 business days for a new card; a passport runs several weeks; the DMV is usually same-visit once your Social Security record is updated. Banks and other accounts are quick once your ID matches. Plan the whole chain around any upcoming travel.
- Can I change my name online?
- Some steps have online options and some don't, and it depends on your state and situation. Social Security and the DMV often require an in-person or by-mail step with your original document. The forms themselves are free on the official .gov sites; you never pay the government for the forms.
Not legal advice · Not a government service · Not affiliated with any government agency.