Name change after marriage in California

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Marriage certificate

• The California Department of Public Health charges $19 for each certified copy of a marriage certificate ordered by mail.⁴
• CDPH Vital Records issues certified copies only for public marriages from 1905 to 1999, 2001 and 2008 to 2025; for other years, Californians go to the county recorder.⁴
• Certified copies of a California confidential marriage record come only from the county clerk that issued the license, and only the two spouses can order them.⁴
• Riverside County charges $19.00 for a marriage certificate, public or confidential, under fees effective January 1, 2026.⁶
• San Bernardino County charges $19 for a marriage certificate ordered by mail.⁷
• The Orange County Clerk-Recorder charges $19.00 for a certified copy of a marriage certificate.⁸

Driver's license

• The California DMV verifies a new name with the Social Security Administration first, so Social Security must already show the new name.¹
• If the Social Security record does not match, the California DMV denies the application and mails a Request for Verification of Information letter.¹
• A California name change on a driver license is finished only at a DMV field office, with or without an appointment.¹
• The California DMV fee to change the information on a Class C driver license is $37.²
• At the field office, the California DMV asks for the current license and the proof documents, the licensing fee and a thumbprint scan.¹
• California hands out a temporary driver license valid for 60 days and mails the new card within 3 to 4 weeks.¹

Passport

• The U.S. Department of State charges no fee for Form DS-5504 unless the applicant asks for expedited service or 1–2 day delivery.⁹
• The State Department fee for renewing a passport book on Form DS-82 is $130.¹⁰

Voter registration

• Californians who legally change their name must re-register to vote so the voter record shows the new name.¹¹
• The California Secretary of State recommends updating the driver license or ID card with the DMV before re-registering under the new name.¹¹
• A Californian re-registering online before the DMV record changes should decline the DMV signature option, or the county elections official will reject the application.¹¹

Social Security

• The Social Security Administration recommends updating your Social Security record before you go to your state motor vehicle office.³
• Social Security suggests waiting until the state has recorded the marriage, which takes about 30 days in most cases.³
• For proof of identity, Social Security prefers a U.S. driver license and also accepts a state ID card or a U.S. passport.³
• Social Security treats a marriage certificate as the ideal proof of both the new legal name and the marriage.³
• Social Security accepts only original documents or copies certified by the issuing agency, never photocopies or notarized copies.³
• Social Security does not charge for a card with the new name.⁵
• Once Social Security completes the request, the replacement card arrives by mail in 5 to 10 business days.¹²
• People who cannot use Social Security’s online services fill in the paper Form SS-5 and show the required documents.¹³

Passport

• USAGov says to report a name change to the U.S. Department of State as soon as possible to get an updated passport.¹⁴
• Form DS-5504 covers a name change by marriage when the passport was issued less than one year ago and the name changed within that year.⁹
• The U.S. Department of State charges no fee for Form DS-5504 unless the applicant asks for expedited service or 1–2 day delivery.⁹
• Form DS-82, the mail-in passport renewal, accepts a married name when the applicant sends certified proof such as a certified copy of the marriage certificate.¹⁵
• Renewing with Form DS-82 requires sending the most recent passport, issued when the applicant was at least 16 and less than 15 years ago.¹⁵
• An applicant who cannot document the name change with a certified marriage certificate, divorce decree or court order must apply on Form DS-11 instead.¹⁵
• Form DS-11 is filed in person at a passport acceptance facility, at a passport agency by appointment, or at a U.S. embassy or consulate abroad.¹⁶

Voter registration

• A voter registration can be updated online through vote.gov or by mail with the National Mail Voter Registration Form.¹⁴

Agencies

• USAGov advises telling Social Security early because other agencies learn of name changes through the SSA.¹⁴
• Every name on a federal tax return must match Social Security records.¹⁴

• Form SS-5 filled in from your answersYou print it, sign it and bring it to Social Security with your documents. The form itself is free on ssa.gov.
• The passport application for your case, filled inPicked from your answers about your current passport; the State Department’s fees are paid to the State Department. The application also needs a recent color photo, which the kit doesn’t include: U.S. passport photo rules, and a photo from a selfie.
• The California checklistThe steps above in order, with the deadline, the fee and the official page for each one.
• Notification lettersFor your bank, employer, insurer and other accounts, with your old and new names.

The kit does not file anything for you and is not legal advice. Government fees, like the license fee and the county copy of your marriage record, are paid directly to each office.