Name change after marriage in Indiana

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Marriage certificate

• The Indiana Department of Health sends anyone who needs a certified copy of a marriage license to the Clerk of Court in the county that issued it.³
• When the issuing county is unknown, the Indiana Department of Health points to the Indiana Courts’ Marriage License Public Lookup and two Indiana State Library marriage databases.³
• The Indiana Department of Health sells copies of the state’s Record of Marriage through State Form 54764.³

Driver's license

• Indiana requires a driver whose name changes to visit a BMV branch within 30 days for an updated license, and the change cannot be made online.¹
• The Indiana BMV wants the new name updated with the Social Security Administration first, and at least one business day to pass before the branch visit.¹
• A marriage license is the first item on the Indiana BMV list of documents that support a legal name change.¹
• The Indiana BMV accepts only original documents or certified copies from the agency that issued them.¹
• The legal name and date of birth on documents shown at the Indiana BMV must match Social Security Administration records.¹
• Any change to what is printed on an Indiana license, including the name, means a new photo is taken at the branch.¹

Voter registration

• Indiana residents with a valid Indiana driver license or state ID card can update an existing voter registration online at indianavoters.in.gov.⁵
• Indiana voters can also apply in person at any BMV license branch while getting a driver license, permit or ID card.⁵
• If no voter card or county notice arrives within about 30 days, Indiana tells voters to call their county voter registration office.⁵
• Under Indiana Code 3-11-4-5.1, a voter can change the name on a voter record by marking the change on any absentee ballot application.⁶
• Indiana counties do not update voter records while registration is closed, with exceptions such as an approved absentee ballot application that includes a name change.⁶

Social Security

• The Social Security Administration recommends updating your Social Security record before you go to your state motor vehicle office.²
• Social Security suggests waiting until the state has recorded the marriage, which takes about 30 days in most cases.²
• For proof of identity, Social Security prefers a U.S. driver license and also accepts a state ID card or a U.S. passport.²
• Social Security treats a marriage certificate as the ideal proof of both the new legal name and the marriage.²
• Social Security accepts only original documents or copies certified by the issuing agency, never photocopies or notarized copies.²
• Social Security does not charge for a card with the new name.⁴
• Once Social Security completes the request, the replacement card arrives by mail in 5 to 10 business days.⁷
• People who cannot use Social Security’s online services fill in the paper Form SS-5 and show the required documents.⁸

Passport

• USAGov says to report a name change to the U.S. Department of State as soon as possible to get an updated passport.⁹
• 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.¹⁰
• 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.¹⁰
• 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.¹¹
• 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.¹¹
• 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.¹¹
• 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.¹²

Voter registration

• A voter registration can be updated online through vote.gov or by mail with the National Mail Voter Registration Form.⁹

Agencies

• USAGov advises telling Social Security early because other agencies learn of name changes through the SSA.⁹
• Every name on a federal tax return must match Social Security records.⁹

• 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 Indiana 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.