Name change after marriage in Nevada

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Marriage certificate

• Nevada keeps marriage records at the county level: the Office of Vital Records sends people to the County Recorder in the county where the license was purchased for certified copies.⁶
• The Nevada DMV notes that marriage certificates are filed with the County Clerk in Clark County and with the County Recorder in every other county.¹
• The Nevada Office of Vital Records can only verify marriages that took place between 1968 and September 2005.⁶
• A marriage verification from the Nevada Office of Vital Records costs $10 per name searched.⁶

Driver's license

• The Nevada DMV checks name, birth date and Social Security number electronically with the SSA and asks drivers to allow at least 2 business days after the SSA update before coming in.¹
• The Nevada Driver’s Handbook says state law gives drivers 30 days to tell the DMV about a name change.²
• Nevada name changes must be made in person at a DMV office.²
• The Nevada DMV suggests making an appointment before the name-change visit.³
• The Nevada DMV wants the current license and the original legal document authorizing the change; an updated Social Security card is not enough.¹
• For a married name, the Nevada DMV requires a certified marriage certificate and does not accept the marriage license issued before the ceremony.¹
• The Nevada DMV prints the married name exactly as it appears on the certified certificate, with no variations or other spellings.¹
• When a Nevada marriage certificate lists no new name, the DMV lets the driver take the spouse’s last name, hyphenate the two last names, or move the current last name to the middle and take the spouse’s.¹
• Nevada charges $8.50 to change information other than the address on a non-commercial license.⁴
• On the Nevada name-change page, the fee is $8.50 for a non-commercial license, $7.50 for an ID card and $12.50 for a commercial license, with application form DMV 002.¹

Voter registration

• The Nevada Secretary of State asks voters who change their name to submit another voter application, and points them to Vote.NV.gov to update a registration.⁸
• Nevada’s online voter registration requires a driver’s license or ID issued by the Nevada DMV.⁸
• A paper Nevada voter registration form goes by mail or by hand to the county clerk or registrar of voters.⁸

Social Security

• The Social Security Administration recommends updating your Social Security record before you go to your state motor vehicle office.⁵
• Social Security suggests waiting until the state has recorded the marriage, which takes about 30 days in most cases.⁵
• For proof of identity, Social Security prefers a U.S. driver license and also accepts a state ID card or a U.S. passport.⁵
• Social Security treats a marriage certificate as the ideal proof of both the new legal name and the marriage.⁵
• Social Security accepts only original documents or copies certified by the issuing agency, never photocopies or notarized copies.⁵
• Social Security does not charge for a card with the new name.⁷
• Once Social Security completes the request, the replacement card arrives by mail in 5 to 10 business days.⁹
• People who cannot use Social Security’s online services fill in the paper Form SS-5 and show the required documents.¹⁰

Passport

• USAGov says to report a name change to the U.S. Department of State as soon as possible to get an updated passport.¹¹
• 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.¹²
• 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.¹²
• 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.¹³
• 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.¹³
• 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.¹³
• 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.¹⁴

Voter registration

• A voter registration can be updated online through vote.gov or by mail with the National Mail Voter Registration Form.¹¹

Agencies

• USAGov advises telling Social Security early because other agencies learn of name changes through the SSA.¹¹
• Every name on a federal tax return must match Social Security records.¹¹

• 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 Nevada 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.