Name change after marriage in Oklahoma

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Marriage certificate

• In Oklahoma, marriage records are issued and filed by the court clerk of the county where the marriage was filed, while the state Office of Vital Records handles only births and deaths.⁵
• The Oklahoma State Department of Health refers anyone who needs a copy of a marriage certificate to the county court clerk.⁵

Driver's license

• Oklahoma law requires a licensee whose name changes by marriage to apply to Service Oklahoma for a replacement license within ten days.¹
• Section 6-114 of Title 47 sets the price of an Oklahoma replacement license at $25.¹
• Service Oklahoma does not accept name changes online: the driver visits a Licensed Operator or Licensing Office for a duplicate, which is then mailed.²
• Service Oklahoma charges $25 to request a duplicate license.²
• Many Service Oklahoma Licensing Offices serve walk-in customers.²
• When marriage makes a name differ from the identity document, Service Oklahoma asks for legal proof of every name change.³
• Service Oklahoma takes name-change papers only as originals or certified copies, refuses notarized copies, and wants one document for each change.³
• An official government-issued marriage certificate or license is on Service Oklahoma’s list of accepted name-change documents.³
• Service Oklahoma may ask for a Social Security number, but the physical Social Security card is not required.³

Voter registration

• The Oklahoma State Election Board lists the OK Voter Portal and an opt-in at the local tag agency, during a license or ID transaction, as ways to update a voter registration.⁷
• An Oklahoma voter registration application can also be downloaded and mailed or hand delivered to the County Election Board.⁷
• Oklahoma asks voters who request a change to include their previous registration details, the former name among them.⁷
• Oklahoma law freezes voter registration changes during the 24 days before an election in the precinct.⁷
• An Oklahoma registration change that arrives after the cutoff is held and processed right after the election.⁷
• Oklahoma mails a new voter ID card once a change is approved; if it has not come within 30 days, the voter should call the County Election Board.⁷

Social Security

• The Social Security Administration recommends updating your Social Security record before you go to your state motor vehicle office.⁴
• Social Security suggests waiting until the state has recorded the marriage, which takes about 30 days in most cases.⁴
• For proof of identity, Social Security prefers a U.S. driver license and also accepts a state ID card or a U.S. passport.⁴
• Social Security treats a marriage certificate as the ideal proof of both the new legal name and the marriage.⁴
• Social Security accepts only original documents or copies certified by the issuing agency, never photocopies or notarized copies.⁴
• Social Security does not charge for a card with the new name.⁶
• Once Social Security completes the request, the replacement card arrives by mail in 5 to 10 business days.⁸
• People who cannot use Social Security’s online services fill in the paper Form SS-5 and show the required documents.⁹

Passport

• USAGov says to report a name change to the U.S. Department of State as soon as possible to get an updated passport.¹⁰
• 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.¹¹
• 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.¹¹
• 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.¹²
• 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.¹²
• 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.¹²
• 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.¹³

Voter registration

• A voter registration can be updated online through vote.gov or by mail with the National Mail Voter Registration Form.¹⁰

Agencies

• USAGov advises telling Social Security early because other agencies learn of name changes through the SSA.¹⁰
• Every name on a federal tax return must match Social Security records.¹⁰

• 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 Oklahoma 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.