Name Change After Marriage: How to Update Your Records
A name change after marriage is the process of taking a new last name by using your marriage document as proof, then asking each agency and institution to update your records. Social Security is usually the first agency to update.
What vital record do you need?
Choose your certificate to start your order.
What the Social Security Administration accepts
According to the agency's internal guidance, a marriage document is acceptable evidence of a new name when the new name can be derived from it. The permitted last-name changes include:
- Taking your spouse's last name, or your spouse taking yours
- Taking one part of your spouse's compound surname
- Combining both original surnames, with or without a hyphen
An entirely new first and last name can also be accepted if statutory law permits it. The agency says it needs proof of your identity, your new legal name and the name change event, which here is the marriage. You may also need to prove citizenship or lawful immigration status.
Other records to update
Social Security does not update other agencies for you. Driver licenses, passports, banks, employers and insurers each have their own rules, so check with each one about the documents it wants. Many ask for a certified copy of the marriage certificate, which comes from the office that issued the marriage license or recorded the marriage.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a court order to take my spouse's name?
For the Social Security record, no separate court order is needed when the new name can be derived from the marriage document, per the agency's guidance. Other agencies may differ, so ask them.
Does my Social Security card update automatically after I marry?
No. The agency says you must report the change to get a replacement card showing your correct legal name.
Where do I get a certified copy of my marriage certificate?
Contact the vital records office or county clerk in the place where the marriage was licensed or recorded. Rules vary by state.
Sources
US Records is a private company and is not a government agency. Government agencies issue certified records; we help you order them.
Written By
US Records TeamThe US Records Team writes and reviews guides on birth, death, marriage and divorce certificates, using state statutes, agency instructions and court records as sources.
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Related guides
It depends on the state.
A marriage license is the document that gives you legal permission to marry.
