To change your last name after marriage in Arizona, order certified copies of your marriage certificate, update your Social Security card first, then take your new card and certificate to the Arizona Motor Vehicle Division within 10 days, and work outward from there to your passport, voter registration, employer, bank, and remaining accounts. The sequence matters because most agencies verify names against the Social Security Administration’s database, so an out-of-date SSA record will hold up every step behind it.
Order Certified Copies of Your Marriage Certificate
Every agency you deal with will ask for a certified marriage certificate, so this is step one. Arizona marriages are recorded at the county level. Request certified copies from the Clerk of the Superior Court in the county where you obtained your marriage license.1Arizona Secretary of State. How Do I Get a Copy of Marriage or Divorce That Took Place in Arizona?
You’ll need to provide both spouses’ names, the marriage date, and the county where the license was issued. Fees vary by county. In Maricopa County, certification runs $35 plus $0.50 per page.2Maricopa County Clerk of Superior Court. Filing Fees Order two or three copies. Most agencies return the original, but with extras in hand you can work on several updates at once instead of waiting for the certificate to come back in the mail.
Update Your Social Security Card First
Do this before anything else. The Arizona MVD, passport agencies, the IRS, and many employers verify your name against Social Security records. If the SSA still shows your maiden name, everything downstream stalls.
Complete Form SS-5, the Application for a Social Security Card, and submit it with your certified marriage certificate and proof of identity such as a current driver’s license or U.S. passport.3Social Security Administration. Application for a Social Security Card The SSA accepts only originals or copies certified by the issuing agency. Photocopies and notarized copies will be rejected. Your documents come back with the new card.
You can mail the application or bring it to a Social Security office. There’s no fee. Your new card should arrive within 5 to 10 business days.4Social Security Administration. Replace Social Security Card Your Social Security number does not change, only the name on the card.
Update Your Arizona Driver’s License Within 10 Days
Arizona law requires you to notify the MVD of a name change within 10 days.5Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 28-448 – Notice of Address or Name Change Under that statute, notice can be given in person or in writing. The Arizona Department of Transportation’s MVD site also lets you update your name online through the AZ MVD Now portal.
Whichever route you take, have your certified marriage certificate and current Arizona license or ID ready. Because the MVD checks the SSA database, wait a few days after your Social Security update before attempting this step. If you go in person, bring your new Social Security card too.
A practical note about the 10-day window: the most common holdup is the SSA sync, not the MVD itself. If you can’t complete the change in exactly 10 days because you’re still waiting on your Social Security card, handle it as soon as you can.
Update Your U.S. Passport
The form you file depends on how old your current passport is and when your name changed.
- Form DS-5504 applies when your passport was issued less than a year ago and your name change happened within that same year. There’s no fee for routine processing. Mail it in with your current passport, certified marriage certificate, and a new passport photo.6U.S. Department of State. Change or Correct a Passport
- Form DS-82 is the mail or online renewal form. Use it if your passport is still valid or expired less than five years but the name change came more than a year after issuance. The fee is $130.7U.S. Department of State. Passport Fees
- Form DS-11 is the in-person application at an acceptance facility. Use it if your passport has been expired five or more years, was lost or stolen, or otherwise doesn’t qualify for mail renewal. The fee is $130.7U.S. Department of State. Passport Fees
Expedited service adds $60 on any of the three forms.7U.S. Department of State. Passport Fees Routine processing runs several weeks, so if you have international travel booked, start early. If you’ve already booked flights, the name on your reservation must exactly match the ID you’ll show at the airport.8Transportation Security Administration. Does the Name on My Airline Reservation Have to Match the Name on My Application? Mid-transition, book under whatever name is on the ID you’ll actually travel with.
Update Your Arizona Voter Registration
If you’re registered in Arizona and have an Arizona license or state ID, you can update your voter registration online through AZ MVD Now’s EZ Voter Registration tool. Sign in, select “Begin/Update Voter Registration,” verify eligibility, and enter your updated information.9Arizona Secretary of State. Registering to Vote Changes limited to name, party, or in-state address don’t require resubmitting proof of citizenship.
If the online portal gives you trouble, print a Voter Registration Form, fill it out with your new name, and mail it to your County Recorder.9Arizona Secretary of State. Registering to Vote Your registration needs to be updated before the cutoff for any upcoming election. For the November 3, 2026, general election, the deadline is October 5, 2026, at 11:59 p.m.10Arizona Secretary of State. 2026 Election Info
Tell Your Employer and Handle Taxes
The IRS keeps no separate name registry. When you file, it checks the name and Social Security number on your return against SSA records; a mismatch can delay your refund or trigger a rejection.11Internal Revenue Service. Name Changes and Social Security Number Matching Issues Updating your Social Security card takes care of the IRS side. No separate IRS form is required.
Give your employer a new Form W-4 so payroll reflects your married name. The 2026 W-4 asks whether your name matches your Social Security card and points you to the SSA if it doesn’t.12Internal Revenue Service. Form W-4 (2026) Employee’s Withholding Certificate Get it in before your employer prepares W-2s in January to avoid a year-end mismatch.
Update Your Remaining Accounts
With your new Social Security card and driver’s license in hand, most other institutions are straightforward. Bring your certified marriage certificate or your new license as proof.
- Banks and financial accounts. Visit your bank in person with your new ID and certificate to update checking, savings, credit cards, and investment or retirement accounts. Contact your mortgage servicer separately.
- Insurance policies. Call your health, auto, homeowners, and life insurers. Some update by phone; others want written documentation.
- Utility companies. Electricity, water, internet, and phone accounts usually update by phone or through your online account.
- Professional licenses. If you hold an Arizona professional license such as nursing, real estate, or teaching, contact the issuing board directly. Each has its own process and typically wants a copy of the marriage certificate.
- Educational records. For reissued transcripts or diplomas, contact your school’s registrar. Some charge a fee for a reissued diploma.
Vehicle Title and Property Records
If you own a vehicle registered in Arizona, update the title through MVD by submitting a signed application for title with supporting documentation and the applicable fees. If you’re adding your spouse to the title, handle both in the same transaction. This step doesn’t carry the driver’s license deadline, but taking care of it early prevents complications when you sell or trade the car.
If you own real property, your recorded deed still lists your former name. Your ownership isn’t affected, but the mismatch can create confusion at a future sale or refinance. The usual fix is a quitclaim deed transferring the property from yourself under your old name to yourself under your new name. You’ll need the legal description and parcel number, your signature before a notary, and recording with the county recorder where the property sits. Recording fees vary by county and are generally modest.
Arizona is a community property state, which affects how jointly held property is treated. Couples who use the name-change deed as an opportunity to add a spouse to the title sometimes consult a real estate attorney to make sure the ownership structure on the new deed matches what they actually want.