How to Change Your Last Name After Marriage in New York

To change your last name after marriage in New York, choose your new surname on your marriage license application, order certified copies of your marriage certificate, and then update your records in this order: Social Security first, then the New York DMV, then your passport, then your employer and the IRS, then voter registration and your private accounts. No court petition is required as long as the name you want fits within the options New York law allows at the time of marriage. Start to finish, expect several weeks.

What Name You Can Choose Under New York Law

New York’s Domestic Relations Law gives each spouse a defined set of surname options at the time you apply for your marriage license. You can take your spouse’s last name, revert to any former surname either of you has used, combine parts of both surnames into a single new name, or hyphenate any combination of your premarriage or former last names.1New York State Senate. New York Domestic Relations Law DOM – 15 You can also change your middle name to your current last name, a former surname, or your spouse’s surname.

The name you pick is recorded directly on your marriage license, and the certified marriage certificate then becomes the legal proof every agency will ask for. If you want a name that falls outside those options, you would have to go through New York’s formal court name-change process instead.

Order Certified Copies of Your Marriage Certificate

Every step below depends on this document, so it comes before anything else. Order certified copies from the city or town clerk where you applied for your marriage license, or from the New York State Department of Health if the marriage took place outside New York City.2New York State Department of Health. Marriage Certificates For marriages within New York City, order from the NYC City Clerk’s office.3The Office of the City Clerk – NYC Marriage Bureau. Marriage Records

In New York City, a marriage record for domestic use costs $15 for the first copy and $10 for each additional copy.4The Office of the City Clerk. Fees – City Clerk – Section: Marriage Records Fees at other clerks and at the state Department of Health vary. Order at least two or three certified copies. Several agencies accept and return originals, but having extras lets you file with more than one agency at the same time. Photocopies are not accepted anywhere in this process.

Step 1: Update Social Security First

Social Security has to go first because the DMV and other agencies verify your name against SSA records. If the SSA still has your old name, your DMV application will be rejected.

File Form SS-5, the Application for a Social Security Card.5Social Security Administration. Form SS-5 Application for a Social Security Card The form asks for your new name, old name, date of birth, place of birth, and parents’ names. You also need to submit:

  • Proof of name change: your certified marriage certificate.
  • Proof of identity: a valid U.S. driver’s license, state-issued non-driver ID, or U.S. passport.
  • Proof of citizenship, if the SSA doesn’t already have it on file: a U.S. birth certificate or passport.

Documents have to be originals or copies certified by the issuing agency. Photocopies and notarized copies are not accepted.6Social Security Administration. Learn What Documents You Will Need To Get a Social Security Card Depending on your situation, you may be able to start the process online through your my Social Security account, but many applicants still need to visit a local office or mail in original documents.7Social Security Administration. Change Name With Social Security

There is no fee.5Social Security Administration. Form SS-5 Application for a Social Security Card The new card typically arrives within 7 to 10 business days after the SSA has all your information and has verified your documents.8Social Security Administration. How Long Will It Take To Get a Social Security Card You don’t have to wait for the physical card to arrive before going to the DMV, but SSA’s records do need to be updated.

Step 2: Change Your New York Driver’s License or State ID

Once the SSA has your new name, the DMV is next. The name you request must exactly match what the SSA has on file.9New York State Department of Motor Vehicles. Change Information on DMV Photo Documents

Whether you can do this by mail depends on what you carry:

  • Standard license, permit, or non-driver ID: you can change your name by mail if you already updated the SSA, you don’t hold a commercial driver’s license, and you aren’t changing anything else at the same time.
  • REAL ID or Enhanced license, permit, or non-driver ID: you must go to a DMV office in person. A new photo is taken, and you’ll need Form MV-44, your current document (or six points of proof of identity), and an original or certified copy of your marriage certificate.9New York State Department of Motor Vehicles. Change Information on DMV Photo Documents

An amended license or learner permit costs $12.50; a non-driver ID is $5.00.9New York State Department of Motor Vehicles. Change Information on DMV Photo Documents If you go in person, you’ll leave with a temporary document and receive the permanent card by mail, usually within about two weeks.

Step 3: Update Your U.S. Passport

Which form and fee applies depends on when your current passport was issued. This is where people often overpay because they don’t realize the no-fee option exists.

Passport Issued Less Than One Year Ago

If your passport was issued within the past year and your name change also happened within that year, use Form DS-5504. Send in the completed form, your current passport, your certified marriage certificate, and a new passport photo. Routine processing is free. Expedited service adds $60.10U.S. Department of State. Name Change for U.S. Passport or Correct a Printing or Data Error

Passport Issued One to Fifteen Years Ago

If your passport was issued more than a year ago but within the last 15 years, is undamaged, and was issued when you were at least 16, you can renew by mail with Form DS-82. The application fee is $130 for a passport book or $30 for a card, plus $60 for expedited processing if you need it.11U.S. Department of State. Passport Fees You’ll also send your current passport, a new photo, and your certified marriage certificate.

Passport Issued More Than Fifteen Years Ago, Lost, or First-Time Application

If your passport was issued more than 15 years ago, was lost or damaged, or you’ve never had one, apply in person at a passport acceptance facility using Form DS-11.12U.S. Department of State. Application for a U.S. Passport The book application fee is $130 plus a $35 facility acceptance fee, for a total of $165. Expedited service adds $60, bringing the total to $225.11U.S. Department of State. Passport Fees

Whichever form applies, routine processing currently takes 4 to 6 weeks, and expedited service takes 2 to 3 weeks.13U.S. Department of State. Processing Times for U.S. Passports

Step 4: Employer, W-4, I-9, and the IRS

This is the step people put off, and it can create real problems at tax time. Give your employer a new Form W-4 with your updated name. The form asks whether your name matches your Social Security card, and a mismatch can delay your refund or cause issues crediting your earnings to your Social Security record.14Internal Revenue Service. Form W-4 (2026) Employee’s Withholding Certificate

Your employer should also update your Form I-9. USCIS recommends recording legal name changes in Supplement B of the form, and your employer may ask to see your marriage certificate.15U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Recording Changes of Name and Other Identity Information for Current Employees

You can notify the IRS directly with Form 8822, which has a section for name changes due to marriage.16Internal Revenue Service. Form 8822, Change of Address That said, if you’ve already updated your name with the SSA and your next tax return uses your new name consistently, many filers skip the separate IRS notification without issues. The critical link is between your tax return name and your SSA records.

Step 5: Voter Registration and Private Accounts

You can update your voter registration online through the New York State Board of Elections portal, or by mailing a new voter registration form to your county board of elections.17New York State Board of Elections. Voter Registration Process Don’t skip this if an election is coming up; a name mismatch between your ID and your voter registration can cause delays at the polls.

Beyond government agencies, you’ll also want to update:

  • Banks and credit cards. Most banks require an in-person visit with your certified marriage certificate and updated government-issued photo ID. Some also ask for a secondary document like your new Social Security card.
  • Insurance providers. Health, auto, and homeowners policies all need to reflect your legal name. Contact each carrier directly.
  • Utility companies. Usually a phone call with your account information is enough.
  • Medical providers. Bring your updated ID and insurance card to your next appointment, or call ahead.

For most of these, your certified marriage certificate paired with your updated driver’s license or Social Security card is all the proof anyone will need. If you have TSA PreCheck or Global Entry, contact the enrollment provider to update your membership. A boarding pass that doesn’t match the name on your ID can create problems at security.