To change your name after marriage in Alabama, work through the steps in order: order certified copies of your marriage certificate from the probate court, update your Social Security record, update your Alabama driver’s license, and then use those documents to update your passport, tax records, vehicle title, bank accounts, and everything else. The sequence matters because each step relies on the one before it. Plan on a few weeks from start to finish and roughly $50 to $200 in total, depending on which documents you’re updating.
Start With Certified Copies of Your Marriage Certificate
Every other agency will ask to see a certified copy, so this is your first stop. Since August 29, 2019, Alabama no longer issues traditional marriage licenses. Under Act 2019-340, couples complete and notarize an Alabama Marriage Certificate form and submit it to a county probate court for recording within 30 calendar days of the notarized date.1Montgomery County Probate Court. Marriage License Once the probate court records it, request certified copies from that same court.
Order several copies at once. Banks, insurers, and government offices will want to see an original certified copy, and having extras avoids reorder delays. Probate court fees for certified copies are generally around $3.00 per copy, though recording fees and specific costs vary by county.2Houston County, Alabama. Probate Court: Court Fees If you later need a copy and don’t want to go back through the recording county, the Alabama Department of Public Health’s Center for Health Statistics keeps marriage records from August 1936 forward. A search and one certified copy from the state costs $15.00, with additional copies at $6.00 each.3National Center for Health Statistics. Where to Write for Vital Records – Alabama
Update Your Social Security Record Next
Social Security comes before the driver’s license because state agencies verify names against the SSA database. Your Social Security number stays the same; only the name attached to it changes, and there is no fee.
Complete Form SS-5, the Application for a Social Security Card, from ssa.gov. Submit it with your certified marriage certificate as proof of the name change and a form of identity such as your current driver’s license or U.S. passport. If you have not previously established U.S. citizenship with the SSA, you may also need a birth certificate or passport for that purpose.4Social Security Administration. Application for a Social Security Card
Depending on your situation, you may be able to start the process online. Otherwise, visit a local Social Security office in person or mail your application. The SSA returns your original documents and mails the new card separately.5Social Security Administration. Change Name with Social Security
Wait a Day or Two Before the Driver’s License Office
The SSA database that state agencies check for verification typically takes 24 to 48 hours to reflect an update, and it does not update on weekends. If you file your name change on a Friday afternoon, the record may not show up for the Alabama driver’s license office until the following Tuesday. Going too early risks being turned away.
Update Your Alabama Driver’s License
Once your Social Security record is updated, change the name on your license in person at an Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) driver license office or a participating county probate or licensing office.
Bring your current Alabama driver’s license, your certified marriage certificate, and your new Social Security card or other proof the SSA record has been updated. If you have a STAR ID, Alabama’s REAL ID-compliant license, ALEA requires certified documents verifying any name change from the name on the identity document you originally used when you got the STAR ID.6Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. STAR ID Document List In practice, that means your marriage certificate. If your name has changed more than once, bring the full chain of certified documents connecting your birth name to your current name.
You’ll have a new photo taken. The duplicate license fee for a name change is $31.25.7Tuscaloosa County Alabama. Driver Licenses and Non-Driver ID Cards
Update Your U.S. Passport
Which passport form you use depends on when your current passport was issued. If it was issued less than a year ago, use Form DS-5504 to change the name at no cost. Mail in your current passport, a certified copy of your marriage certificate, a new passport photo, and the completed form.8U.S. Department of State. DS-5504 – Application for a U.S. Passport – Name Change to Passport Issued 1 Year Ago or Less
If your passport was issued more than a year ago, use Form DS-82, the standard renewal form. The passport book renewal fee is $130. If your most recent passport is damaged, was issued when you were under 16, or was issued more than 15 years ago, you’ll apply in person using Form DS-11 at an acceptance facility, which adds a $35 execution fee on top of the $130 application fee.9U.S. Department of State. United States Passport Fees for Acceptance Facilities In every case, include a certified copy of your marriage certificate and a passport-sized photo.
Standard processing takes several weeks. Expedited service is available for an additional fee if you have travel coming up.
Submit a New W-4 to Your Employer
Your payroll records need to match Social Security. Give your employer a new Form W-4 with your new name. IRS instructions note that the name on your W-4 should match the name on your Social Security card, and if it doesn’t, you should contact the SSA to correct it.10Internal Revenue Service. Form W-4 – Employees Withholding Certificate There is no strict IRS deadline, but handling it before your next paycheck avoids mismatched records that can delay your tax refund when your W-2 name doesn’t match SSA records.
Update Your Vehicle Title and Registration
If you own a car, get the title and registration updated too. In Alabama, the title application fee is $15.00 per vehicle.11Alabama Department of Revenue. What Is the Cost to Make Application for Alabama Certificate of Title Take your current title, certified marriage certificate, and updated driver’s license to your county license plate issuing office, and ask them to update the registration while you’re there.
Voter Registration, Banks, Insurance, and the Rest
After the driver’s license, the remaining updates don’t have to happen in a fixed order.
Voter Registration
Alabama participates in the National Voter Registration Act’s “Motor Voter” program, so you can update your voter registration when you update your driver’s license at a participating office.12Alabama Secretary of State. National Voter Registration Act If you didn’t handle it there, you can update through the Alabama Secretary of State’s voter registration portal.13Alabama Secretary of State. Register to Vote or Update Your Information
Bank Accounts and Credit Cards
Banks require updated identification and legal proof of the name change. Most will ask you to bring your new driver’s license and certified marriage certificate to a branch, though some accept the request by phone. Federal anti-fraud rules make banks strict about this, so don’t expect to handle it by email.
Insurance and Beneficiaries
Contact your health, auto, and life insurance providers to update your policyholder name. While you’re at it, review and update beneficiary designations on life insurance and retirement accounts. Beneficiary forms often reference you by name, and outdated names can cause delays in claims processing.
Professional Licenses and Everything Else
If you hold state professional or occupational licenses, check with the relevant licensing board about their process. Fees are generally modest, and most boards require a copy of your marriage certificate and updated identification. Round out the list with utility companies, subscription services, your employer’s HR department, your mortgage company or landlord, and any alumni or membership organizations. Once you have the new driver’s license and marriage certificate in hand, most of these are straightforward.