Connecticut DMV Form E-78, the Change of Name or Name Correction Request, is the one-page form you use to update the name on your Connecticut driver’s license, ID card, or vehicle registration. You complete it, attach proof of the new or corrected name, and hand it in at any DMV branch. A single form can update your license or ID and your registration at the same time.1Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles. Change of Name or Name Correction Request The PDF is available for download from the DMV website or in paper form at any branch.
When to Use Form E-78
There are two situations the form covers. The first is a legal name change: marriage, divorce that restores a prior surname, or a court-ordered change. The second is a correction, where your legal name has not changed but DMV records show a typo or data-entry error, such as a misspelled middle name or a transposed letter on your license.
Either way, the same single-page form handles the request, and you can list both your license number and your registration plate number so both records are fixed in one visit.
How to Fill Out the Form
Use blue or black ink and fill in every field. The form asks for:
- Your current name as it appears on DMV records (From) and your new or corrected name (To).
- The reason for the change: marriage, divorce, court order, or correction of a DMV error.
- Your date of birth, which the DMV uses to pull your record.
- Your Connecticut operator license or ID card number, if you want the license or ID updated.
- Your registration plate number, if you want the registration updated. If you have more than one registration, ask the clerk whether one form covers all of them.
- Your current address and, if it has also changed, your new address.
- Your signature and the date.
Do not leave fields blank. If something does not apply, write “N/A” so the clerk can tell you did not skip it by accident.
What to Bring as Proof
The form on its own will not update your record. You need to show the DMV a document that proves the name you are claiming. What qualifies depends on the reason:
- Marriage: a certified copy of the marriage certificate.
- Divorce: a certified copy of the divorce decree that specifies the name restoration.
- Court-ordered change: a certified copy of the court order granting the new name.
- DMV error: your current license or registration showing the mistake, plus a document with the correct spelling (birth certificate, passport, or Social Security card).
Bring originals or certified copies. Plain photocopies of legal documents are generally not accepted. Bring your current Connecticut license or ID as well so the clerk can verify your identity and locate your record.
Where to Submit It and What It Costs
Form E-78 is submitted in person at any Connecticut DMV branch. Branch locations and hours are listed on the DMV’s forms and services pages.2Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles. Department of Motor Vehicle Forms The clerk reviews the form and your documents, updates your records, and issues corrected documents.
If your license or ID has to be reissued with the new name, you pay the standard replacement card fee. The current fee schedule is posted on the DMV site, so check it before you go.3Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles. DMV Fees A registration name update tied to the same form may not carry an extra charge beyond any administrative fee; confirm the amount at the counter.
The Certification Above the Signature Line
Read the paragraph above the signature before you sign. By signing, you certify that the name change is not for a fraudulent purpose, does not harm another person’s rights, and does not violate any court or administrative order. The form warns that using a false or fictitious name on a registration, license, or ID application can result in cancellation of those documents and criminal prosecution under Connecticut General Statutes Sections 14-110 and 53a-157b.1Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles. Change of Name or Name Correction Request Check every entry on the form before you sign and date it.