Changing my legal name

FSU Girl

DIS Veteran
Joined
Oct 20, 2016
I was hoping some brides could help me. Although I got married in November I haven't gotten around to changing my last name yet. I know I need to go to the Social Security office with my marriage license, will this take a long time? I'm trying to decide if I can go during lunch or if I'll need to take off a day from work. Do I need to do anything else before I go there? I've been putting it off since we had our European honeymoon a couple weeks ago and I didn't want to worry about getting a new passport in time.
 
Changing your name on official papers like Social Security or a drivers license, or passport, etc is not the same as a legal name change. Those are separate elements of the complete process.
First, you legally change your name.
Second, you get new SS card, and license etc, that reflect the new name, using the proof of legal name change. You also need to update bank accounts, etc.

It is not clear from your question whether your name was legally changed when you married or not since you say you need to change your name but then imply you plan to do it at the Social Security office. The Social Security office cannot change your name. That is a function of whatever state you live in. Social Security can only issue new papers that reflect your new name. The process and rules for a legal name change vary depending on your state. It is usually very easy to do when you get married, and somewhat more complicated (but still not to hard) to do it later. Most states have a question on the marriage license application asking if you want to change your name. If you answered yes then (depending on the state) then your name has probably already been changed. If not, the process often involves filing papers with a civil court and publishing an announcement in a local paper. This process should be done before you go to switch the names on official documents.
If you did already change your name when you were married, then you need to take the proof, which could be a marriage license (again depending on your state and particular circumstances) to DMV, and Social Security, State Department (passport) etc to get new papers.
 
Changing your name on official papers like Social Security or a drivers license, or passport, etc is not the same as a legal name change. Those are separate elements of the complete process.
First, you legally change your name.
Second, you get new SS card, and license etc, that reflect the new name, using the proof of legal name change. You also need to update bank accounts, etc.

It is not clear from your question whether your name was legally changed when you married or not since you say you need to change your name but then imply you plan to do it at the Social Security office. The Social Security office cannot change your name. That is a function of whatever state you live in. Social Security can only issue new papers that reflect your new name. The process and rules for a legal name change vary depending on your state. It is usually very easy to do when you get married, and somewhat more complicated (but still not to hard) to do it later. Most states have a question on the marriage license application asking if you want to change your name. If you answered yes then (depending on the state) then your name has probably already been changed. If not, the process often involves filing papers with a civil court and publishing an announcement in a local paper. This process should be done before you go to switch the names on official documents.
If you did already change your name when you were married, then you need to take the proof, which could be a marriage license (again depending on your state and particular circumstances) to DMV, and Social Security, State Department (passport) etc to get new papers.
So I didn't know any of that. When I got my marriage license they asked if I'd need a second copy to change my name, but I didn't check off anything and haven't changed my last name anywhere except on Facebook. I saw something about filing out a form that I'd bring to the Social Security office, that isn't enough for changing my last name? By the time I get around to changing it I'll still be under a year of new marriage, I thought it didn't matter how long it took?
 
So I didn't know any of that. When I got my marriage license they asked if I'd need a second copy to change my name, but I didn't check off anything and haven't changed my last name anywhere except on Facebook. I saw something about filing out a form that I'd bring to the Social Security office, that isn't enough for changing my last name? By the time I get around to changing it I'll still be under a year of new marriage, I thought it didn't matter how long it took?
It might be that your name is changed if the marriage license people did you right. Annoying as the prospect might sound, I'd go back to that office for clarification. Good luck and congratulations by the way!
 


It might be that your name is changed if the marriage license people did you right. Annoying as the prospect might sound, I'd go back to that office for clarification. Good luck and congratulations by the way!
Everything I'm reading online just mentions filling out a form and going to the social security office with the marriage license and then the DMV. I don't see where I need to do something before going to the social security office so I'm a little confused. I live in Florida if that matters.
 
https://www.wikihow.com/Change-Your-Name-in-Florida
https://statelaws.findlaw.com/florida-law/how-to-change-your-name-in-florida.html
https://www.rocketlawyer.com/article/how-to-get-a-legal-name-change-in-florida.rl
https://legalbeagle.com/4925227-legally-change-name-florida.html
https://www.florida-court-forms.net/florida-name-change.html
https://www.floridanamechange.org/
Most of these assume your name has not been officially changed by marriage and so the first step is going to court for a name change petition. Based on your description I think there's a good chance your name was changed when you married and you don't have to do that but I cannot possibly be sure. Then, after that, they agree with the advice you found: go to SS, then DMV, then passport, etc. But it all starts with either (1) a name change via marriage, or (2) a petition in court.
 
https://www.wikihow.com/Change-Your-Name-in-Florida
https://statelaws.findlaw.com/florida-law/how-to-change-your-name-in-florida.html
https://www.rocketlawyer.com/article/how-to-get-a-legal-name-change-in-florida.rl
https://legalbeagle.com/4925227-legally-change-name-florida.html
https://www.florida-court-forms.net/florida-name-change.html
https://www.floridanamechange.org/
Most of these assume your name has not been officially changed by marriage and so the first step is going to court for a name change petition. Based on your description I think there's a good chance your name was changed when you married and you don't have to do that but I cannot possibly be sure. Then, after that, they agree with the advice you found: go to SS, then DMV, then passport, etc. But it all starts with either (1) a name change via marriage, or (2) a petition in court.
I'm at work now so I'll check my marriage license when I get home. What should I look for to see if it has the name change listed?
 


I'm at work now so I'll check my marriage license when I get home. What should I look for to see if it has the name change listed?
I don't know that, and I can't look it up and give you specific advice because then I'd be practicing law in Florida. I would guess, that if you license uses your new name, then it was changed, and it it uses your maiden name, then it was not. It is probably that simple, but I can't say so with certainty.
 
I got married last fall and remember the form I filled out to get the marriage license having a specific line for the name I'd like to be known as after the wedding (I kept my maiden name). Good luck!
 
I got married last fall and remember the form I filled out to get the marriage license having a specific line for the name I'd like to be known as after the wedding (I kept my maiden name). Good luck!
I really don't remember doing something like that, but I haven't looked at my marriage license since I got it back in the mail so maybe I just don't remember? I know they asked if I planned on changing my name because I'd need two copies, which we did, but that's all I remember.
 
Thank you for this thread ;) because of it, I got my name changed for all my government publications. In my country they changed to process about a year before we got married, they used to ask what you wanted and arrange it for you, but they don't anymore (because we can't officially change our name, only the way they address you). Because they told me this (you can't change it) I never did anything. Then a friend who got married before the change told me she get letters with her new name. But I was procrastinating getting it changed (because I had no idea how to arrange it). Because of this thread I looked it up and it turned out, is was amazingly simple! (Log in on the website of the place where I live and choose between the four options (maiden name, partners name, partners name-maiden name, maiden name-partners name), press send, done!). So thanks, I now too changed my name!
Glad my thread could help you :)
 
For me I went to the DMV with a certified copy of my marriage certificate, changed my name there on my DL then went to the SS office and got a new SS card with my new married name. Banking was done after that. FWIW my marriage license does NOT ask any sort of question about what I want my name to be

How long it takes at the SS office will just depend on how busy it is. The process for my state was super duper easy. Less than 5 mins later it was taken care of. The DMV office was about half a day's worth though about an hour and a half extra was due to a state-wide outage. After waiting the process at the DMV was also super duper easy and took about 5 mins (getting a new picture, paying the fee, ensuring they had my name spelled the way I wanted it).

The process of course may vary by state. My biggest hurdle was actually banking adjustments.

In terms of passport I had the one I got a few months before we got married under my maiden name to go on my honeymoon. We were dumb and didn't change it within a year of our marriage and so we just waited until we wanted to go out of the country. That was 5 years after we got married and this past August to Jamaica. I did have to pay $$$ at that point to get a passport with my married name but because I had an existing passport and could produce a certified copy of my marriage license that was super duper easy to fill out the form and mail it in--just sucked paying the fees.
 
So I didn't know any of that. When I got my marriage license they asked if I'd need a second copy to change my name, but I didn't check off anything and haven't changed my last name anywhere except on Facebook. I saw something about filing out a form that I'd bring to the Social Security office, that isn't enough for changing my last name? By the time I get around to changing it I'll still be under a year of new marriage, I thought it didn't matter how long it took?
I think the PP may be overcomplicating things but that's just me. Do look up what is required for your state please but there's a difference in wanting to change your name outside of marriage like for instance you have a last name you don't like or a first name you don't like and so you actually go through the process through the court system to get your name legally changed. That is not the same, in general, as you getting married and going from your maiden name to your married name.
 
I checked my marriage license. There isn’t anywhere on there about a new name and just had a spot for my current name and signature. Will that cause any issues just bringing this for the social security card if I fill out the form too?
 
I'm in Indiana...so not much help with Florida...but based on everyone else's responses, it does vary greatly by state.

One piece of advice if you're using both names...you need to be very clear if you want to hyphenate or just a space between. I have just a space (which is more complicated for many computer/software systems). The reason I mention this...some people, including a bank associate, assumed I had a hyphen. It is very hard to convince a company, espicaly a regulated one like a bank, that your name is wrong because of a clerical error. They need proof of change...which you won't have if it was their typo.

Good luck to you!!
 
I'm in Indiana...so not much help with Florida...but based on everyone else's responses, it does vary greatly by state.

One piece of advice if you're using both names...you need to be very clear if you want to hyphenate or just a space between. I have just a space (which is more complicated for many computer/software systems). The reason I mention this...some people, including a bank associate, assumed I had a hyphen. It is very hard to convince a company, espicaly a regulated one like a bank, that your name is wrong because of a clerical error. They need proof of change...which you won't have if it was their typo.

Good luck to you!!
For my bank it was the opposite. Me having a hyphenated last name caused all the issues. My CC could have a hyphen but my other accounts (joint checking, personal checking, money market) couldn't. If I wanted to have connected accounts I had to leave off the hyphen so my CC could still be connected with my other accounts.

Either way banking was the issue for me lol
 
I needed my DL changed before even thinking of SS. I don't live in FL, but got married there.
 
I'm in Indiana...so not much help with Florida...but based on everyone else's responses, it does vary greatly by state.

One piece of advice if you're using both names...you need to be very clear if you want to hyphenate or just a space between. I have just a space (which is more complicated for many computer/software systems). The reason I mention this...some people, including a bank associate, assumed I had a hyphen. It is very hard to convince a company, espicaly a regulated one like a bank, that your name is wrong because of a clerical error. They need proof of change...which you won't have if it was their typo.

Good luck to you!!
No worries there, I plan to just take my husbands last name and drop mine.

I needed my DL changed before even thinking of SS. I don't live in FL, but got married there.
That’s interesting, everything I’ve read said the social security card needs to be changed first. Maybe it’s just a Florida thing?
 
No worries there, I plan to just take my husbands last name and drop mine.


That’s interesting, everything I’ve read said the social security card needs to be changed first. Maybe it’s just a Florida thing?
IDK but Social Security (national office) told me that I need to bring my changed Drivers License and Marriage License with me to get the SS Card changed. If I didn't have the License changed yet they would not accept it.
 

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