How to change your name after marriage in California
Change your name after marriage in California: the $37 license fee, the documents, certified copies and whether Social Security comes first. A free checklist, checked against the official pages.
The two of you
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Your honeymoon
So the passport step waits until you're home, and your flights are booked in the right name. Leave it blank if you haven't booked yet.
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After the wedding, in order
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Everyone else
Most want a copy of your marriage certificate and your new ID. Add the ones you use.
General information, not legal advice. Rules change, and the official page has the final word.
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Name change facts for California
Everything here comes from official pages, the state's own or Social Security's, and each answer links to the page it came from.
- Who changes your license
California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). You can change it online or in person.
Official page · Checked October 16, 2026
- License fee
Fee: $37 (Replacement license).
Official page · Checked October 16, 2026
- Deadline
The official page we read doesn't give a deadline for California. Check it for the current rule.
Official page · Checked October 16, 2026
- What to take
Take these to the license office.
- Your marriage certificate
- Your current driver's license or ID card
- Proof of all earlier name changes, if you have changed your name before (for example, earlier marriage certificates or divorce papers)
- For a REAL ID: proof of identity, your Social Security number and two proofs of California residency
Official page · Checked October 16, 2026
- Social Security first?
Yes. The DMV checks your new name with Social Security. Update Social Security first.
Official page · Checked October 16, 2026
- Social Security online with a California certificate?
No. California isn't one of the 21 states whose marriage certificates work with Social Security's online route, so book an appointment at a Social Security office.
Official page · Checked October 16, 2026
- Certified copies of your marriage certificate
Order certified copies from the county clerk, or California Department of Public Health, Vital Records. First copy: $19.
The state can only issue certified copies of public marriages from 1905 to 1999, 2001 and 2008 to 2025, by mail (a state authorized copy needs a notarized sworn statement, VS 20). For 2000 and 2002 to 2007, for confidential marriages, or to get one in person, go to the County Recorder or County Clerk where the license was issued.
Official page · Checked October 16, 2026
- Your married name on the marriage license
Choose the middle and/or last name you will use after the wedding on your marriage license application; one or both of you can do this. You can only do it when the license is issued (clerical errors aside), and first names need a court order.
Official page · Checked October 16, 2026
- Car title and registration
If you have the title, write your new name on it, complete Section F of the Statement of Facts (REG 256) and take both to a DMV office or mail them. If you do not have the title, a name change (as opposed to a correction) has to be done in person at a DMV office with REG 227 and REG 256. If a lender holds the title, give them the signed REG 256 and they send it to DMV; be ready to pay the duplicate certificate of title fee ($28). Fee: $28.
Official page · Checked October 16, 2026
- Good to know
From the same official page.
- You can ask for a REAL ID in the same application. A marriage certificate counts as proof of a legal name change. You also need proof of identity, your Social Security number and two proofs of California residency.
Official page · Checked October 16, 2026
General information, not legal advice. Rules change, and the official page has the final word. Checked October 16, 2026.
Your steps in California, in order
Order certified copies of your marriage certificate. Order them from the county clerk, or California Department of Public Health, Vital Records. First copy: $19. Every office on the list wants a certified copy, not a photocopy.
Update Social Security. Use form SS-5. It's free and your number stays the same. California isn't one of the 21 states whose marriage certificates work with Social Security's online route, so book an appointment at a Social Security office.
Change your driver's license. California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). Online or in person. Fee: $37 (Replacement license). Update Social Security first: the DMV checks your new name with it.
Update your passport after your honeymoon. Once you apply, your current passport goes in with the form, so you can't travel on it until the new one arrives. Book your flights in the name on the passport you'll carry.
Questions about changing your name in California
- How long do I have to change my name on my California driver's license?
- The official page we read doesn't give a deadline for California. Check it for the current rule.
- How much does it cost to change my name on my California driver's license?
- It costs $37 (Replacement license). That's the fee on the official page.
- What documents do I need at the DMV?
- Your marriage certificate. Your current driver's license or ID card. Proof of all earlier name changes, if you have changed your name before (for example, earlier marriage certificates or divorce papers). For a REAL ID: proof of identity, your Social Security number and two proofs of California residency. Order your certified copies first, as every office wants one.
- Do I change my name with Social Security before the DMV in California?
- Yes. The DMV checks your new name with Social Security. Update Social Security first.
- Can I use Social Security's online route with a California marriage certificate?
- No. California isn't one of the 21 states whose marriage certificates work with Social Security's online route, so book an appointment at a Social Security office.
- Where do I get certified copies of my marriage certificate in California?
- Order certified copies from the county clerk, or California Department of Public Health, Vital Records. First copy: $19. The state can only issue certified copies of public marriages from 1905 to 1999, 2001 and 2008 to 2025, by mail (a state authorized copy needs a notarized sworn statement, VS 20). For 2000 and 2002 to 2007, for confidential marriages, or to get one in person, go to the County Recorder or County Clerk where the license was issued.
- Can I choose my new name on my California marriage license?
- Choose the middle and/or last name you will use after the wedding on your marriage license application; one or both of you can do this. You can only do it when the license is issued (clerical errors aside), and first names need a court order.
Name change checklist and every statePassport name change guideSocial Security name change guide (SS-5)