How to change your name after marriage in Colorado
Change your name after marriage in Colorado: the 30-day deadline, 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 Colorado
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
Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles (Department of Revenue) (DMV). You can change it in person. Book an appointment first.
Official page · Checked October 16, 2026
- License fee
Not given on the official page: ask the office.
Official page · Checked October 16, 2026
- Deadline
30 days from your name change. Order your certified copies first, so you have them in time.
Official page · Checked October 16, 2026
- What to take
Take these to the license office.
- Your certified marriage certificate, from a city, county, state, U.S. territory or another country (foreign ones need to be translated into English; church documents are not accepted)
- Your current Colorado license or ID
- Documents showing every name change, if your documents carry different names
Official page · Checked October 16, 2026
- Social Security first?
Yes. The DMV checks your new name with Social Security, and that can take about 24 to 48 hours. Update Social Security first.
Official page · Checked October 16, 2026
- Social Security online with a Colorado certificate?
Yes. Colorado is one of the 21 states whose marriage certificates work online, at least 30 days after the wedding, if you're a U.S. citizen, 18 or over, with a my Social Security account and a driver's license or state ID. Colorado gives you 30 days for your license and wants Social Security first, so use the paper form and go in person rather than wait 30 days to apply online.
Official page · Checked October 16, 2026
- Certified copies of your marriage certificate
Order certified copies from the county clerk where you got your license. Set by the county: see your county's page.
The state office issues only a certified verification of a marriage (names, date and county), not the certificate itself. Get a copy of the marriage certificate from the county Clerk and Recorder where the license was issued; fees vary by county.
Official page · Checked October 16, 2026
- Your married name on the marriage license
We don't have a confirmed answer. Ask the county clerk when you apply for your license, before the wedding.
- Car title and registration
In person at your local county motor vehicle office. Not given on the official page: ask the office.
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 Colorado, in order
Order certified copies of your marriage certificate. Order them from the county clerk where you got your license. 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. Colorado is one of the 21 states whose marriage certificates work online, at least 30 days after the wedding, if you're a U.S. citizen, 18 or over, with a my Social Security account and a driver's license or state ID. Colorado gives you 30 days for your license and wants Social Security first, so use the paper form and go in person rather than wait 30 days to apply online.
Change your driver's license. Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles (Department of Revenue) (DMV). In person. Not given on the official page: ask the office. You have 30 days from your name change. Update Social Security first: the DMV checks your new name with it, which can take about 24 to 48 hours.
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 Colorado
- How long do I have to change my name on my Colorado driver's license?
- Colorado gives you 30 days from your name change to update your driver's license. Order your certified copies first, so you have them in time.
- How much does it cost to change my name on my Colorado driver's license?
- Not given on the official page: ask the office.
- What documents do I need at the DMV?
- Your certified marriage certificate, from a city, county, state, U.S. territory or another country (foreign ones need to be translated into English; church documents are not accepted). Your current Colorado license or ID. Documents showing every name change, if your documents carry different names. Order your certified copies first, as every office wants one.
- Do I change my name with Social Security before the DMV in Colorado?
- Yes. The DMV checks your new name with Social Security, and that can take about 24 to 48 hours. Update Social Security first.
- Can I use Social Security's online route with a Colorado marriage certificate?
- Yes. Colorado is one of the 21 states whose marriage certificates work online, at least 30 days after the wedding, if you're a U.S. citizen, 18 or over, with a my Social Security account and a driver's license or state ID. Colorado gives you 30 days for your license and wants Social Security first, so use the paper form and go in person rather than wait 30 days to apply online.
- Where do I get certified copies of my marriage certificate in Colorado?
- Order certified copies from the county clerk where you got your license. Set by the county: see your county's page. The state office issues only a certified verification of a marriage (names, date and county), not the certificate itself. Get a copy of the marriage certificate from the county Clerk and Recorder where the license was issued; fees vary by county.
- Can I choose my new name on my Colorado marriage license?
- We don't have a confirmed answer. Ask the county clerk when you apply for your license, before the wedding.
Name change checklist and every statePassport name change guideSocial Security name change guide (SS-5)