How to change your name after marriage in Connecticut
Change your name after marriage in Connecticut: the $30 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 Connecticut
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
Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). You can change it in person. Book an appointment first.
Official page · Checked October 16, 2026
- License fee
Fee: $30.
Official page · Checked October 16, 2026
- Deadline
The official page we read doesn't give a deadline for Connecticut. Check it for the current rule.
Official page · Checked October 16, 2026
- What to take
Take these to the license office.
- Original certified document showing the name change, such as your marriage license (religious marriage certificates and photocopies are not accepted)
- Completed Change of Name Request (Form E-78)
- Your current driver's license or non-driver ID, which you turn in for a temporary paper card
Official page · Checked October 16, 2026
- Social Security first?
Yes. The DMV checks your new name with Social Security, and that can take up to 48 hours. Update Social Security first.
Official page · Checked October 16, 2026
- Social Security online with a Connecticut certificate?
Yes. Connecticut 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.
Official page · Checked October 16, 2026
- Certified copies of your marriage certificate
Order certified copies from the county clerk, or Connecticut Department of Public Health, State Vital Records Office. First copy: $20.
Certified copies come from the vital records office of the town where the marriage took place, a town where either of you lived at the time, or the State Vital Records Office. Both town and state copies are $20 each, paid by money order (to the town, or to 'Treasurer, State of Connecticut'); online orders through VitalChek cost extra.
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 a DMV office, by appointment, with certified proof of the name change and a completed Registration Affidavit (Form B-301). You can do your license and registration in one appointment. Not given on the official page: ask the office.
Official page · Checked October 16, 2026
- Good to know
From the same official page.
- You get a REAL ID in person, by appointment, at a DMV office. If you already have one, you only need extra documents when something on the license changes, such as your name.
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 Connecticut, in order
Order certified copies of your marriage certificate. Order them from the county clerk, or Connecticut Department of Public Health, State Vital Records Office. First copy: $20. 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. Connecticut 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.
Change your driver's license. Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). In person. Fee: $30. Update Social Security first: the DMV checks your new name with it, which can take up 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 Connecticut
- How long do I have to change my name on my Connecticut driver's license?
- The official page we read doesn't give a deadline for Connecticut. Check it for the current rule.
- How much does it cost to change my name on my Connecticut driver's license?
- It costs $30. That's the fee on the official page.
- What documents do I need at the DMV?
- Original certified document showing the name change, such as your marriage license (religious marriage certificates and photocopies are not accepted). Completed Change of Name Request (Form E-78). Your current driver's license or non-driver ID, which you turn in for a temporary paper card. Order your certified copies first, as every office wants one.
- Do I change my name with Social Security before the DMV in Connecticut?
- Yes. The DMV checks your new name with Social Security, and that can take up to 48 hours. Update Social Security first.
- Can I use Social Security's online route with a Connecticut marriage certificate?
- Yes. Connecticut 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.
- Where do I get certified copies of my marriage certificate in Connecticut?
- Order certified copies from the county clerk, or Connecticut Department of Public Health, State Vital Records Office. First copy: $20. Certified copies come from the vital records office of the town where the marriage took place, a town where either of you lived at the time, or the State Vital Records Office. Both town and state copies are $20 each, paid by money order (to the town, or to 'Treasurer, State of Connecticut'); online orders through VitalChek cost extra.
- Can I choose my new name on my Connecticut 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)