How to change your name after marriage in Massachusetts
Change your name after marriage in Massachusetts: the $25 license fee, the documents, certified copies and whether Social Security comes first. A free checklist, checked against the official pages.
The two of you
Whose list is this?
Pick once. You can look at your partner's list any time.
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.
Say what you're doing with your name to see your steps.
0 of 0 done
After the wedding, in order
No steps to show yet for this choice.
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.
Saved in this browser only.
We never ask for a Social Security, passport or account number, and never charge for a form.
Sign in to keep it, share it with your partner and get the reminders
Name change facts for Massachusetts
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
Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV). You can change it in person. Book an appointment first.
Official page · Checked October 16, 2026
- License fee
Fee: $25 (Amended license).
Official page · Checked October 16, 2026
- Deadline
The official page we read doesn't give a deadline for Massachusetts. Check it for the current rule.
Official page · Checked October 16, 2026
- What to take
Take these to the license office.
- Your completed license or ID application (bring it to your appointment)
- For a standard license or ID: no name-change document needed
- For a REAL ID: your marriage certificate, divorce decree or court document, if your name no longer matches your lawful presence document
Official page · Checked October 16, 2026
- Social Security first?
It isn't required on the official page we read, but it is still the usual order: other agencies check your name with Social Security, and your tax return must match it.
Official page · Checked October 16, 2026
- Social Security online with a Massachusetts certificate?
No. Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts Registry of Vital Records and Statistics. First copy: $54. Each extra copy: $42.
City and town clerks also issue certified copies of marriages licensed in their place, at their own fees. Ask the clerk where you applied for your license; you can get a certified copy after you are married.
Official page · Checked October 16, 2026
- Your married name on the marriage license
Put the name you will use after the wedding on your Notice of Intention of Marriage (the license application).
Official page · Checked October 16, 2026
- Car title and registration
For your title, mail the title amendment form, your original title and the fee to the RMV Title Division. For your registration, have your insurance agent complete and stamp a Registration and Title Application, then mail or take it in with a separate $25 fee. Fee: $25.
Official page · Checked October 16, 2026
- Good to know
From the same official page.
- For a REAL ID, if your name no longer matches your lawful presence documents, you need to prove the change. A marriage certificate, divorce decree or court document all qualify. Documents need to be originals, not laminated.
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 Massachusetts, in order
Order certified copies of your marriage certificate. Order them from the county clerk, or Massachusetts Registry of Vital Records and Statistics. First copy: $54. 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. Massachusetts 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. Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV). In person. Fee: $25 (Amended license). Social Security first is still the usual order, though the official page we read doesn't require 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 Massachusetts
- How long do I have to change my name on my Massachusetts driver's license?
- The official page we read doesn't give a deadline for Massachusetts. Check it for the current rule.
- How much does it cost to change my name on my Massachusetts driver's license?
- It costs $25 (Amended license). That's the fee on the official page.
- What documents do I need at the RMV?
- Your completed license or ID application (bring it to your appointment). For a standard license or ID: no name-change document needed. For a REAL ID: your marriage certificate, divorce decree or court document, if your name no longer matches your lawful presence document. Order your certified copies first, as every office wants one.
- Do I change my name with Social Security before the RMV in Massachusetts?
- It isn't required on the official page we read, but it is still the usual order: other agencies check your name with Social Security, and your tax return must match it.
- Can I use Social Security's online route with a Massachusetts marriage certificate?
- No. Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts?
- Order certified copies from the county clerk, or Massachusetts Registry of Vital Records and Statistics. First copy: $54. Each extra copy: $42. City and town clerks also issue certified copies of marriages licensed in their place, at their own fees. Ask the clerk where you applied for your license; you can get a certified copy after you are married.
- Can I choose my new name on my Massachusetts marriage license?
- Put the name you will use after the wedding on your Notice of Intention of Marriage (the license application).
Name change checklist and every statePassport name change guideSocial Security name change guide (SS-5)