How to change your name after marriage in Pennsylvania
Change your name after marriage in Pennsylvania: the $42.50 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
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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 Pennsylvania
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
Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), Driver and Vehicle Services. You can change it in person.
Official page · Checked October 16, 2026
- License fee
Fee: $42.50 (Replacement license).
Official page · Checked October 16, 2026
- Deadline
The official page we read doesn't give a deadline for Pennsylvania. Check it for the current rule.
Official page · Checked October 16, 2026
- What to take
Take these to the license office.
- To use your spouse's surname: your original marriage certificate
- For a REAL ID: a certified marriage certificate issued by the county court where the license was processed (no photocopies, commemorative certificates or marriage licenses)
- For any other name: your Social Security card and two sources issued in that name
Official page · Checked October 16, 2026
- Social Security first?
Yes. The PennDOT checks your new name with Social Security. Update Social Security first.
Official page · Checked October 16, 2026
- Social Security online with a Pennsylvania certificate?
No. Pennsylvania 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 where you got your license. Set by the county: see your county's page.
Certified copies come from the Clerk of Orphans' Court / Register of Wills in the county that issued the license. If you married outside PA, ask the county office where the license was issued.
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
Mail the 'Application for Correction or Change of Name' (Side A for marriage, no fee, no new title) with a copy of your updated PA driver's license or photo ID to Bureau of Motor Vehicles, P.O. Box 68293, Harrisburg, PA 17106-8293. Side B creates a new title for a fee. Fee: Free.
Official page · Checked October 16, 2026
- Good to know
From the same official page.
- If your name changes after you get a REAL ID, update your Social Security record first. Then take a certified marriage certificate to a Driver License Center, hand in your REAL ID, have a new photo taken and pay the replacement fee.
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 Pennsylvania, 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. Pennsylvania 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. Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), Driver and Vehicle Services. In person. Fee: $42.50 (Replacement license). Update Social Security first: the PennDOT 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 Pennsylvania
- How long do I have to change my name on my Pennsylvania driver's license?
- The official page we read doesn't give a deadline for Pennsylvania. Check it for the current rule.
- How much does it cost to change my name on my Pennsylvania driver's license?
- It costs $42.50 (Replacement license). That's the fee on the official page.
- What documents do I need at the PennDOT?
- To use your spouse's surname: your original marriage certificate. For a REAL ID: a certified marriage certificate issued by the county court where the license was processed (no photocopies, commemorative certificates or marriage licenses). For any other name: your Social Security card and two sources issued in that name. Order your certified copies first, as every office wants one.
- Do I change my name with Social Security before the PennDOT in Pennsylvania?
- Yes. The PennDOT checks your new name with Social Security. Update Social Security first.
- Can I use Social Security's online route with a Pennsylvania marriage certificate?
- No. Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania?
- Order certified copies from the county clerk where you got your license. Set by the county: see your county's page. Certified copies come from the Clerk of Orphans' Court / Register of Wills in the county that issued the license. If you married outside PA, ask the county office where the license was issued.
- Can I choose my new name on my Pennsylvania 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)