How to change your name after marriage in Texas
Change your name after marriage in Texas: the $11 license fee, 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
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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 Texas
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
Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS). You can change it in person. Book an appointment first.
Official page · Checked October 16, 2026
- License fee
Fee: $11 (Name change).
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 original or certified marriage license
- Or a Department of State Health Services (DSHS) marriage verification letter
- A certified English translation as well, if the document is not in English
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 Texas certificate?
No. Texas 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 of the marriage license are only available from the county clerk where it was filed. The state office issues only a $20 verification letter (marriages since 1966).
Official page · Checked October 16, 2026
- Your married name on the marriage license
No. The marriage license doesn't change your name here: you change it afterwards, with a certified copy of your marriage certificate.
Official page · Checked October 16, 2026
- Car title and registration
File an Application for Corrected Title (Form 130-U) at your county tax assessor-collector's office, with a statement 'Name Change Due to (Marriage, Divorce, etc)'. Change your driver's license first. 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 Texas, 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. Texas 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. Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS). In person. Fee: $11 (Name change). You have 30 days from your name change. 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 Texas
- How long do I have to change my name on my Texas driver's license?
- Texas 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 Texas driver's license?
- It costs $11 (Name change). That's the fee on the official page.
- What documents do I need at the DPS?
- Your original or certified marriage license. Or a Department of State Health Services (DSHS) marriage verification letter. A certified English translation as well, if the document is not in English. Order your certified copies first, as every office wants one.
- Do I change my name with Social Security before the DPS in Texas?
- 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 Texas marriage certificate?
- No. Texas 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 Texas?
- Order certified copies from the county clerk where you got your license. Set by the county: see your county's page. Certified copies of the marriage license are only available from the county clerk where it was filed. The state office issues only a $20 verification letter (marriages since 1966).
- Can I choose my new name on my Texas marriage license?
- No. The marriage license doesn't change your name here: you change it afterwards, with a certified copy of your marriage certificate.
Name change checklist and every statePassport name change guideSocial Security name change guide (SS-5)