How to change your name after marriage in West Virginia
Change your name after marriage in West Virginia: the $7.50 license fee, the 20-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 West Virginia
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
West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV). You can change it in person.
Official page · Checked October 16, 2026
- License fee
Fee: $7.50 (Name change).
Official page · Checked October 16, 2026
- Deadline
20 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 (souvenir documents and minister's copies are not accepted)
- Proof of identity and two proofs of West Virginia residency, if the transaction requires them
- A signed statement instead of the marriage certificate, if you're 50 or older, have a West Virginia license in the name being verified, and have renewed it in West Virginia at least once
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 West Virginia certificate?
No. West Virginia 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 West Virginia Department of Health, Health Statistics Center, Vital Registration Office. First copy: $12. Each extra copy: $12.
Get your certified marriage certificate from the county courthouse in the county where you married.
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.
General information, not legal advice. Rules change, and the official page has the final word. Checked October 16, 2026.
Your steps in West Virginia, in order
Order certified copies of your marriage certificate. Order them from the county clerk, or West Virginia Department of Health, Health Statistics Center, Vital Registration Office. First copy: $12. 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. West Virginia 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. West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV). In person. Fee: $7.50 (Name change). You have 20 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 West Virginia
- How long do I have to change my name on my West Virginia driver's license?
- West Virginia gives you 20 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 West Virginia driver's license?
- It costs $7.50 (Name change). That's the fee on the official page.
- What documents do I need at the DMV?
- Your certified marriage certificate (souvenir documents and minister's copies are not accepted). Proof of identity and two proofs of West Virginia residency, if the transaction requires them. A signed statement instead of the marriage certificate, if you're 50 or older, have a West Virginia license in the name being verified, and have renewed it in West Virginia at least once. Order your certified copies first, as every office wants one.
- Do I change my name with Social Security before the DMV in West Virginia?
- 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 West Virginia marriage certificate?
- No. West Virginia 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 West Virginia?
- Order certified copies from the county clerk, or West Virginia Department of Health, Health Statistics Center, Vital Registration Office. First copy: $12. Each extra copy: $12. Get your certified marriage certificate from the county courthouse in the county where you married.
- Can I choose my new name on my West Virginia 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)