Name Change After Marriage in Pennsylvania
There's a lot at stake when it comes to name change and you need to move keenly and properly. Now that anyone can change a name to just about anything it's important to know that the legal procedure of making the name official requires a bit of preparation. Those who want to change their name in the State of Pennsylvania should have the following in mind.
Marriage name change options
In Pennsylvania, like in many other places, you can change your name after marriage. This can happen immediately after the wedding or solemnization and having received the marriage certificate.
The only thing you need is to take your marriage certificate and other required documents, such as proof of identity like state-issued valid photo IDs and citizenship proof to the Social Security Administration and later to the Driver License Center in your county. However, you have a number of options you can use in your name change to legally have a name that you like and need for various reasons.
Once you are married in PA, there are a number of options you can choose just by submitting the marriage certificate. They are as follows:
Keep your current name as it is
Leaving your name without any change by doing nothing at all is one of the easiest options. In the process, you can be sure of never taking trips to the Social Security offices and Driver's License Centers, incurring fees and preparing excruciating paperwork.
Spouse's surname on documents, but maiden name wherever else
In Pennsylvania it's also legal to take the spouse's last name on virtually all your records and ID while continuing with the usage of the maiden name in such professional places such as the workplace.
Hyphenate
If you are looking for the happiest compromise after marriage, hyphenating can give you that joy. You only need to hyphenate the last name of your spouse with your surname and you can have this applied on all your documents, governmental and non-governmental.
Add the name of your spouse to your own
This is where the bride takes the surname of the spouse and adds it to her surname with a hyphen or without. It's also one of the easiest to accomplish once you have married and received a marriage certificate copy.
Spouse's surname
You can also decide to go the most traditional way of taking the surname of your husband after marriage just like many others without much ado.
Maiden name to middle name
Pennsylvania now allows newlyweds to make their maiden name the middle name using a marriage certificate. The Driver's License Center of Pennsylvania has changed its position of not allowing the maiden name to be used as the middle name during the change of name.
You only need to file specific forms before you go for the driver's license, including showing the maiden name in certain IDs where it has been used as middle name.
First, change your name with the Social Security Administration. After you receive your updated social security card, bring it to the DMV along with at least two other forms of ID showing your maiden name as your middle name. That way, there's no need of another process to legally change your name.
Divorce name change
In many Prothonotary offices across Pennsylvania counties are Notice or Election to Resume Maiden Name forms that any adult who wants to seek a name change needs to use. Once you have filled the form you will be able to seek a name change and go back to a prior surname/name from the surname of your husband once you have divorced.
To change the name a fee is charged by the Prothonotary's office and can be around $19 if the divorce took place within the county where you stay or $42 if the divorce took place in another state or county, although the fees are not uniform and vary a lot from one county to the next.
In case you are thinking about going back to your maiden name once you have finalized the divorce, remember that in Pennsylvania you are supposed to provide a birth certificate copy showing the maiden name prior to your marriage.
In case the divorce was not filed in the commonwealth but in another state or another county within Pennsylvania different from your home county, you must deliver to the Prothonotary's office a divorce decree's certified copy, which you can request from the county's Prothonotary office where the divorce took place or from the office of the county clerk in case the divorce happened in another U.S. state.
Nonetheless, if the divorce took place within the same county where the name change request has been made there will be no need of providing a divorce decree's copy to the office of the Prothonotary.
After filing the decree of the divorce within the office of the Prothonotary, including a birth certificate and Notice or Election to Resume Maiden Name form, dully signed, you are considered to have given a notice showing intent to resume your maiden name or prior surname; all that is needed to begin using a maiden name or prior name after divorce under the law of Pennsylvania.
General adult name change
The general adult name change process in Pennsylvania is quite straightforward and can be completed by the Pro Se in 90 days to 180 days. While the process can be completed without an attorney, if your name change has unusual circumstances surrounding the court petition, you might want to have one.
To complete a name change in Pennsylvania without a recent divorce or marriage decree, a court order is needed to approve the change.
Fingerprints need to be taken mostly at your local police department serving the township, borough or city where you live. You can only go to the Pennsylvania State Police barracks for a fingerprint card if the municipality where you live doesn't have a local police department; a $20 fee will be requested.
File a change of name petition with the Common Pleas Court that has jurisdiction over the county where you live. The petition must indicate the name change desired while listing the desired and current names as well as the reason why you are filing the petition, including listing your residences for the last five years.
Fees for filing the petition are not uniform and differ from one county to the next. Once the petition has been filed, a hearing will be scheduled within the next three months after you have filed the petition.
You must also publish the name change notification in at least two newspapers that are generally circulated within the adjoining county or your county. You must provide documentation and receipts as proof of publication and the court usually tells you about the notice content needed.
You need criminal record copies including any civil judgment against you within the last five years. Those who have lived in Pennsylvania for the last five years can get the criminal record copy by approaching the Pennsylvania State Police while civil judgment copies can be requested from the Court of Common Pleas Clerk.
Those without criminal records in the last five years or have had zero civil judgments against them within the past five years can request a confirmation of a record absence or clearance certificate.
You can then attend the hearing for the name change that has been scheduled. Carry a publication proof of the public notice in newspapers together with records of civil judgments and clearance certificates/criminal records' copies.
After the petition has gone through, file the Decree signed by the court with the court clerk and request a number of certified copies from the same clerk to use in changing your name with the Social Security Office and Department of Transportation of Pennsylvania (PennDOT).
Name changes for a minor
In PA, you can change the name of the minor if both parents are in agreement or not.
If parents are in agreement, there's no need of a legal process to change the name of the child. The birth certificate of the child comes with a form on the back for that purpose. The biological parents should sign on the form showing they agree with the minor's name change.
The form should then be mailed to the Division of Vital Statistics with a clear government-issued identification card of at least one parent. A $4 is required if you would like the birth certificated sent back to you unless you can show proof of Armed Forces membership. The new birth certificate with the new name will be delivered to you.
If both parents don't agree with minor's name change
If both parents are not in agreement with the name change of the minor, the process can be complicated and consulting an attorney might be a great idea to at least know if you have any chance of success.
If you are sure of success, file the name change petition with the minor's name in the Court of Common Pleas within your county of residence. Pay the filing fee as directed by the court.
The most contentious part of the process is when you serve the other parent of the minor with the notice, since it's required by law by sending the petition notice through certified or registered mail and requesting a return receipt showing the notice was delivered and provide it in court as proof.
You must then prove the minor's name change is to his/her best interest and the court will come up with a hearing to ascertain if the name of the child needs to be changed.
A number of considerations will be looked into by the court from child support paid, visitation of the child by the other parent, natural bond among parents and child, consistent involvement in the life of the child, child and parent's ties as well as the extended family and social respect or impact as per the present name of the minor in the community, the ability and age of the minor to comprehend the name change significance in his/her life, among other reasons.
Change of name on birth certificate
To legally correct your birth certificate after a name change, you need a court order or certified copies of the court order you got from the court clerk and signed by the judge after the name change was allowed.
You need to submit to the Pennsylvania Health Division of Vital Records section a court order's certified copy with the court's seal and judge's signature. Remember facsimile copy or photocopy of the court order copy is unacceptable.
You also need to include the birth certificate, application form, valid legible copy of a photo ID issued by the government to verify your current mailing address and the fee needed or information showing Armed Forces membership, including a stamped envelop self-addressed to you.
Change name with Social Security, DMV, Passport, and IRS
Once you have changed your name through any of the different legally acceptable ways, you should then approach governmental bodies to finalize the change with them.
Begin with the Social Security Administration (SSA) by completing the SS-5 form or Application for a Social Security Card by mail or in person in a local office of Social Security. Within two days of receiving the application your name should be updated.
Most of the other governmental bodies only accept name change that's already with the Social Security Administration; why you need to deal with them first. You can then continue with your name change by approaching the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and filling the DI-143 or DL-80 forms to change your driver's license. You can also change the identification card of a non-driver by using the DL-54B from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.
Non-governmental institutions' name change
Depending on the non-governmental institution that you need to notify of your new name, it's important to have the court order's certified copies showing the name change, divorce or marriage decrees. Simply submit them as required by the various institutions from the insurance company, financial institutions such as banks, employer and also in your professional documents.
Recognized name change documents
- Certified copy of marriage certificate for marriage name change
- Certified copy of divorce decree for divorce name change
- Court order for general adult name change
- Birth certificate
- Proof of identity
What’s the process for changing your name after a divorce?And how long is the process?
Hi Neesa. File a notice of name change with the prothonotary office to change your name after divorce.
I have been married for decades and switched my name legally to my husband's name but kept my maiden name as professional (I am a physician). It's been fine for many years, but created confusion when one of the hospitals changed by NPI (national provider) to my legal name. I would like to clarify that's legal to keep maiden name professionally in PA while changed it to married legally. Thank you!
Hi Victoriya. You'll want to contact the Pennsylvania State Board of Medicine about updating your legal name on file while still operating under your maiden name (or alias).
I recently just got married in New Jersey. I went to the social security office and handed the lady my social security card, drivers license, and my marriage certificate (The piece of paper that has the witness signature of marriage and the officiant). The lady then told me that I needed to wait for the marriage license with the seal to legally change my last name. If this is so, won't this take forever to get sent to me? Months?
I got married September 10th, 2022.
Hi Taylor. It shouldn't take long for you to receive a certified copy of your marriage certificate with a raised seal. Contact the office where you applied for your marriage license to obtain a certified copy. They will mail it to you. Or you can go pick up a copy in their office for expedience.
In my marriage license I put my mums new family name since she got married to my step dad. Will I have a future problem if I file AOS? Cause mums name doesn't match on my birth certificate.
Hi Apple. If necessary, you can provide alternative forms of ID to bridge the names.
I was married last July 1st and just getting around to changing my last name. I read something about 180 days? Is there a time limit to change your name?
Hi Jennifer. There's no time limit to change your name. But once you do, you must notify PennDOT within 15 days. Keep in mind, the SSA does have a two year rule that requires additional ID if you wait to change your name two years after marriage.
Hi! I got married this April 2022 in Allegheny county & left my maiden name as my last name thinking I would change it to my spouse's last name eventually. I received our marriage certificate & now have decided to change my last name to my husband's last name. How would I go about doing that? And is there a large fee for this entire process? I read somewhere it could take anywhere between $250-$600– is this legit????
My marriage certificate has my maiden name as my last name that I want to change to my husband's last name.
Hi Sara. Those fees aren't applicable to you as you don't have to go to court. You can take a certified copy of your marriage certificate and commence your name change with the Social Security Administration, PennDOT, etc.
I just got married today. I have 2 middle names but I have always wanted to drop one of them (resulting in my first name, only one middle name, and my husband's last name). How would I go about doing this?
Also, I live in Northumberland County but got married in Montour County. Which do I file with?
The court of common pleas.
Hi Amanda. You cannot drop part of your middle name through marriage in Pennsylvania. You'll have to pursue a name change through court order.
How do I get my hyphenated name that I use professionally on my driver's license? I applied to take a professional exam in my field for another State- to take the exam my photo id has to match my professional license. They will not accept my marriage certificate or bank cards that have my professional name.
Hi Loraine. Is your "professional name" on your driver's license or professional license. I'm not sure what's what from your first sentence.
When married but not living together, do you have to put your husband's name on the birth certificate?
No. And your cohabitation status wouldn't be relevant.
Hi!
My husband and I got married 1/2/22- I’m confused as to how to go about changing my last name. I would just like to simply change my last name to my husbands last name.
Where the confusion begins: Do I need to file a petition in court? What steps should I take first?
Thanks!
Hi Dayna. You don't need to petition the court. Just get a certified copy of your marriage certificate and start your name change with social security, then your driver's license and passport.
Hi, I want to make sure I have the right information about changing my middle name to my maiden name. I am in PA and got married in PA. First I changed my full name with Social Security. I have a new card showing my name as I want it: First, MaidenAsMiddle, MarriedLast.
Then I went to the DMV with my new card and marriage certificate, and they would not change my middle name to my maiden name. Now I have a new license that says First, GivenMiddle, MarriedLast. I want to get that corrected to show First, MaidenAsMiddle, MarriedLast.
I now know that I can go back to the DMV to get it corrected as long as I provide my new Social Security card + two forms of ID showing my new name. I requested a new voter registration card with my full name as I want it. Will that come through as I requested even though they don't ask for any documentation?
I know I can use a passport as a second form of ID. I currently have a valid passport with my old name. If I fill out the renewal form with First, MaidenAsMiddle, MarriedLast and submit my marriage certificate, will that be enough for them to change it? I just don't want to pay $100+ and wait months and months for them to do the same thing as the DMV — I am concerned it will come back as First, GivenMiddle, MarriedLast.
Thanks in advance for any advice.
Hi A. You'll need your passport too. You can pursue expedited passport processing for an extra $60. That should bring down processing times to five to seven weeks.
I was once married and divorced in NY.
I recently married in PA. I recently changed my ssc to my husband's last name. I went to the dmv today with my divorce decree and my current marriage license.
During my first divorce I did not go back to my surname. I am still legally using my ex husband's last name.
The dmv associate said legally he can't help me because I should have changed my name back to my surname. I kept my ex husband's name. He said he can't help me or how I should go about it.
Any chance you can help me with any information or links regarding my concern?.
Hi Nina. On your NY marriage certificate, does it show your current name at the time as your ex-husband's last name or your prior restored name?
Hello,
I simply want to take my fiance's last name. I see that PA does not offer a place when getting your marriage license to indicate you will be taking a new name, but that I can still use my certified marriage license to change my name with SS, DMV, etc.
One of the responses above was about signing the marriage license with your current name. I do not see any place on the marriage certificate for either myself or my fiance to sign, just space for the officiant to fill in the date/place and sign his name. Am I missing paperwork or something?
All we were given at our marriage license appointment was a yellow document- top part authorizing the officiant to join us (his name, my current name), middle portion the "original marriage certificate" that the officiant signs (the one that is more for show and not actually the legal document) and then the bottom portion being where the officiant signs and returns to the clerk. We obtained this in Philadelphia.
I do not see a spot where we sign anything before sending this back. Is this inaccurate?
Correct.
Correct again.
If you were self-solemnizing your marriage, you'd sign. If not, the officiant signs.
You'll keep the top part for your records (this is not your marriage certificate) and the bottom half must be returned to the issuing clerk.
It's accurate. You don't sign anything.
Hello,
I'm going through a very lengthy divorce (years) and would like to legally change my name back to my maiden name (long marriage, took husband's last name ). Do I need to go through the adult name change process or can I just go through the prothonotary and revert back to my maiden name even though my divorce is not even close to being final?
Hi Separated. You can go back through the Prothonotary. You'll still have to go through a hearing and publication.
Hello,
I'm getting confused on how to change my maiden name to my spouse's name on my citizenship certificate.
My name had been changed on these documents:
SSA card
Driver's license
All other documents except: passport and citizenship certificate
When I went to change state license, I was told that I was unable to change due to the fact my citizenship certificate still has my maiden name.
Do I need to change my maiden name on my citizenship certificate to my spouse's name before I am able to change my old state license to my current state and passport?
What do I need to do now?
My marriage license does not have my spouse's name to show evidence that my name was legally change to my spouse's name.
Do I need to do a petition to the court for my name change on my marriage license?
What do you mean by state license? You referred to driver's license, but what is your state license? Through which agency.
You shouldn't have to go this route, but if need be you can update the name on your certificate of citizenship using Form N-565. Use your marriage certificate as proof of name change when filing this document.
Not a problem. Your new name can be derived from your marriage certificate.
No.
Hi,
My marriage license in PA has maiden name. Is this okay to change last name to husbands? Or will this create a problem? I don’t remember being asked to put my new last name.
Husband has a hyphenated last name. Do I have to take both last names or can I just take his first last name. Second last name was given since he was born in PR and it is his moms maiden name. Will I need to have both for drivers license? Thank you
You'd have to take both.
Yes, both.
I'm set to get married in October 2022. My fiance and I want to combine our last names, forming a new name. Mine starts with Van, hers ends in Lin, so it would be Vanlin. How much would that cost after getting married?
Around $200 each. You can check with your county's Court of Common Pleas for an exact figure.
Hello, could you clarify this for me, please? I am a Licensed Massage Therapist (LMT) who wants to hold on to the roots of my maiden name and respect my fiances traditionalistic views of me taking his last name. He does not want it hyphenated.
However, I also have my license and my degree with my maiden name that show my personal accomplishments. How do I professionally and legally use my maiden name yet tie our family with a 'united' last name? Thank you so much.
Lee
Hi Lee. You can contact the licensing board to determine if you can practice under an alias (your maiden name), while your married name is on file. Also inquire which name (perhaps both, side-by-side?) will be made part of the public record, as is required by Pennsylvania regulations.
I was married years ago and decided not to change my last name. What is the process to do it now?
Hi Cynthia. The process is the same. Use a certified copy of your marriage certificate to change your name on your social security card, driver's license, and passport.
Hello! I am getting married this year. My current last name is Green and my partners last name is Hershman. After marriage, we want to use the last name Greenman. Is this change able to be done through SS with just a marriage certificate in PA as the name can be clearly derived from our last names? Thanks!
No.
It must be derived from whole words.
Do you sign the marriage certificate with your desired new name? Or do you sign with your current name?
Hi Nicole. You'd sign your current name.
I was married in PA in 2018 and haven't changed my name yet because of business purposes. I'm now ready to begin the process, is there a time limit to change my maiden name to current husband's name or can I just follow the traditional steps?
I also have a single member LLC and am clueless on what I need to change for that with my business license, any advice there?
Thanks for keeping this thread active and current and for all the help!
There's no name change time limit in Pennsylvania or any other state.
You can file a Certificate Amendment for $70 with the Pennsylvania Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations.
Hi! So I went through the comments section and I wanted to make sure that I had the right order. I got married in NY last October and took my husband's last name. I moved to PA in November where he lives and now I would like to change my maiden name as my middle name and keep my husband's last name.
The order that I should go about doing that is: change name on SS card, then passport, then voter registration, and then my driver's license. Is that correct?
Hi Sara. You've got the sequence right.
Hi, so I just got in touch with the SS office and apparently, they said that I need a legal court order to change my maiden name to my middle name. They can still change my name on the SS card however they said that PENNDOT would not accept it unless I get a court order that legally states my name change.
Hi Sara. The agent you spoke is mistaken, as it is allowed by PENNDOT.
I went to change my last name and I wanted to keep my last name also but my husband is Mexican and has 2 last names. They said I HAD to put all 3 since both of his are listed on marriage license. I explained that it was only listed because it HAD to be. I just want his last name plus mine. They made it be his 2 last names then mine. Is there a way to fix that?
Hi Stephanie. They were correct. You can't take a portion of your husband's last name. In some states you could, but not Pennsylvania. You'll have to apply for an adult name change with the Court of Common Pleas.
I'm getting married in Pennsylvania but live in Maryland. Do I do all of my name changing through the state of Pennsylvania? Will I need to put my new last name on my marriage license, and my fiance will also be changing his last name (we are creating a new last name). Is the process the same for men?
In Maryland.
No, as it's not asked on the application, license, or certificate.
That'll work.
There are limits. You can hyphenate or take either's last name in either order. It has to fall within these parameters.
Yes, it's the same for men.
I am debating between adding my husband's last name to my last name without a hyphen or just taking his last name as my middle name. I currently do not have a middle name. I would like to keep my maiden name professionally (which includes a medical license). If I add his last name to my last name, do I have to change my medical license? If I add his last name as my middle name, what paperwork goes into this and is it the same amount as changing my last name? We've been married for 4 years.
Not possible through marriage.
At a minimum, you'll want to notify the licensing board. It doesn't necessarily mean they'll require your credentials be updated to match. Internal records may need to be updated though.
Not possible through marriage. You'll have to petition the court for such a name change.
I did see the answer to my question but still and unsure of what procedure to follow. I just want to add my husband's last name to mine. It would be FirstName MiddleName MaidenName MarriedName. I LOVE my maiden name and would like to continue to use that professionally. Do I have to include MarriedName as well when telling people my name?
Also, is this the same strategy: marriage certificate to SSA, take SSA name change to DMV, Take SSA and DMV name change to passport, and all financial information, like credit cards, payroll?
I don't believe a space-only name would work. Hyphenate yet, but space could be a problem. If you want to continue using your maiden name professionally, you can do so informally. Even consider a DBA.
Only for legal purposes.
You've got it right, but you don't need to take your SSA card with you to change the name on your driver's license or passport.
I'm confused. My daughter got married last Aug 2019. She has been trying to use her Maiden name as her middle name and the DMV has been given her the run around forever. Then had to wait because of the Virus. Is she allowed to do this or not? She has her SS card the way she wants it and her Marriage License.
Hi Jeri. It's possible as shown on Pennsylvania DOT. Can your daughter supply another document in addition to her social security card showing her maiden name as middle? Such as a passport?
Hello. I am having our marriage ceremony at the end of this month with a small group of family, and having our wedding we planned next October 2021. We have submitted the marriage license application already. Is it possible to wait in PA until our wedding next October 2021 to change my last name or do I have to do this in a certain time frame if i am going to take my husbands last name?
Hi Erica. There's no name change time frame to abide by. You can do it a year later.
I have a hyphenated last name, and shes wants to keep her maiden name when we marry. Could shes hyphenate HER maiden name with ONLY my SECOND last name . Or would she have to take both my first and my last name?
Hi Luis. She'd have to take both.
I will be getting married in PA on Oct. 17. I am debating between making my maiden name my middle name (Sharon Ross Lanz) vs the option of adding my husband's surname to my name (Sharon Marie Ross Lanz). Can you advise what the pros and cons of each option would be? In either scenario, would I be able to sign official documents as Sharon Ross Lanz? Is either scenario any easier or harder to get implemented in PA?
Appending a name could cause potential confusion. It may not be clear where your middle name begins and ends. Correcting others may become a common thing you'll have to deal with.
Replacing your middle name with your maiden is a good way to maintain a connection to your birth name.
There truly isn't a pro and con. You should choose whichever you prefer.
You'll have to sign you full legal name. No partials.
Hello if I was married in 2016 and now its 2020 how can I change my name to husbands last name?
Hi Pauletta. The process is the same, however you'll have to include an identity document (e.g., driver's license, passport) for social security since it's been more than two years since you were married. Had you made the change before this time, you could have used the marriage certificate for ID-purposes.
Hi there – my husband and I were married last week in Tennessee and are relocating to PA this weekend for his job. I intend on changing my last name to his last name. Am I able to do this without a court order? How long does it typically take?
No need for a court order. Turnaround time varies. Social security card can take up to two weeks. Passport is currently unknown due to the State Dept. being short-staffed due to Covid-19. Driver's license is up to your local office. You may have to make an appointment.
I’m looking to change my last name when I get married. I was recently adopted as an adult and haven’t changed my last name. Can I change from my original last name to my adopted-married last name during the marriage license/SSA process or do i have to petition the court?
Hi Briana. Taking your adopted name through marriage wouldn't work. You'd have to petition instead.
Hi, I got married in PA 36 years ago. My marriage certificate has on it my first name, birth middle name and last maiden name. I don't remember how I changed my name to get a new ss card using birth first, middle initial maiden name, and married last name. My ss card, drivers license, voter id, and all banks documents and investments have this on them. Now, I want to get a new real ID. Is this going to be a problem?
Hi Michelle. You should be fine considering your identification history is well established.
I've had a really terrible experience with changing my name that's left me confused and disappointed. I wanted to hyphenate my last name with my husband's but the clerk at the SSA office told me "we don't do hyphens" — this was in Philadelphia, PA.
So now my legal name is Anastasia Middle Last Last, which isn't what I wanted. I keep telling myself that it's okay, I can stylize it as Last-Last but it still feels awful, as I now have two last names instead of one. Which is totally fine and normal, but NOT what I wanted.
What's worse is when I went to the DMV they offered to hyphenate my name but I was worried about not having an ID that matched my legal name. I wish I didn't care so much, but a name is an incredibly personal thing — is there anything I can do to rectify this?
I can't find anything online about PA "not doing hyphens" and know plenty of people with hyphenated surnames. Was the clerk wrong, and just screwed me over?
Don't know what this clerk is talking about. Hyphens are common and are processed for name changes regularly. It's written right in their manual.
You can try returning to the SSA and request a correction.
Hi, so I got married this year and we applied for the self uniting marriage license. Now, I remember that they asked me if I wanted to change my name, but I wasn't sure yet.
So of course our triple seal copy only states my maiden name but I decided to take my husbands last name. Did I screw up and have to petition a name change with the court to make it legit?
I went to the social security office and dmv with the certified copy and had no issue changing my name for my card and drivers license.
We want to visit my family in germany over christmas and my german passport states my maiden name, but my greencard has my married name. I'm just wondering if the marriage certificate is enough proof or if I have to file a legal name change to make it official and legal.
I just want to make sure I didn't forget an important step after being indecisive at first.
Just to clear things up, I went to the marriage license office in allegheny county two days after the ceremony and turned everything in. They took one part of the fancy paper, gave me the rest, one says Marriage license and has a seal, the other says "original" but doesn't say marriage certificate. It has fancy script saying we united ourselves in marriage, but doesn't have a seal. I got two triple seal copies (which I assume are the certified copies since I payed $10 each)
Am I missing anything, since the original doesn't have a seal? Just the license (and the certified copies)
Everything states my maiden name
Hi Christi. You did everything right. Nothing to be concerned about.
No, don't need to petition.
It's enough.
Great! Thank you so much.
So Pennsylvania marriage certificates state only the maiden name and changing my name with the social security office and dmv is basically my official Name change? (so much easier than in germany)
Really appreciate it. I was so worried.
Have a great weekend!
I got married last week. We just received the marriage license in the mail. It has my maiden name. I know I did not see a section asking which last name I wanted. I want to take my husbands' name (no hypen). How do I change it? I'm not sure if what we received is a certified copy. Do I need a certify copy to change my name?
True. Pennsylvania doesn't list such an option on the marriage license application. Your missing married name doesn't matter.
That's fine. The process is the same using your marriage certificate.
Change the name on your social security card. Bring the updated card. You could also swap out your SS card with a passport or voter registration card that shows your new name.
Yes.
My partner and I are currently not married and have two children. He has his ex-stepfathers last name and that was passed down to our two children. We would love to get married and change all of our names to his mothers maiden name. Is there a way to do this? What is the cost/process?
You'll have to get a general adult name change through the Common Pleas Court. Fees vary by court. You'll have to contact the court in your county for a cost breakdown, as there are multiple fees from beginning to end.
I'm looking to get married at the courthouse in spring but don't want to legally change my name until I have a reception a year or so later. Is there a time limit on when I can change my last name to my future husbands?
There is no time limit to start your name change.
Hello. I'm getting married in PA next year and plan to change my last name to my fiancé's. I have a 4 yr old son that was born in FL. His biological father pays court ordered child support that's garnished from his wages, but only sees him once a year and calls MAYBE twice a month.
He hasn't really established a relationship with my son. My son considers my fiancé his dad, especially since my fiancé has been raising him with me since he was a year old.
We want to change my son's last name, but his biological father will most likely object. I have sole legal custody and primary physical custody. How would I change my son's name if my ex husband won't agree? Thank you!
The biological father would have to file an objection in the Common Please Court. The judge will decide.
Hi
Please help.. I filed I-485 form adjustment of status.. my husband last name is Nunez Gonzalez and I changed my name when we got married to Genessix Nunez. I didn’t take the Gonzalez… I got my ssc and all my documents under that name but PennDot told me I had to take both of them. Is that true?
Thank you
Hi Genessix. The Pennsylvania DMV doesn't allow taking one-half of a spouse's hyphenated or space-separated name. The SSA allows it because it's permitted in their guidelines. The federal SSA and state DMV operate on different rules.
Hello my husbands mother in the course of his life changed his last name from her maiden name to boyfriends last name (north) when we got married he (my husband) last name was North so my last name is now north.
He hates the north family and his mother and mr north are deceased my husband wants to return to his mothers maiden name, how does he do that? And where does that leave me how do i assume his prior name (his mothers maiden name also)?
Is it possible, where do we begin. He has expired license with prior name which i call his maiden name. And a current drivers license that has his last name as North.
He'll have to file a name change petition with the Common Pleas Court that has jurisdiction over his county of residence.
It doesn't affect you. You'll have to file your own separate petition to match names.
His prior ID doesn't help. He'll just have to get it done through the court system.
Good Morning.! My husband and I were married in Vegas 13 years ago. For business purposes, I kept my 1st marriage last name. Now that I'm nearer to retirement and the company I work for, I really don't have to identify as my first married name, I want to change my name to my husband's last name.
PA site was a bit confusing. From reading here, I should get my name changed first with SS, then DL, then my passport, then the financial institutions, is this correct? I have ordered a certified copy of my marriage license. I also have my birth certificate. Do I need a certified copy of my first marriage license or a divorce decree as well? Please advise. Thank you!
That would work.
Just your last marriage certificate.
I recently changed my name via the SSA office to BirthFirstName MaidenName SpouseLastName. I waited until my new SSN Card arrived. Then I took new SSN card along with marriage certificate to a PA driver's license center to update my license.
Licensing center updated my driver's license to BirthFirstName BirthMiddleName SpouseLastName. I thought they made a mistake and explained my middle name is my maiden name. They said they don't recognize SSNs for name purposes – that they were only updating my last name based on the marriage cert. In order to change maiden to middle, licensing center told me I needed a passport and another form of government ID (voter registration form, etc.).
Today I went to get a Passport with social security card and marriage cert, but the US Department of State (office that issues passports) said they won't issue a passport in my new name until I have a driver's license (state ID) that matches the new name.
Since I can't get a license or Passport, what should I do to obtain photo ID that will match the name on my social security card?
Hi Maria. Is this your first passport or were you trying to updating an existing passport? If it's an existing passport, how old is it?
Hi Valera thanks for such a quick response! I have an existing US passport valid for 10 years that expires in a couple years. My passport matches my birth certificate. I can send my existing current passport in as part of the passport renewal, along with my certified marriage license. I was married in WA and there is no place to include a married name on WA marriage license. It only lists my spouse's name and my name (per our birth certs, passports, etc.). If I had listed "First Maiden SpouseLast" as my name on the marriage license, then my marriage wouldn't be valid because that name didn't exist when I got married. The only way I was able to change my name through SSA to "First Maiden SpouseLast" was after I had the marriage certificate.
On this website above, there's a section about Maiden to Middle and it says if you bring two forms of ID along with Marriage license & updated SSN Card, that PA will now let you change Maiden to Middle name.
So far I've updated my pay stubs, W-4, and submitted a name change request with my bank to match my updated SSN. Would any of those three be considered a form of ID for the DMV? I also applied for an updated voter ID card. Are there other forms of ID that I would be able to get right now that the DMV will recognize as valid? Thank you again for your help.
That should be enough. You could mail in your name change forms. Your married name could be derived from your marriage certificate. You'd have to include another form of valid ID since your driver's license is in your new name.
You can review the steps on the DOS website. It tells you to provide your marriage certificate and ID, but how you can skip the marriage certificate if your new ID already has your new name. Since your ID doesn't have your proper new name, you'll have to provide your marriage certificate and another form of ID.
Passport and voter registration would work. Not the others, as they're based on your allegation alone. So, your last step is to get your passport updated and then your driver's license.
The difficulty you're facing is your name change was done out of sequence. Instead of SSA, passport, voter registration, driver's license, you did SSA, voter registration, driver's license, then passport.
Thanks Valera. If my license was in my birth name, would it have been easier to update my passport? Because I could have used my old license and my marriage certificate? But now that my new license is in this different/weird name, it's creating the extra hassle?
Yes.
Take a look at the other forms of photo ID that's accepted.
I have read mixed results about minors. We are both the biological parents. I have read we can simply fill out the back part of her birth certificate to her father's last name, and pay a fee, and they will send us a new birth certificate with the new last name. Is this true?
Yes, it's true. Afterward, the modified birth certificate may be used to update your child's social security card.
Hi,
I am getting married next month and my fiancé and I discuss about which surname we are going to have. He wants to have my last name . So is possible than the groom gets the bride’s last name?
No, he'd have to change his name through the common pleas court.
Hi. I was married in MD but reside in PA. So I was not able to request a last name change with the marrige license. Do I have to petition the court to change my last name? Very confusing. Who officially changes my last name?
No, just use a certified copy of your Maryland marriage certificate.
The SSA, DMV, etc, after you initiate the process. If you don't start the process, your name does not change.
This might be a dumb question but the marriage certificate you get in the mail is certified correct?
Did you pay for a certified copy? It's an extra $10 to $25 in Pennsylvania. If you did pay for it, the only version they'll mail you is a certified copy.
The one that was mailed to me was the one with a raised seal on it on a thicker type beige paper.
I figured out what I have to do to get a certified copy of my marriage certificate. Thank you for all of your help
Hi Kelsey. That does appear to be the marriage certificate. It should say marriage certificate on the face and have the clerk's signature.
Hi. I recently just got married and my median name is on the marriage certificate. Do I just have to go to the social security office to change my last name or do I have to get a petition of court to do so?
Hi Kelsey. Just go to the social security office.
Ok because I was reading different articles and some were saying you have to get a petition of court to do it and some were saying go to the social security office. I just wanted to make sure for Pennsylvania if it was the social security office or the court
Hi Kelsey. It's standard in Pennsylvania. Your marriage certificate will show your current name, not a new chosen name.
Ok thank you very much
Hi! I am planning on getting married early next year and was wondering as a male if I could take my wife-to-be's last name through the same process? Or would I need a court order to take her last name?
Hi Adm. You would need a court order.
Hello, I just move in to PA and got married a week ago, we don’t want to change last names, we didn’t request it, my question is: If we didn’t request to change names it won’t, right? Is not a automatic process…? When (before or after getting the marriage certificate?) is the time to make this process?
It is not automatic.
You can submit your paperwork once you have your marriage certificate in hand. Your certificate will be available after you're married.
You will not automatically get a certified copy of your marriage certificate. You'll have to purchase it for $10 to $25 from the clerk of orphan's court, assuming you haven't already.
I went to the Social Security Office today to change my middle name to my maiden name & make my husband’s last name my last name. I was told by the officer that because of the PA Real ID, I can no longer change my middle name, I can only change my last name without having to petition the courts. Is this accurate information or was the person helping me misinformed?
I’m only asking because I swear when I was talking about it with people who changed their names last year, they were able to do it. Thank you!
Hi Stephanie. It should be possible, as spelled out on the Pennsylvania Real ID page.
We live in NJ but were married in Bucks County in April 2018- I would like to add my husbands last name but without a hyphen – is it possible to do this but still legally use my maiden name on all legal documents?
You should use your legal name on legal documents.
Hello! I was married last year and plan to change my name soon. If I keep my maiden last name and simply add my husband's last name, with no hyphen (double barreling I believe it's called, so FirstName MiddleName Maidenlast Marriedlast), do I need to get a new passport? Or will my old passport with FirstName MiddleName MaidenLast still be valid since it is technically still part of my legal name? Also, are there any issues with SS or DMV having two last names with no hyphen?
You can wait to renew your passport, but be sure to keep a certified copy of your marriage certificate on hand if you need to explain why your passport and ID don't match.
I don't believe Pennsylvania supports space-separated name changes through marriage.
Thank you, but I am confused. I thought that was one of the options listed above?
Add the name of your spouse to your own
This is where the bride takes the surname of the spouse and adds it to her surname with a hyphen or without. It's also one of the easiest to accomplish once you have married and received a marriage certificate copy.
Hi Stephanie. Apologies for the confusion. You're correct, that is an option.
I recently got married a second time. I kept my first husbands last name because I did not want to be different from my sons. However, I also wanted my new husbands last name. So after 2 years, I decided to have two last names. (First/Middle/First husband surname Second husband surname). No hyphen.
I know I have to change my Drivers License to show both last names. My question is do I have to change everything to both last names or can I use them interchangeably? In other words, do I have to change the deed on my home, credit cards, Will, bank checks to reflect both names or can I leave them as is?
You have to use your legal name on legal documents. If you're changing your name on your driver's license, I assume you're doing so on your social security card as well. That means taxes would have to match your social security record.
Your employer would have to be notified to use the updated name. Credit bureaus will have your new name on file. Applying for new credit would have to be under your new name.
If you're just using last names interchangeably on an informal basis, it's not a big deal. It can be hard to manage if you start applying it to paperwork.
You do not have to change the name on your deed.
That's up to your bank. It's their prerogative to print checks in either name, as long as they have your legal name on file.
I am divorced and never changed my name back to my maiden name. I am getting remarried in April and I live in PA. I would like to change my middle name to my current last name(the same as my son's last name) I want to take my husband's last name. So I want to have my first name with my legal name as my middle name and then have to take my husband's last name. Is this possible?
That's unlikely to work. It would at least have to be your maiden name.
I struggled with the same issue and after 2 years, I decided to have 2 last names.
Can you move a first name to middle name and declare a new first name during the marriage process? I have a Korean name that can get challenging during professional settings and would like to use an English legal first name.
First name change through marriage isn't possible.
My husband wants to hyphenate his last name with mine is he aloud to do that at the social security office with his state id and marriage license or do we have to petition the court ? We live in Pa
Hi J. He'd have to petition.
My wife and I marries in VA 2017 but are PA residents, we both went to Social Security to have our names changed, both of us hyphenating, we saw the same worker at the same time.
Her name change was no problem, showed drivers license & passport, done. Mine was denied because I was 1 male, and two my 2nd piece of identification along with my drivers license was my Permanent Resident Green Card.
From what I have been able to find out neither of those should be an issue and I should be eligible for a last name name change due to marriage just as my wife is.
Is that correct?
Thanks
Glenn
Hi Glenn. Did this take place at the social security office or PennDOT?
I'm getting married later this year and we both do not want to keep our last names. In Pennsylvania can you elect to choose a completely new and different last name?
You cannot through marriage.
That's not what the DMV told me today. We were applying for real ID licenses and they said my middle name had to be my given middle name unless I had legally changed my name
Hi Andrea. Did you try the multi-ID approach beforehand?
I had the same experience at DMV. I was told I had to use the middle name that was on my birth certificate ( not my maiden name as middle name ) and would be denied the real ID AND also would be denied a passport. ( this was info from employee at DMV in PA.) I already received a SS card with new name ( maiden as middle followed by married name- NO hyphen)… so now I have gotten new photo card for new drivers license but changed only my last name to married name—- I’m frustrated because I’m supposed to return to SS office to change my middle name back to my original birth middle name, and I’d rather have my maiden name for middle name ! Not sure what to do!! Frustrated and confused by folks who may be misinformed! I certainly don’t want to have problems down the road being denied for real ID or a passport!!
Im just confused and i dont know what to do about it. Im from PA now and i dont know their rules about name from single to married. Other states can do this my situation without any legal/court action. So here it goes.
Help please! I have questions about filing AOS. I want to use my husband’s last name for my current legal name cuz we already got married. my whole name is:
First name: DIMPNA ROSE
Middle name: CASTROMAYOR
Last name: CABRILES
my married last name now is: TARR
now i wanted to file my current legal name as:
DIMPNA ROSE TARR dropping my middle name and maiden name and use the my name “ROSE” as middle name instead.
Now my question is, is it posible to use as my current legal name DIMPNA ROSE TARR and/even i get rid of my middle name and maiden name?
I just wanted to use that 3 names of mine and get rid my middle name and maiden name. Or do you know any idea what name i will be using now i am married? Thank you for your help! I appreciate it.
Hi Dimpna Rose. You can take your husband's name (Tarr) as your surname, so we can set that aside. You're trying to drop a portion of your first name and slide it over into your middle name space. That requires a court order.
I was married a few years ago, but never changed my last name. I now want to hyphenate my last name. I know I’ll need an official marriage license. I’m wondering the exact steps/order of steps I’ll need to take and forms I’ll need to complete. Do I go to the social security office first, then change my license and passport? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
That's correct. You'll need to obtain a certified copy of your marriage certificate as well.
Hello,
I am currently in the name change process and am getting very confused with the PA rules on changing your maiden name to your middle name. I do currently have a middle name but ofcourse want it to instead be my maiden name and then also change my last name to my husband's last name.
Some of the name change sites say in PA I still need to petition to the court to change my middle name to my maiden name before doing anything else. I am unsure which I should be doing. Do I still petition? Or just use forms to change my social security forms and passport first and then just go to DMV and I should be fine? Thank you
Hi Meera. Social security card first, next passport, and finally one more form of ID, like a voter registration card or other government document. The passport and the other document is meant to serve as your two additional identity documents.
When I get married can I change my first name as well as my new married last name.
No, you cannot. You can change your last name because of marriage, but a first name change would have to be requested in the Common Pleas Court.
Hello, I was married a few years back which ended in a divorce. I never changed my last name back to my maiden name. Now that I just recently got married I would like to change my last name to my maiden name hyphened with my husbands last name. Will this be an issue with SSA, DMV, etc?
Hi Dalilia. There's a good possibility you'll face a problem with the DMV as your maiden name is no longer the current name on record.
Hello,
I’m getting married in a few weeks and I would like to make my maiden name my middle name and take my husband’s last name. I just have a few questions
1.Do I fill out the social security papers with my desired name?
2. In the above article it says bring two forms of ID to the DMV which show your maiden as middle/new last name being used. Can I have some examples? I’m afraid I will have nothing to present besides SS card and marriage license.
Thanks!
Correct.
It's a little tricky, but doable. You can update your passport and voter registration card to your new married name, then use those documents to fulfill the ID requirement. Also be sure to bring along your new social security card.
I am considering doing the same thing as Chelsea and wondered the same question. In my case, I do not currently have a valid Passport. What would I need to have to get a new passport with my new name on it? Thanks, Sharon Ross
Hi Sharon. You'd just fill out the appropriate passport application, then wait to receive it in the mail. Without knowing the age of your passport (or if you even have one), I can't provide much more detail.
I got married this past weekend and am looking to change my last name to my husband's on legal/bank documents, but would prefer to use my maiden name for work, due to my professional licenses and degrees. Is there any specific paperwork involved or anything different I need to do other than the main name change paperwork? I just want to make sure everything works out!
For work-related purposes, you can register a DBA in your maiden name. If you're an employee, you can request that your maiden name be used publicly while using your married name internally for tax and legal purposes.
As for your licenses, depending on your profession, you may need to notify your licensing board of the change. It doesn't necessarily mean that they'll require documents reissued in your new name, but they may need to have their records internally updated.
My fiancé and I both want to change our last names after we get married to
my mom’s last name. How do we do that? Is that possible to do after we get married in January?
Hi Kathryn. You'll both have to petition the court.
When I change my last name, will they take a new license photo or will they use the old one?
You have two options:
1) PennDOT can give you an update card with your new name that you can carry with you alongside your driver's license until it's time to renew your license.
2) Get a duplicate, replacement driver's license, which will require you to take a new photograph and pay a renewal fee. They will not use the old photograph on file.
I’m getting married soon but I don’t want to lose any names. In PA can you change your name after marriage to SAME first/ SAME middle, ADD maiden/ NEW married last name? I’d like to keep my maiden but not necessarily hyphen. Or is this a case of pentitioning the court for a name change? Thank you!
Hi Amanda. If you're talking about adding your maiden name to your middle name, then you'd have to petition the court. If you were referring to something else, please clarify.
Hi, thank you. That is exactly what I was wanting to do. I would rather have 2 middle names (current middle name and maiden name) instead of a hyphenated last name. Thank you for clarifying that I do need to petition the court for what I want.
This is no longer true. You can change your name with Social Security first. Next, you change it with banks, insurances, credit cards, voter registration, passport.
You need your name Social Security cards with two additional pieces of documents showing the entire name change and PA will change your license. They will grumble, but they will do it.
Hi Jen. Thanks for chiming in. The Real ID page you referenced talks about replacing the middle name with the maiden name. The person you cited wanted to append her maiden name to her middle name.
I just moved to PA from NY. I was married in NY and chose to keep my maiden name on the marriage certificate. I now would like to take my husband's last name. Do I have to go back to NY to have this changed? Or can I do it here in PA? I still have a NY driver's license. Thank you for any help!
You needn't change it in NY or PA. Just use your marriage certificate as-is to change your name.
Even though I elected to keep my maiden name on my NY marriage certificate? I remember the clerk mentioning that it may be more difficult to change later if I did this. Thank you so much for your response, I really appreciate your help!
Hi Allison. You should be fine since you're a Pennsylvania resident. If you were a New Yorker, then you might face a problem.
This is great news! Thank you so much for your help Valera!!!
My marriage certificate doesn't have my husband's last name. I don't remember the application asking about it. Should it have? How do I get it changed?
Pennsylvania marriage license applications don't provide sections for applicants to specify a new last name after marriage. And even if it did, such an amendment would unlikely to be accepted. This won't prevent you from changing your name though.
Changes to an application, license, and certificate are typically reserved for typographical and informational errors (e.g., wrong date of birth, address) and not changes in preference.
I got married in Allegheny county in March. I got my marriage certificate and was able to get my name changed with social security and drivers license. I hyphenated and regret the decision. Can I change my name to just my spouse's at social security office?
Hi Rebecca. If you've already changed your name with the SSA and DMV, you'll have to petition the court to change it again.