Is your name change legal if you haven't done the paperwork to change it yet?

You sign the marriage certificate with your "new" name - when you apply for a marriage license they will explain it to you.

You can legally change your name once you receive your marriage certificate back from the state; you can't change banking/SS/ID/Passport etc. basically any government related things until you have the certificate. Gmail, Facebook, anything not legal is fine to change. I have to wait until SEPTEMBER to get my marriage certificate and finally change everything! Ugh...

At least, this is my understanding from my research!

Thanks MauiBride. We're meeting with our officiant this Saturday so I assume he'll get into the details there. He had explained certain sections (like the application process) briefly over the phone to us already but the 'after part' wasn't clear.

Not a dumb question

Thanks Ebony

I was wondering the same thing! Thank you.

Ooh can I add a question? Do you have to pay extra to leagally change your name to your married name or is it free with the marraige certificate? I know you have to pay to have it changed when you divorce...:/

@Jen its my understanding, and someone please correct me if I'm wrong , that the marriage license changes your name legally .. there are no additional fees .. You do have to pay for a copy the Legal certificate so use to make the other changes.. ie. SS#/DL, I believe its and addtional $18 here

My understanding was that a marriage certificate just makes the marriage legal. You have to do a seperate name change request that you use the marriage certificate for, first with SS and then all other things.

But I don't really know for sure.

Not sure if things are different from state to state, I know that here I had to state what my new name would be and was told that I would not be allowed to change it , without donig a legal name change document thats why I had the impression that it was included.. I could definitely be wrong and it could vary by state

In CA the marriage licesnce cost was included in the name change, only other cost that I had was at the DMV because I wanted to change my name before my DL expired

Hubby legally is still his last name until we go to change SS. then DL, banks, etc.

You can use your new name but legally you're still maiden.

It didn't cost extra for the name change, the certificate just recognized the marriage and a last name change which becomes proof to change through SS.

In California.

Ummm... what if you sign your marriage license with your old last name??! They didn't explain that to me when we got our license!!

@Cew2 c,

good question, my previous marriage I signed the certificate with my maiden name, so is this wrong?

View Quoted Comment I’m actually in the same boat. Was not told that I would have to put my new name if I wanted to change my last name. I used my maiden name on the license. Just received the official marriage certificate in the mail and now I feel like I did something wrong.

Usually a license application has a place to put what you would use as your married name. In California, this is not yet the official name. Then the marriage certificate can be used for a simplified name change after the marriage. That's what I have planned. I think basically you can use whatever name you want as long as there is no deception intended. But the legal name would be used to update social security cards and drivers licenses.

When filling out our marriage license in CA, you put your maiden name in the top section and sign your maiden name. Near the bottom it asks what your new name will be. You can use your maiden name as your new middle name if you want and then you put your new last name. After your ceremony, make sure your witness and officiant fill it out correctly with dates and addresses.

I started using my new name telling people to call me by my new name. I've changed it in my social media accounts. But legally I had to wait once I changed ID and Ss and legal marriage license from the city. I sign as such and mail is in my new name but I didn't do it right away. I started name change in march gotten married October 30th 2022

And can you do name-change stuff for Social Security, DMV, bank, etc, the same day? Or do you have to wait and “finalize” one before the other?

I think the steps are that first the name change is done with the state to make the name selected on the marriage license official. Then the social security card name change is done, since so many financial accounts utilize the SSN, even though social security should just be about retirement.

View Quoted Comment

Hi Brittani! Once you get your marriage certificates you start the name change process with social security. You can go in person to an office to turn in your application and necessary paperwork or you can mail everything in - either way it will take a few weeks to get your new social security card.

Once you have your new social security card you can change your name everywhere else (driver's license, passport, bank accounts, etc.) Here's a great guide that outlines all the steps:

How to Change Your Name After Marriage & Everywhere to Do It