California · State reference
How to change your name after marriage in California
For adult U.S. citizens taking their spouse’s current surname unchanged after a marriage recorded in the United States.
Have one or more certified copies of your marriage certificate from the office that recorded the marriage. Update the driver’s license or identification card issued by California.
Want the preparation brought together for your own records? See the Name & Next plan for California.
Before updating your state credential
California DMV checks the name you request against your Social Security record before it issues the license or ID.
Which marriage certificate do I need?
Have one or more certified copies of your marriage certificate from the office that recorded the marriage. Later steps in this plan generally ask for a certified copy, so it is the first thing to have in hand.
What to have ready
- The jurisdiction where the marriage was legally recorded
- A method of payment that office accepts
- Any identification that office asks for
How do I update Social Security?
Update your Social Security record, which employers, banks, and agencies check your name against. This record is referenced by several later steps, so many people handle it early in the sequence.
What to have ready
- Certified marriage certificate
- Current identity documentation
- Anything the agency’s own instructions list
Which license or ID instructions apply?
Update the driver’s license or identification card issued by California. Some state offices reference your Social Security record, so this step follows it in your plan.
Preparation details are not listed in this public guide.
When should I update my passport?
Review the current official passport guidance and decide when to update. Passport timing interacts with any travel you have planned, so it is worth reviewing alongside your other identity documents rather than last.
Preparation details are not listed in this public guide.
Read the passport name change guideHow do I update my vehicle title?
California changes a registered owner’s name through its title and registration process. DMV’s registered-owner correction route controls the documents for this step.
Preparation details are not listed in this public guide.
How do I update voter registration?
Update the name on your California voter registration record. Your state election authority controls the available update methods and their requirements.
Preparation details are not listed in this public guide.
Requirements, timing and costs
Use the details below to identify the instructions that apply to your records.
| Social Security dependency | Required before the state credential See the route and its conditions Official sourcesReviewed |
|---|---|
| Wait after Social Security | No interval confirmed in reviewed source Official sourcesReviewed |
| Credential deadline | No deadline confirmed in reviewed source Official sourcesReviewed |
| Driver’s license fee benchmark | $37 Class C driver license change or replacement. Identification cards have a separate fee. Official sourcesReviewed |
| Vehicle records | Review title and registration together California changes a registered owner’s name through its title and registration process. Official sourcesReviewed |
Before you begin
Does Social Security need to come first?
Required before the state credential Check the conditions for your route.
When was this guide reviewed?
State profile reviewed . Each source retains its own review date. A design update does not mean the sources were reviewed again.
More context
From state guidance to your own plan
Bring your records into one plan
Your answers about your documents, travel, work, accounts and vehicle shape a personal preview of the records that may apply and where to begin. No payment is required to see it.
The complete Name & Next plan adds preparation guidance and a place to track your progress for one payment of $48, with no subscription. You complete your own updates. Government and institution fees are separate.