State profile reviewed July 29, 2026
How to change your name after marriage in Maryland
Your state’s instructions
The Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration states: "Update your name with the Social Security Administration at least 72 hours before your MVA appointment."
Passport, vehicle, and voter records follow their own current instructions rather than one universal order.
The shared route
What to do, in order
Obtain a certified marriage certificate
Have one or more certified copies of your marriage certificate from the office that recorded the marriage.
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
Official sources
National Center for Health Statistics: Where to write for vital records(verified August 11, 2026)
Update your name with Social Security
Update your Social Security record, which employers, banks, and agencies check your name against.
What to have ready
- Certified marriage certificate
- Current identity documentation
- Anything the agency’s own instructions list
Official sources
Social Security Administration: Change name with Social Security(verified July 29, 2026)
Update your Maryland driver’s license or ID card
Update the driver’s license or ID card issued by the state of Maryland.
Official sources
Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration: Update name, address, or other license info(verified August 21, 2026)
Review or update your U.S. passport
Review the current official passport guidance and decide when to update.
Official sources
U.S. Department of State, Passport Services: Change or Correct a Passport(verified August 21, 2026)
Update your Maryland title and registration
Maryland corrects the name on your certificate of title and vehicle registration through one correction process.
Official sources
Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration: Correct a name on a Maryland title or registration(verified July 29, 2026)
Update voter registration
Update the name on your Maryland voter registration record.
Official sources
Maryland State Board of Elections: Voter registration(verified July 29, 2026)
What this guide can’t tell you
The public steps are shared in Maryland. A plan is based on your answers and helps you prepare for the steps that apply to you.
Want a plan for your situation?
This guide covers the standard path. The My New Surname plan builder asks about your passport, travel dates, employer, accounts, and vehicle, then produces a personal plan with preparation notes, official source links, and browser progress tracking for one payment of $19.99, with no subscription. The questionnaire and your plan preview are free, and current checkout availability is shown before payment.