State profile reviewed July 29, 2026
How to change your name after marriage in Virginia
Your state’s instructions
The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles states: "You must FIRST process your name change with the Social Security Administration before visiting DMV." It does not state a waiting period.
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 Virginia driver’s license or ID card
Update the driver’s license or ID card issued by the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Official sources
Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles: Start a name change(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 Virginia title and registration
Virginia issues a substitute title in your new name, using a combined title and registration application.
Official sources
Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles: Substitute titles(verified August 21, 2026)
Update voter registration
Update the name on your Virginia voter registration record.
Official sources
Virginia Department of Elections: Virginia voter registration application(verified July 29, 2026)
What this guide can’t tell you
The public steps are shared in Virginia. 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.