Wedding Etiquette Forum

name change question for married ladies

I live in a state (Virginia) where the new married name is not listed on the marriage license. The Social Security office told me that they will not be able to change my name unless my new married name is on the marriage license. This can't be true since I am pretty sure Virginia isn't the only state where the new name is not on the license, right?

Have any of you gotten married in a state where the license does not include a spot for the new name? If so, what did you need to do to change your name?

And, is the process different if you want to just change your last name versus changing your middle name to your maiden name?

Re: name change question for married ladies

  • My TN marriage license did not include my married name, and I got a new SSC just fine. The process shouldn't be any different if you want to change your middle name to your maiden name.
  • We got married in Northern VA. I also changed my middle name to my maiden name. 

    I took a copy of the marriage license as well as my old SS card and my old driver's license to the SS office (in Fairfax off Waples Mill). I filled out paperwork and they asked me what I wanted my name to be. They gave me a paper with my new info on it that I took to the DMV and got my new license.
  • Wouldn't the husbands last name on the certificate be a clue to what you were changing your name to?  That sounds really weird.  I'd call and get some information. 

    I know in Ohio after we got married about 2 weeks later I had to go back to the marriage license office to get a  marriage abstract, which is what I took to change all my SS, license, etc. 
  • It should be fine.  Your husband's name is on the license, right?  NC does it the same way.  Ours said "Heels MaidenName, HeelsHusband MarriedName."  They probably do name changes every day.  I don't think you'll have a problem. 
  • Ohio doesn't put the married name on the marriage license or certificate either.  After I received my marriage certificate after the wedding, I took that to the SS office and did not have any problems.  The person you talked to probably just didn't know what they were talking about.
  • Also in Northern VA here. My marriage license is from South Carolina, but it only had my maiden name on it. I had no problem changing any of my IDs- VA drivers license, Social Security and Passport were all just fine. 
  • I honestly can't remember, but I'm almost positive that it had a line where I put what my married name would be.

    Regardless, I took all the papers to the DMV and SS Office. Oh, and I got my new SSC before I went to the DMV.
  • Threadjack - I'm renewing my passport now (it expires at the end of this month, wedding/honeymoon in August) and paying the $75.  Will I have to pay $75 more dollars to get a new one with my new name?
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  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_name-change-question-married-ladies?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:2b444ed2-1479-4a91-bfad-48aa23e956dePost:48bbd00c-7b13-4de8-864c-8fd05f557bd0">Re: name change question for married ladies</a>:
    [QUOTE]Threadjack - I'm renewing my passport now (it expires at the end of this month, wedding/honeymoon in August) and paying the $75.  Will I have to pay $75 more dollars to get a new one with my new name?
    Posted by FutureMrsTR[/QUOTE]

    <div>Yep. And just a note- if you are flying for your honeymoon make sure your plane ticket is in whatever the name on your Passport will be. </div>
  • Good catch, coco. Hers will be less than a year old, so she gets a free pass. Mine was too old for free service. Boo hiss.
  • Thanks ladies! :)  That sucks Manda, you'd think since a passport is good for so long they'd give you more than a year.
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  • In NY you can't change your middle name to your maiden name without going through a name change process in the court.
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  • I got married in Las Vegas, and when I returned, I had to fill out an affadavit at the DMV to get my license changed BEFORE the SSA would give me a new card.

    And I changed my maiden name to my middle name, dropping my "former" middle name. No court procedure.

    Nevada doesn't do name changes, and the certificates look different than in other states. I'm guessing that's why I had to do it backasswards.
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  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_name-change-question-married-ladies?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:2b444ed2-1479-4a91-bfad-48aa23e956dePost:b9bd5fea-2e7e-463b-b87a-c1bcdecc464d">Re: name change question for married ladies</a>:
    [QUOTE]In NY you can't change your middle name to your maiden name without going through a name change process in the court.
    Posted by msmerymac[/QUOTE]

    Wow, that sucks.
  • Also Virginia here. I just took my marriage certificate to the ss office in Alexandria with my old card, and maybe another form of Id? They had me fill out my new name info, then gave me a temporary sheet to take to the dmv until I got my new ss card. Then for everything else I could usually provide the marriage certificate or driver's license to change my name.
  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_name-change-question-married-ladies?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:2b444ed2-1479-4a91-bfad-48aa23e956dePost:9d8f1e8f-03c8-459f-9aba-be6f2b30bcc0">name change question for married ladies</a>:
    [QUOTE]I live in a state (Virginia) where the new married name is not listed on the marriage license. The Social Security office told me that they will not be able to change my name unless my new married name is on the marriage license. This can't be true since I am pretty sure Virginia isn't the only state where the new name is not on the license, right? Have any of you gotten married in a state where the license does not include a spot for the new name? If so, what did you need to do to change your name? And, is the process different if you want to just change your last name versus changing your middle name to your maiden name?
    Posted by mmakow[/QUOTE]

    Which office did you call? I think they just compared his last name to the last name I was taking to make sure it was the same.
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