General information, not legal advice. NewLastName isn't a law firm, doesn't give legal advice about your situation, and doesn't refer you to lawyers.
Which agencies to update, and in what order
Update Social Security first, then your state ID, then your passport. Social Security is the federal record other agencies check. Go to the DMV after Social Security has finished your update. After the government IDs, you'll update banks, work, and the rest. Our checklist has the full list.
Last checked: 2026-10-10 for the court and agency pages linked here. California's filing fee was checked on the statewide civil fee schedule on 2026-10-12. Other fee figures in tables come from our state cost file, last verified 2026-10-12 (Massachusetts and Washington, D.C. filing fees in that file were verified 2026-10-09). Newspaper and certified-copy amounts were not re-checked against every county fee schedule.
Key facts
| Stop | Form or page | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Legal proof | Marriage certificate, court decree, or restoration order | Court or copy fees, by path |
| 2. Social Security | Social Security name-change page | Free (source: Social Security) |
| 3. State ID | Your state motor-vehicle agency. California: DMV | California set by the DMV |
| 4. Passport | State Department passport name-change page | See the State Department fees page (https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/how-apply/fees.html) |
| 5. IRS | Form 8822, change of address | See the IRS form page |
| 6. Voter registration | Vote.gov | See Vote.gov |
Steps
- Get the legal paper first. You need the document that already changed your name. The California Courts ID-update page says there is no one office that updates every record.
- Social Security before the DMV. Do Social Security first. Most DMVs check your name against Social Security's records, so go after Social Security has finished your update. Check your state DMV's page for whether they want the new card or the SSA receipt. Start at the Social Security name-change page.
- Passport when you are ready to travel on the new name. Use the passport form guide. Take the same legal paper Social Security accepted.
- Tell the IRS if a refund or notice should use the new name. Form 8822 is the IRS change-of-address form. Read that page before you use it.
- Update your voter record. Vote.gov is the federal starting point for registration updates.
- Then banks, work, and the rest. After the government IDs, you'll update banks, work, and the rest. Our checklist has the full list.
What differs by state
Social Security and the passport are federal. The driver-license step is your state. Certified-copy prices differ by state. Check the court or vital-records office.
| State | What to check | Official page | State guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona | Filing fee varies; check your court. | Court page | State guide · Court petition page |
| California | Filing fee $435 ($450 in Riverside and San Francisco counties) (source: California Courts, https://selfhelp.courts.ca.gov/name-change; county amounts: statewide civil fee schedule). | Court page | State guide · Court petition page |
| Florida | Filing fee varies; check your court. | Court page | State guide · Court petition page |
| Georgia | Filing fee varies; check your court. | Court page | State guide · Court petition page |
| Illinois | Filing fee varies; check your court. | Court page | State guide · Court petition page |
| Massachusetts | Filing fee varies; check your court. | Court page | State guide · Court petition page |
| Michigan | Filing fee varies; check your court. | Court page | State guide · Court petition page |
| New Jersey | Filing fee varies; check your court. | Court page | State guide · Court petition page |
| New York | Filing fee: $210 in Supreme and County Courts; $65 in NYC Civil Court (source). | Court page | State guide · Court petition page |
| North Carolina | Filing fee varies; check your court. | Court page | State guide · Court petition page |
| Ohio | Filing fee varies; check your court. | See the state guide | State guide · Court petition page |
| Pennsylvania | Filing fee varies; check your court. | Court page | State guide · Court petition page |
| Texas | Filing fee varies; check your court. | Court page | State guide · Court petition page |
| Virginia | Filing fee varies; check your court. | Court page | State guide · Court petition page |
| Washington | Filing fee varies; check your court. | Court page | State guide · Court petition page |
| Washington, D.C. | Filing fee varies; check your court. | Court page | State guide · Court petition page |
Free official help
Use the agency page for that stop. For the court paper that starts the list, use your court's self-help center.
Also on this site
- Name-change cost
- Cost calculator
- California name-change cost
- Texas name-change cost
- How long a California name change takes
- Marriage and a court order
- All name-change guides
- Documents needed
- Which passport form
- Name change after marriage
Official sources
Forms, fees and rules change. Check these official pages (and your county court) before you file.
- Change your name with Social Security (Social Security Administration) Last checked 2026-10-09.
- Name change for a U.S. passport or correct an error (U.S. Department of State) Last checked 2026-10-09.
- About Form 8822, Change of Address (address changes only) (Internal Revenue Service) Last checked 2026-10-09.
- Register to vote or update your registration (Vote.gov) Last checked 2026-10-09.
- California DMV (California Department of Motor Vehicles) Last checked 2026-10-09.
- Update your identity documents (California Courts Self-Help Guide) Last checked 2026-10-10.
General information, not legal advice. NewLastName isn't a law firm, doesn't give legal advice about your situation, and doesn't refer you to lawyers.