Colorado Name Change Checklist After Marriage
Everything you need to change your name in Colorado, in the exact order that keeps you from getting turned away. Build your personalized version free.
Checked against official Colorado and federal sources in August 2026. Sources are listed at the bottom of this page.
The correct order in Colorado
Follow this sequence in Colorado:
- 1. Certified marriage certificate: order copies from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), Vital Records Section.
- 2. Social Security (SS-5): free, and always first.
- 3. Wait 24–48 hours for the SSA record to sync.
- 4. Colorado Department of Revenue, Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV): update your license (an amount that depends on your situation (confirm with the agency)).
- 5. Passport: DS-82, DS-11, or DS-5504.
- 6. Voter registration & everyone else: bank, employer, insurers.
Mind the clock: Colorado asks you to update your license within 30 days of your legal name change, so don't park this step for later. The law: C.R.S. § 42-2-119(1)(a).
Every Colorado step, in the right order
This page covers name change checklist. Your free checklist puts it with the other agencies, sequenced for Colorado, so nothing gets done out of order.
Colorado documents to gather
- Certified copy of marriage certificate (or state verification) or divorce decree/court order
- Current Colorado driver's license, permit, or state ID card
- Updated Social Security card / proof SSA record already reflects the new name
- Proof of Colorado residency (two documents) if also upgrading to a REAL ID-compliant credential
- Completed DMV name-change application at the office visit
Good to know for Colorado: Colorado marriage licenses are issued and held by county clerk and recorder offices, so the issuing county is often the fastest source; CDPHE offers statewide marriage/civil-union verifications by mail, in-person appointment, or via authorized online vendors linked from the CDPHE page.
What a name change costs in Colorado
- Certified marriage certificate (3 copies, at typical prices): $30–$90
- Social Security card (Form SS-5): Free
- Driver's license update (Colorado Department of Revenue, Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV)): Varies, see the Colorado license page
- Passport (only if you update it): Free–$165
- Voter registration: Free
The Colorado DMV fee depends on your situation, so it isn't included here. Not counting it, most people spend roughly $30 to $255, depending on certificate copies and whether they renew a passport.
Colorado FAQs
Sources
We checked the details on this page against the official sources below in August 2026. Rules and fees change, so confirm anything you are about to act on at the agency's own page. The legal citations were last re-read against their sources in October 2026. How we verify.
- State agencyColorado: ordering a certified marriage certificate
- State agencyColorado Department of Revenue, Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV): name change on a license or ID
- State agencyColorado Department of Revenue, Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV): appointments
- The lawC.R.S. § 42-2-119(1)(a)Notify the department within 30 days of a name change, and apply in person to renew the license (2024 official printout).
- State agencyColorado official voter registration page
- The lawC.R.S. § 1-2-201Applications must be submitted on or before the 8th day before the election (2024 official printout).
- FederalSocial Security Administration: change your name
- FederalSocial Security Administration: Form SS-5
- FederalU.S. Department of State: change or correct a passport
NameWright is not a government agency and this is not legal advice. We prepare your paperwork; you file it.
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