Connecticut · Name change checklist

Connecticut Name Change Checklist After Marriage

Everything you need to change your name in Connecticut, in the exact order that keeps you from getting turned away. Build your personalized version free.

Get my full Connecticut checklist Free. Every step in order, about 90 seconds.

Checked against official Connecticut and federal sources in August 2026. Sources are listed at the bottom of this page.

The correct order in Connecticut

Follow this sequence in Connecticut:

1. Certified marriage certificate: order copies from the Connecticut Department of Public Health, Vital Records Office (or the town clerk/vital records office where the marriage occurred).
2. Social Security (SS-5): free, and always first.
3. Wait 24–48 hours for the SSA record to sync.
4. Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles (CT 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.

Every Connecticut step, in the right order

This page covers name change checklist. Your free checklist puts it with the other agencies, sequenced for Connecticut, so nothing gets done out of order.

Build my Connecticut checklist

Connecticut documents to gather

Completed Change of Name Request (Form E-78)
Current Connecticut driver's license or non-driver ID
Certified marriage certificate (original, not a photocopy or religious certificate)
Updated Social Security card/confirmation of SSA name change (recommended before DMV visit)
$30 fee payment (plus up to $8 convenience fee at express offices)

Good to know for Connecticut: Order online via VitalChek (additional service fees apply), or mail a completed application to the State Vital Records Office (410 Capitol Avenue, Hartford, CT 06134) or to the town where the marriage took place. Requester must be at least 18.

What a name change costs in Connecticut

Certified marriage certificate (3 copies, at typical prices): $30–$90
Social Security card (Form SS-5): Free
Driver's license update (Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles (CT DMV)): Varies, see the Connecticut license page
Passport (only if you update it): Free–$165
Voter registration: Free

Connecticut FAQs

The Connecticut 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. The government forms themselves are free or low-cost; there is no fee to update Social Security.

Without a passport, most people finish the government steps (Social Security, license) in about 2–4 weeks in Connecticut. A passport is the slow part: the State Department says routine processing takes 4–6 weeks, plus up to 2 weeks of mail each way, so plan for up to 10. The remaining accounts go at your pace, and most people finish within about 3 months.

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 agencyConnecticut: ordering a certified marriage certificate
State agencyConnecticut Department of Motor Vehicles (CT DMV): name change on a license or ID
State agencyConnecticut official voter registration page
The lawConn. Gen. Stat. § 9-17(a)The registrars' session on the 18th day before an election is the last for admitting electors; same-day registration is under § 9-19j.
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.

More Connecticut guides

Connecticut: Name change after marriage Connecticut: Social Security card Connecticut: Driver's license / DMV Connecticut: Voter registration

Free to start

Ready to change your name in Connecticut?

Your free checklist already knows it's Connecticut. Answer three quick questions and every step is sequenced for you.

Build my Connecticut checklist See what's in the kit