How to Change Your Name After Marriage in Delaware

The winning sequence in Delaware is: certified marriage certificate → Social Security (free, first) → wait 24–48 hours → Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) → passport → notify everyone. Each step verifies against the one before it, so order matters.

Order 3–5 certified copies from the Delaware Office of Vital Statistics, Division of Public Health (Jesse S. Cooper Building, Dover). Photocopies aren't accepted.

Good to know for Delaware: Certified marriage certificates ($25/copy, payable to Office of Vital Statistics) can be ordered in person at three county offices (New Castle, Kent, Sussex), by mail, or online via third-party vendors GoCertificates.com or VitalChek (additional fees apply for online orders).

File the free SS-5 with Social Security first, wait 24–48 hours, then update your license at the Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) (typically a standard replacement-license fee (not published; confirm with the agency)). Bring:

• Current driver license or state ID
• Original or certified copy of marriage certificate (or divorce decree/legal name change document)
• Proof from the Social Security Administration confirming the name change (update SSA records first, wait 48-72 hours)
• Payment for license replacement fee

Update your passport, then your Delaware voter registration (Registration/update deadline is the fourth Saturday before an election, 11:59 p.m. (e.g., 2026 Primary: Aug 22, 2026; 2026 General: Oct 10, 2026). Updates can also be made online at ivote.de.gov, by mail, phone, in person, or at the polling place on Election Day.), and finally your bank, employer, and insurers.