How to Change Your Name After Marriage in District of Columbia

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

Order 3–5 certified copies from the DC Superior Court, Family Court Operations Division - Marriage Bureau (Moultrie Courthouse); NOTE: not DC Health Vital Records, which handles only birth/death/domestic partnership records. Photocopies aren't accepted.

File the free SS-5 with Social Security first, wait 24–48 hours, then update your license at the District of Columbia Department of Motor Vehicles (DC DMV) (typically about $20 (confirm with the agency)). Bring:

• Current DC driver's license, learner permit, or non-driver ID card (original, no photocopies)
• Certified marriage certificate showing the name change (original, no photocopies/scans)
• Proof of updated Social Security Administration record (required first if credential is REAL ID)
• Additional original proof of identity, SSN, and DC residency documents (required only if current credential is NOT already a REAL ID)

Update your passport, then your District of Columbia voter registration (Online and mail voter registration updates (including name changes) must be received by DC Board of Elections no later than the 21st day before an election. After that deadline, updates can still be made in person during early voting or on Election Day at any Vote Center.), and finally your bank, employer, and insurers.