Change your name in Georgia
The exact steps, documents, and official Georgia links to change your name after marriage or divorce, in the correct order.
DMV / license agency
Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS)License update fee
Free for the first name-change replacement license within a license term (verified on dds.georgia.gov); a $32 fee applies if a full renewal is required instead (e.g., license expiring within 150 days)
Marriage certificate
Georgia Department of Public Health, State Office of Vital RecordsVoter deadline
Registration updates (including name changes) must be submitted by the 5th Monday before the election, which works out to 29 days before Election Day (per the Georgia Secretary of State).
Instructions verified August 2026 against official Georgia government sites. How we verify
Book a DMV appointmentWhat Georgia asks you to bring
Documents for the Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS)
- Certified marriage certificate (name-change document)
- Current Georgia driver's license or ID card
- Updated Social Security card showing new name (update SSA first, then wait 24-48 hours before visiting DDS)
- Two proofs of Georgia residency (for REAL ID compliance)
- For hyphenated surnames: certified copy of the marriage license application showing the hyphenated name selection
Online or in person
Georgia does not accept the license name change online. A visit to Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS) is required.
REAL ID in Georgia
Name changes must be completed in person at a DDS Customer Service Center within 60 days of the marriage; bring proof of Georgia residency documents consistent with REAL ID verification requirements.
Ordering your Georgia marriage certificate
Statewide marriage records covered are from June 9, 1952 to present. Process is primarily mail-in (complete and mail the Request for Search of Marriage form or Marriage Verification Request form); $10 search fee plus $5 per additional copy. For marriages before June 1952 or for faster/in-person same-day service, contact the Probate Court in the county where the marriage license was issued.
Georgia Department of Public Health, State Office of Vital RecordsUpdating your Georgia voter registration
Georgia lets you update your registration online. Registration updates (including name changes) must be submitted by the 5th Monday before the election, which works out to 29 days before Election Day (per the Georgia Secretary of State).
Update your registrationGeorgia step-by-step guides
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