Change your name in Illinois
The exact steps, documents, and official Illinois links to change your name after marriage or divorce, in the correct order.
DMV / license agency
Illinois Secretary of State (ILSOS) - Driver ServicesLicense update fee
$5 for a corrected driver's license; $10 for a corrected state ID card
Voter deadline
Online voter registration/updates (including a name change) via the Illinois Online Voter Registration Application are available up to 16 days before an election; after that, voters must register/update in person at their local election authority (grace-period registration is available through Election Day in person, with same-day voting).
Instructions verified August 2026 against official Illinois government sites. How we verify
What Illinois asks you to bring
Documents for the Illinois Secretary of State (ILSOS) - Driver Services
- Certified copy of marriage certificate (from the county clerk where married)
- Current Illinois driver's license or state ID
- Updated Social Security card reflecting the new name
- A second document linking the old and new name (e.g., passport, birth certificate) if not otherwise clear
- Proof of Illinois residency (two documents, e.g. utility bill/lease) if also completing a REAL ID upgrade
Online or in person
Illinois does not accept the license name change online. A visit to Illinois Secretary of State (ILSOS) - Driver Services is required.
REAL ID in Illinois
Illinois law (625 ILCS 5/6-116(b), verified 2026-08) requires applying for a corrected license within 30 days of a legal name change (the 10-day rule in 6-116(a) is for address changes); must visit a Driver Services facility in person with ID linking old and new names. If upgrading to REAL ID at the same time, additional proof of SSN, IL residency (2 documents), and identity/lawful status is required.
Ordering your Illinois marriage certificate
Illinois marriage certificates are recorded and certified only at the county clerk level, not by the state. IDPH's Division of Vital Records can only provide a $5 verification-of-facts letter (names, DOB, event date/place) for marriages from 1962 onward, by mail/fax/in-person - not an official certified certificate.
Office of the County Clerk (in the Illinois county where the marriage occurred) - the Illinois Dept. of Public Health Division of Vital Records does NOT hold marriage records and cannot issue certified copiesUpdating your Illinois voter registration
Illinois lets you update your registration online. Online voter registration/updates (including a name change) via the Illinois Online Voter Registration Application are available up to 16 days before an election; after that, voters must register/update in person at their local election authority (grace-period registration is available through Election Day in person, with same-day voting).
Update your registrationIllinois step-by-step guides
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