Louisiana Name Change Checklist After Marriage

Follow this sequence in Louisiana:

• 1. Certified marriage certificate: order copies from the Louisiana Vital Records Registry, Louisiana Department of Health.
• 2. Social Security (SS-5): free, and always first.
• 3. Wait 24–48 hours for the SSA record to sync.
• 4. Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles (OMV), Dept. of Public Safety: update your license ($8–$25 (varies; confirm with the agency)).
• 5. Passport: DS-82, DS-11, or DS-5504.
• 6. Voter registration & everyone else: bank, employer, insurers.

• Certified marriage certificate or court order showing new name
• Current Louisiana driver's license or state ID card
• Proof of Social Security Administration name update (update SSA first, wait 24+ hours)
• Proof of Louisiana residency (e.g., utility bill, lease) especially for REAL ID
• Proof of car insurance if renewing/updating a vehicle-linked license

Good to know for Louisiana: Statewide marriage certificates (1957-present, excluding Orleans Parish which has its own process) can be ordered online, by mail, or in person via the LDH Vital Records Registry, Baton Rouge. Fee commonly cited around $9 per certified copy via third-party processors, but LDH page itself does not post a fixed fee - confirm current price when ordering. For marriages before 1957 or in Orleans Parish, order instead through the applicable parish Clerk of Court.

• Certified marriage certificate (3 copies): $30–$90
• Social Security card (Form SS-5): Free
• Driver's license update (Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles (OMV), Dept. of Public Safety): $8–$25 (varies; confirm with the agency)
• Passport (only if you update it): Free–$165
• Voter registration: Free

Most people spend roughly $38–$280 in Louisiana: on the low end if you skip the passport, on the high end with a full passport renewal and extra certificate copies.