Change your name in Maine
The exact steps, documents, and official Maine links to change your name after marriage or divorce, in the correct order.
DMV / license agency
Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV), Department of the Secretary of StateLicense update fee
Approximately $5 for a duplicate license with name change (standard); REAL ID compliant credentials range $40 (65+) to $55 (under 65) depending on credential type
Marriage certificate
Data, Research and Vital Statistics (DRVS), Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Maine CDC)Voter deadline
Online voter registration updates (including name changes) must be submitted at least 21 days before Election Day; written/mail notice of a name or address change must reach the registrar before the close of registration prior to election day (Maine Title 21-A Sec. 129)
To see how Maine's license fee compares with every other state, use our name change fee table.
Instructions verified August 2026 against official Maine government sites. How we verify
DMV appointment optionsWhat Maine asks you to bring
Documents for the Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV), Department of the Secretary of State
- Certified marriage certificate (or divorce decree/court order showing name change)
- Current Maine driver's license or state ID
- Completed BMV application/request for duplicate license with new name and signature
- Proof of Maine residency (required for REAL ID)
- Social Security card updated with new name (recommended to update first, per SSA)
Online or in person
Maine does not accept the license name change online. A visit to Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV), Department of the Secretary of State is required.
REAL ID in Maine
Maine law (29-A M.R.S.A. Sec. 1407) requires notifying the BMV of a name change within 30 days. Acceptable proof includes a marriage license, divorce decree, or court order, with a clear document trail from prior legal name to current name. Any first-time REAL ID issuance/upgrade must be done in person at a BMV branch or mobile unit.
Updating your Maine voter registration
Maine lets you update your registration online. Online voter registration updates (including name changes) must be submitted at least 21 days before Election Day; written/mail notice of a name or address change must reach the registrar before the close of registration prior to election day (Maine Title 21-A Sec. 129)
Update your registrationMaine step-by-step guides
Sources
We checked the details on this page against the official sources below in August 2026. Rules and fees change, so confirm anything you are about to act on at the agency's own page. The legal citations were last re-read against their sources in October 2026. How we verify.
- State agencyMaine: ordering a certified marriage certificate
- State agencyMaine Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV), Department of the Secretary of State: name change on a license or ID
- State agencyMaine Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV), Department of the Secretary of State: appointments
- The law29-A M.R.S. § 1407Notify the Secretary of State of a name change within 30 days.
- State agencyMaine official voter registration page
- The law21-A M.R.S. § 121-AOnline applications are due by 5 p.m. on the 21st day before the election; mail by close of business that day.
- FederalSocial Security Administration: change your name
- FederalSocial Security Administration: Form SS-5
- FederalU.S. Department of State: change or correct a passport
NameWright is not a government agency and this is not legal advice. We prepare your paperwork; you file it.
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