Change your name in Massachusetts
The exact steps, documents, and official Massachusetts links to change your name after marriage or divorce, in the correct order.
DMV / license agency
Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV)License update fee
$25 (Driver's License/ID Amendment Fee)
Marriage certificate
Registry of Vital Records and Statistics (RVRS), Massachusetts Department of Public HealthVoter deadline
Registration/update/party-change deadline is 10 days before any election or town meeting; online submissions must be completed by midnight on the deadline date. Online update requires an existing MA driver's license or state ID.
Instructions verified August 2026 against official Massachusetts government sites. How we verify
Book a DMV appointmentWhat Massachusetts asks you to bring
Documents for the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV)
- Certified marriage certificate (proof of legal name change)
- Current Massachusetts driver's license or ID card
- Proof of Social Security Number (SSA card, W-2, or 1099)
- Completed RMV license/ID application form
- Proof of residency (only if address also changed)
Online or in person
Massachusetts does not accept the license name change online. A visit to Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) is required.
REAL ID in Massachusetts
Name change requests must be completed in person at an RMV Service Center by appointment; online/phone options only cover address changes, not name changes. For a REAL ID where the current name doesn't match lawful presence documents, you must prove the legal name change with an acceptable document. For a Standard (non-REAL) ID, name may be changed with no documentation absent fraud.
Ordering your Massachusetts marriage certificate
State copies are ordered through the RVRS via Mass.gov; alternatively, order directly from the city/town clerk where the marriage was registered (e.g. Boston or Cambridge city clerk).
Registry of Vital Records and Statistics (RVRS), Massachusetts Department of Public HealthUpdating your Massachusetts voter registration
Massachusetts lets you update your registration online. Registration/update/party-change deadline is 10 days before any election or town meeting; online submissions must be completed by midnight on the deadline date. Online update requires an existing MA driver's license or state ID.
Update your registrationMassachusetts step-by-step guides
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