Massachusetts Name Change Checklist After Marriage
Everything you need to change your name in Massachusetts, in the exact order that keeps you from getting turned away. Build your personalized version free.
The correct order in Massachusetts
Follow this sequence in Massachusetts:
- 1. Certified marriage certificate: order copies from the Registry of Vital Records and Statistics (RVRS), Massachusetts Department of Public Health.
- 2. Social Security (SS-5): free, and always first.
- 3. Wait 24–48 hours for the SSA record to sync.
- 4. Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV): update your license ($25 (Driver's License/ID Amendment Fee)).
- 5. Passport: DS-82, DS-11, or DS-5504.
- 6. Voter registration & everyone else: bank, employer, insurers.
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Massachusetts documents to gather
- 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)
Good to know for Massachusetts: 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).
What a name change costs in Massachusetts
- Certified marriage certificate (3 copies): $30–$90
- Social Security card (Form SS-5): Free
- Driver's license update (Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV)): $25 (Driver's License/ID Amendment Fee)
- Passport (only if you update it): Free–$165
- Voter registration: Free
Most people spend roughly $55–$280 in Massachusetts: on the low end if you skip the passport, on the high end with a full passport renewal and extra certificate copies.
Massachusetts FAQs
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