How to Change Your Name After Marriage in Minnesota
Here's exactly how to change your name after marriage in Minnesota: the right documents, the right order, and the official Minnesota links you'll need.
The Minnesota order of operations
The winning sequence in Minnesota is: certified marriage certificate → Social Security (free, first) → wait 24–48 hours → Minnesota Department of Public Safety, Driver and Vehicle Services (DVS) → passport → notify everyone. Each step verifies against the one before it, so order matters.
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Step 1: Your certified marriage certificate
Order 3–5 certified copies from the Minnesota Dept. of Health, Office of Vital Records (marriage/divorce records themselves are actually maintained at the county level, not by MDH). Photocopies aren't accepted.
Good to know for Minnesota: Minnesota Dept. of Health does not record marriages/divorces itself. Certified marriage certificates must be ordered from the county office (Court Administrator/Recorder) that issued the marriage license; fees and ordering methods (online/mail/in person) vary by county. The state's searchable Minnesota Official Marriage System (moms.mn.gov) can help locate which county holds the record.
Step 2–4: Social Security, then the DMV
File the free SS-5 with Social Security first, wait 24–48 hours, then update your license at the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, Driver and Vehicle Services (DVS) (typically about $26 (confirm with the agency)). Bring:
- Current Minnesota driver's license or ID card
- Certified marriage certificate (or marriage license with certified recorded marriage date)
- Proof of updated name with the Social Security Administration (name/SSN must match SSA records)
- Certified divorce decree or court order (only if name change is from divorce/court order instead of marriage)
- Proof of residency/citizenship documents if applying for or upgrading to a REAL ID
Step 5–6: Passport, voter registration & everyone else
Update your passport, then your Minnesota voter registration (Online registration/update deadline is 11:59 p.m., 21 days before Election Day; paper registration deadline is 5 p.m., 21 days before Election Day. After that, voters can still register/update in person at their polling place or at an early voting/absentee location up through Election Day (same-day registration is allowed in Minnesota).), and finally your bank, employer, and insurers.
Minnesota FAQs
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