Minnesota Name Change Checklist After Marriage
Everything you need to change your name in Minnesota, in the exact order that keeps you from getting turned away. Build your personalized version free.
Checked against official Minnesota and federal sources in August 2026. Sources are listed at the bottom of this page.
The correct order in Minnesota
Follow this sequence in Minnesota:
- 1. Certified marriage certificate: order 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).
- 2. Social Security (SS-5): free, and always first.
- 3. Wait 24–48 hours for the SSA record to sync.
- 4. Minnesota Department of Public Safety, Driver and Vehicle Services (DVS): update your license (about $26 (confirm with the agency)).
- 5. Passport: DS-82, DS-11, or DS-5504.
- 6. Voter registration & everyone else: bank, employer, insurers.
Mind the clock: Minnesota asks you to update your license within 30 days of your legal name change, so don't park this step for later. The law: Minn. Stat. § 171.11.
Every Minnesota step, in the right order
This page covers name change checklist. Your free checklist puts it with the other agencies, sequenced for Minnesota, so nothing gets done out of order.
Minnesota documents to gather
- 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
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.
What a name change costs in Minnesota
- Certified marriage certificate (3 copies, at typical prices): $30–$90
- Social Security card (Form SS-5): Free
- Driver's license update (Minnesota Department of Public Safety, Driver and Vehicle Services (DVS)): about $26 (confirm with the agency)
- Passport (only if you update it): Free–$165
- Voter registration: Free
Most people spend roughly $56–$281 in Minnesota: on the low end if you skip the passport, on the high end with a full passport renewal and extra certificate copies.
Minnesota FAQs
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 agencyMinnesota: ordering a certified marriage certificate
- State agencyMinnesota Department of Public Safety, Driver and Vehicle Services (DVS): name change on a license or ID
- The lawMinn. Stat. § 171.11Apply for a duplicate license within 30 days of a name change, by marriage or otherwise.
- State agencyMinnesota official voter registration page
- The lawMinn. Stat. § 201.061Registration or updates are due by 5 p.m. on the 21st day before an election; election-day registration is also allowed.
- 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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