Change your name in Mississippi
The exact steps, documents, and official Mississippi links to change your name after marriage or divorce, in the correct order.
DMV / license agency
Mississippi Department of Public Safety, Driver Service BureauLicense update fee
Fee not published on the name-change page itself; standard duplicate/replacement license fees apply per the Driver Service Bureau fee schedule (contact local office to confirm exact amount).
Marriage certificate
Mississippi State Department of Health, Office of Vital Records & StatisticsVoter deadline
Voter registration (new or updated, e.g., after a name change) must be received by the county Circuit Clerk or postmarked at least 30 days before an election; if the 30th day falls on a Sunday or legal holiday, the deadline moves to the next business day. Mississippi has no same-day registration.
To see how Mississippi's license fee compares with every other state, use our name change fee table.
Instructions verified August 2026 against official Mississippi government sites. How we verify
DMV appointment optionsWhat Mississippi asks you to bring
Documents for the Mississippi Department of Public Safety, Driver Service Bureau
- Certified/original marriage license (only original or certified copies accepted, no photocopies)
- Current Mississippi driver's license or ID card
- Original or certified birth certificate
- Social Security card
- Two proofs of Mississippi residency
Online or in person
Mississippi does not accept the license name change online. A visit to Mississippi Department of Public Safety, Driver Service Bureau is required.
REAL ID in Mississippi
Only original or certified legal documents are accepted for a name change (marriage license, divorce decree, adoption order, or court order); no photocopies. Applicants must also present proof of identity/citizenship, Social Security card, and two proofs of residency, consistent with REAL ID documentation requirements.
Ordering your Mississippi marriage certificate
Certified marriage certificates cost $17 (search + first copy; $6 each additional copy at same time). Order online/by phone through VitalChek (state-authorized vendor, https://www.vitalchek.com/vital-records/mississippi), by mail with a cashier's check/money order, or in person at the Ridgeland office (222 Marketridge Drive). Records for July 1938-Dec 1941 marriages are held by the county Circuit Clerk instead of MSDH.
Mississippi State Department of Health, Office of Vital Records & StatisticsUpdating your Mississippi voter registration
Mississippi lets you update your registration online. Voter registration (new or updated, e.g., after a name change) must be received by the county Circuit Clerk or postmarked at least 30 days before an election; if the 30th day falls on a Sunday or legal holiday, the deadline moves to the next business day. Mississippi has no same-day registration.
Update your registrationMississippi 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 agencyMississippi: ordering a certified marriage certificate
- State agencyMississippi Department of Public Safety, Driver Service Bureau: name change on a license or ID
- State agencyMississippi Department of Public Safety, Driver Service Bureau: appointments
- State agencyMississippi official voter registration page
- State agencyMississippi Secretary of State: mail-in voter registration applicationThe state's application: postmarked or hand delivered no later than 30 days before an election.
- 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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