Pennsylvania Name Change Checklist After Marriage

Follow this sequence in Pennsylvania:

• 1. Certified marriage certificate: order copies from the County Clerk of Orphans' Court / Register of Wills (in the county where the marriage license was issued); NOT the PA Department of Health, which only handles birth and death records.
• 2. Social Security (SS-5): free, and always first.
• 3. Wait 24–48 hours for the SSA record to sync.
• 4. Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), Driver and Vehicle Services: update your license (a standard replacement-license fee (not published; confirm with the agency)).
• 5. Passport: DS-82, DS-11, or DS-5504.
• 6. Voter registration & everyone else: bank, employer, insurers.

• Certified copy of marriage certificate (from the county Clerk of Orphans' Court, not a decorative copy)
• Current Pennsylvania driver's license or photo ID
• Completed form DL-80 (Application to Renew/Replace/Change/Correct a Non-Commercial Driver's License) or MV-41A for name correction
• Proof of Social Security number update (recommended to update SSA record first)
• Two proofs of PA residency and additional identity documents if upgrading to/maintaining a REAL ID-compliant license

Good to know for Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania does not issue marriage certificates at the state level. Certified copies must be ordered directly from the Clerk of Orphans' Court in the specific county where the marriage license was issued; the linked pacourts.us page is the official statewide directory of all 67 county Clerk of Orphans' Court offices with their contact information.

• Certified marriage certificate (3 copies): $30–$90
• Social Security card (Form SS-5): Free
• Driver's license update (Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), Driver and Vehicle Services): a standard replacement-license fee (not published; confirm with the agency)
• Passport (only if you update it): Free–$165
• Voter registration: Free

Your total in Pennsylvania depends mostly on the DMV fee and whether you update a passport. Skipping the passport keeps it under about $100 for most people; a paid passport renewal adds $130–$165.