Change your name in South Carolina
The exact steps, documents, and official South Carolina links to change your name after marriage or divorce, in the correct order.
DMV / license agency
South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles (SCDMV)License update fee
$10 for a standard license reflecting the new name; $25 for a first REAL ID
Marriage certificate
South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH), Vital Records Section, Columbia, SCVoter deadline
Online/mail voter registration updates (including name changes) must be submitted at least 30 days before an election; online registration requires an SC DMV-issued driver's license or ID card number.
To see how South Carolina's license fee compares with every other state, use our name change fee table.
Instructions verified August 2026 against official South Carolina government sites. How we verify
DMV appointment optionsWhat South Carolina asks you to bring
Documents for the South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles (SCDMV)
- Certified marriage certificate (or divorce decree/family court order)
- Completed SCDMV Form 4057 (Application for Name and/or Address Change)
- Completed SCDMV Form 447-NC (Application for Beginner's Permit, Driver's License, or ID Card)
- Proof of Social Security Administration name update (must update with SSA at least 48 hours before visiting SCDMV)
- Current driver's license/ID and proof of residency (for REAL ID)
Online or in person
South Carolina does not accept the license name change online. A visit to South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles (SCDMV) is required.
REAL ID in South Carolina
Name changes cannot be done online or by mail; must be done in person at an SCDMV branch. Must wait at least 48 hours after updating name with SSA before visiting SCDMV. Only one name-change opportunity is allowed at marriage without a court order for further changes.
Ordering your South Carolina marriage certificate
State fee $12 standard (4 weeks) or $17 expedited (5-7 business days) via VitalChek, plus VitalChek service charge (~$12.85); $3 for additional copies. Covers marriages July 1950-December 2023; earlier/later records require the county Probate Court. In-person office pickup temporarily unavailable as of 6/19/2025.
South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH), Vital Records Section, Columbia, SCUpdating your South Carolina voter registration
South Carolina lets you update your registration online. Online/mail voter registration updates (including name changes) must be submitted at least 30 days before an election; online registration requires an SC DMV-issued driver's license or ID card number.
Update your registrationSouth Carolina 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 agencySouth Carolina: ordering a certified marriage certificate
- State agencySouth Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles (SCDMV): name change on a license or ID
- State agencySouth Carolina official voter registration page
- The lawS.C. Code Ann. § 7-5-150Registration books close 30 days before each 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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