Change your name in Texas
The exact steps, documents, and official Texas links to change your name after marriage or divorce, in the correct order.
DMV / license agency
Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS)License update fee
$11 (standard replacement/duplicate license or ID fee applies to name changes)
Marriage certificate
County Clerk (certified marriage license copies are issued only by the county clerk of the county that issued the license, not by Texas DSHS)Voter deadline
Name/address change updates (via the Texas.gov online portal, using your VUID) must be submitted at least 30 days before an election; changes submitted less than 30 days before an election require voting at your current/prior polling location for that election.
Instructions verified August 2026 against official Texas government sites. How we verify
Book a DMV appointmentWhat Texas asks you to bring
Documents for the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS)
- Original certified marriage license, divorce decree, annulment, or DSHS marriage verification letter (proof of name change)
- Current Texas driver license or ID card
- Proof of current residential address (e.g., utility bill, lease) if not already on file
- Social Security number verification (SSN card or W-2/pay stub) if not previously provided to DPS
- Certified English translation if the name-change document is in a foreign language
Online or in person
Texas does not accept the license name change online. A visit to Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) is required.
REAL ID in Texas
Must visit a driver license office within 30 days of the name change; bring an original marriage license, DSHS marriage verification letter, divorce decree, or annulment (copies not accepted). Non-English documents require a certified translation.
Ordering your Texas marriage certificate
Texas DSHS Vital Statistics does not issue certified copies of marriage licenses; it only offers non-legal marriage verification letters online via Texas.gov. Certified copies must be ordered directly from the county clerk in the county where the marriage license was issued; DSHS provides a directory of local offices at dshs.texas.gov/vital-statistics/order-records-locally, but fees/procedures vary by county.
County Clerk (certified marriage license copies are issued only by the county clerk of the county that issued the license, not by Texas DSHS)Updating your Texas voter registration
Texas lets you update your registration online. Name/address change updates (via the Texas.gov online portal, using your VUID) must be submitted at least 30 days before an election; changes submitted less than 30 days before an election require voting at your current/prior polling location for that election.
Update your registrationTexas step-by-step guides
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