Texas Name Change Checklist After Marriage

Follow this sequence in Texas:

• 1. Certified marriage certificate: order copies from the County Clerk (certified marriage license copies are issued only by the county clerk of the county that issued the license, not by Texas DSHS).
• 2. Social Security (SS-5): free, and always first.
• 3. Wait 24–48 hours for the SSA record to sync.
• 4. Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS): update your license (about $11 (confirm with the agency)).
• 5. Passport: DS-82, DS-11, or DS-5504.
• 6. Voter registration & everyone else: bank, employer, insurers.

• 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

Good to know for Texas: 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.

• Certified marriage certificate (3 copies): $30–$90
• Social Security card (Form SS-5): Free
• Driver's license update (Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS)): about $11 (confirm with the agency)
• Passport (only if you update it): Free–$165
• Voter registration: Free

Most people spend roughly $41–$266 in Texas: on the low end if you skip the passport, on the high end with a full passport renewal and extra certificate copies.