Vermont Name Change Checklist After Marriage
Everything you need to change your name in Vermont, in the exact order that keeps you from getting turned away. Build your personalized version free.
Checked against official Vermont and federal sources in August 2026. Sources are listed at the bottom of this page.
The correct order in Vermont
Follow this sequence in Vermont:
- 1. Certified marriage certificate: order copies from the Vermont Department of Health, Vital Records Section (in partnership with Vermont.gov/VSARA online ordering service).
- 2. Social Security (SS-5): free, and always first.
- 3. Wait 24–48 hours for the SSA record to sync.
- 4. Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV): update your license (about $29 (confirm with the agency)).
- 5. Passport: DS-82, DS-11, or DS-5504.
- 6. Voter registration & everyone else: bank, employer, insurers.
Mind the clock: Vermont asks you to update your license within 30 days of your legal name change, so don't park this step for later. The law: 23 V.S.A. § 205.
Every Vermont step, in the right order
This page covers name change checklist. Your free checklist puts it with the other agencies, sequenced for Vermont, so nothing gets done out of order.
Vermont documents to gather
- Original or certified copy of marriage license/certificate (or civil union certificate, or court order showing new name)
- Completed Name/Address Change Form (DMV form #VL-021, per the DMV name-change page, checked 2026-08)
- Updated Social Security Administration record reflecting new name (required before DMV can process a REAL ID-compliant license/ID)
- Current Vermont driver's license or ID card
- Valid photo ID or other proof of identity if also updating voter registration for the first time
Good to know for Vermont: Certified marriage certificate costs $12.00 per copy when ordered online through Vermont.gov (optional $14.50 expedited shipping); standard mail delivery takes about 5-7 business days. Copies can also be ordered by mail from the Vital Records Section (P.O. Box 70, 108 Cherry Street, Burlington, VT 05402-0070) or in person at the Town/City Clerk where the marriage was recorded.
What a name change costs in Vermont
- Certified marriage certificate (3 copies, at typical prices): $30–$90
- Social Security card (Form SS-5): Free
- Driver's license update (Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)): about $29 (confirm with the agency)
- Passport (only if you update it): Free–$165
- Voter registration: Free
Most people spend roughly $59–$284 in Vermont: on the low end if you skip the passport, on the high end with a full passport renewal and extra certificate copies.
Vermont FAQs
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 agencyVermont: ordering a certified marriage certificate
- State agencyVermont Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV): name change on a license or ID
- The law23 V.S.A. § 205Notify the Commissioner in writing within 30 days of a change of legal name.
- State agencyVermont official voter registration page
- The law17 V.S.A. § 2144(b)No pre-election cutoff: you can apply at the polling place on Election Day.
- 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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