Virginia Name Change Checklist After Marriage
Everything you need to change your name in Virginia, in the exact order that keeps you from getting turned away. Build your personalized version free.
Checked against official Virginia and federal sources in August 2026. Sources are listed at the bottom of this page.
The correct order in Virginia
Follow this sequence in Virginia:
- 1. Certified marriage certificate: order copies from the Virginia Department of Health, Office of Vital Records (VDH-OVR).
- 2. Social Security (SS-5): free, and always first.
- 3. Wait 24–48 hours for the SSA record to sync.
- 4. Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV): update your license (about $20 (confirm with the agency)).
- 5. Passport: DS-82, DS-11, or DS-5504.
- 6. Voter registration & everyone else: bank, employer, insurers.
Every Virginia step, in the right order
This page covers name change checklist. Your free checklist puts it with the other agencies, sequenced for Virginia, so nothing gets done out of order.
Virginia documents to gather
- Certified copy of marriage certificate (or divorce decree/court order) showing the name change
- Updated Social Security card / confirmation that SSA records reflect new name (required before DMV visit)
- Current Virginia driver's license or ID card to surrender
- Completed online DMV name-change transaction confirmation
- Proof of residency if REAL ID compliance is being updated
Good to know for Virginia: Marriage certificates (records since 1936) can be ordered online through VDH's online system, by mail to the Office of Vital Records (PO Box 1000, Richmond, VA 23218-1000), or in person; certified copies also available from the circuit court clerk in the city/county where the license was issued. Fee is $15.00 per certified copy (effective July 1, 2026).
What a name change costs in Virginia
- Certified marriage certificate (3 copies, at typical prices): $30–$90
- Social Security card (Form SS-5): Free
- Driver's license update (Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)): about $20 (confirm with the agency)
- Passport (only if you update it): Free–$165
- Voter registration: Free
Most people spend roughly $50–$275 in Virginia: on the low end if you skip the passport, on the high end with a full passport renewal and extra certificate copies.
Virginia 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 agencyVirginia Department of Health, Office of Vital Records (VDH-OVR): certified copies
- State agencyVirginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV): name change on a license or ID
- State agencyVirginia official voter registration page
- The lawVa. Code § 24.2-416(A)Records close during the 10 days before the election, so the last day is the 11th day before. In-person same-day registration is allowed through Election Day (§ 24.2-420.1).
- 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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