Washington Name Change Checklist After Marriage

Follow this sequence in Washington:

• 1. Certified marriage certificate: order copies from the Washington State Department of Health, Center for Health Statistics.
• 2. Social Security (SS-5): free, and always first.
• 3. Wait 24–48 hours for the SSA record to sync.
• 4. Washington State Department of Licensing (DOL): 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.

• Certified copy of marriage certificate (county-auditor copy if recently married, or state DOH copy)
• Updated Social Security card / confirmation that SSA records reflect new name
• Current Washington driver's license or ID card
• Proof of Washington residency (for REAL ID compliant credentials)
• Payment for the $20 name-change fee

Good to know for Washington: Fee starts at $25 per certified copy. Order online/phone via VitalChek (3-7 business days) or by mail to DOH Center for Health Statistics (6-8 weeks). Marriages within the last ~5 months may not yet be in the state system; get a county-certified copy from the county auditor where the license was obtained instead.

• Certified marriage certificate (3 copies): $30–$90
• Social Security card (Form SS-5): Free
• Driver's license update (Washington State Department of Licensing (DOL)): about $20 (confirm with the agency)
• Passport (only if you update it): Free–$165
• Voter registration: Free

Most people spend roughly $50–$275 in Washington: on the low end if you skip the passport, on the high end with a full passport renewal and extra certificate copies.