Washington Name Change Checklist After Marriage
Everything you need to change your name in Washington, in the exact order that keeps you from getting turned away. Build your personalized version free.
Checked against official Washington and federal sources in August 2026. Sources are listed at the bottom of this page.
The correct order in Washington
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.
Mind the clock: Washington asks you to update your license within 10 days of your legal name change, so don't park this step for later. The law: RCW 46.20.205.
Every Washington step, in the right order
This page covers name change checklist. Your free checklist puts it with the other agencies, sequenced for Washington, so nothing gets done out of order.
Washington documents to gather
- 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.
What a name change costs in Washington
- Certified marriage certificate (3 copies, at typical prices): $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.
Washington 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 agencyWashington State Department of Health, Center for Health Statistics: certified copies
- State agencyWashington State Department of Licensing (DOL): name change on a license or ID
- The lawRCW 46.20.205Notify the department within 10 days of a change of name of record.
- State agencyWashington official voter registration page
- The lawRCW 29A.08.140Applications must be received 8 days before the election; in person at the county auditor until 8 p.m. 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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