Name change
Changing your name in New Jersey, in the right order
Overview
Do it in the wrong order and you end up with a license or tax return in a name Social Security doesn't recognize. Here's the order, with the current fees.
Get certified copies
Order certified copies of your marriage or civil union certificate from the town registrar or the State. The State charges $25 for one and $2 for each extra copy ordered together. A plain-paper "certification" isn't accepted for legal purposes. (NJ Vital Statistics) After a divorce, your judgment needs to allow you to resume your former name.
Social Security first
File Form SS-5, which is free. Bring originals or certified copies: Social Security doesn't accept photocopies or notarized copies, and it returns your documents. The new card comes in about 5 to 10 business days. (SSA)
Then the MVC
Name changes are walk-in at any Licensing Center. Bring the certified document and your 6 Points of ID. The fee is $11. For REAL ID, your Social Security record has to show the new name first. (MVC, fees)
Your passport
If it was issued less than a year before the change, Form DS-5504 by mail is free. Otherwise it's usually a DS-82 renewal by mail ($130 for a book), or a DS-11 in person. (State Department fees)
Everyone else
The IRS gets your name from Social Security, so file your next return in the name Social Security has. (IRS) Then update your employer, banks, cards, insurance, retirement accounts and beneficiary forms, utilities and voter registration.
Where a notary comes in
Not at Social Security, which won't take notarized copies. But some banks, lenders and employers ask for a signed name-change affidavit or their own form notarized, and the State's vital records office asks for a notarized letter if you want a record mailed somewhere other than the address on your ID. Book a notary, in person or online.
Printable kit
New Jersey Name Change Kit
The order checklist, a fill-in request letter for banks and others, a who-to-tell checklist and a tracker.
General information, checked November 2026. Not legal advice. MCC Solutions is not a law firm.
Questions
What do I change first after getting married?
Social Security. The MVC, your employer and the IRS all check against it.
How much does it cost to change my name on my NJ license?
$11 at an MVC Licensing Center, walk-in. Bring a certified name-change document and your 6 Points of ID.
Can I use a photocopy of my marriage certificate?
Not at Social Security, the MVC or for a passport. They want an original or a certified copy.
Do I need a court order to go back to my maiden name after divorce?
Not if your judgment of divorce allows it. If it doesn't, you can ask the court to add it with a post-judgment motion.