Stack every fee from Social Security to vehicle title into one number
Changing your name after marriage costs about $150–$300 doing it yourself. The Social Security card update is free (Form SS-5 never has a fee), the DMV runs $0–$45 by state (California charges nothing, Pennsylvania $29.50), a passport name change runs $0 if issued within the last year, otherwise $130–$165, and the certified marriage-certificate copies everything runs on cost $5–$25 each — budget 2 to 4. Online kits add $50–$100 but replace no government fee. A typical Florida stack: $230 all-in.
| Step | Typical fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Certified marriage-certificate copies | $5–$25 each × 2–4 | The fuel for every other step; most offices keep one |
| Social Security card (Form SS-5) | $0 | Always free; file first, everything checks the SSA record |
| Driver's license / state ID | $0–$45 | Most states charge their duplicate or correction fee |
| Passport — DS-5504 | $0 | Only if the current passport was issued within the last year |
| Passport — DS-82 renewal | $130 | By mail otherwise; add ~$15 for a photo |
| Passport — DS-11 in person | $130 + $35 | First passport or not eligible to renew by mail |
| Vehicle title / registration | $0–$35 | Some states update the record free; Illinois charges $15 with the marriage certificate |
| Employer, banks, insurance, voters | $0 | Free everywhere — it's the errands that cost you |
| Online name-change kit | $50–$100 | Pre-fills paperwork; replaces no government fee |
Court-order name changes (anything beyond taking a spouse's surname) are a different process with filing fees of $150–$500 — this stack covers the standard marriage path.
| State | License name-change fee | Vehicle title note |
|---|---|---|
| California | $0 — no fee for a name change | Handled through DMV title transfer/correction; varies |
| Illinois | ~$5 corrected license | $15 corrected title with the marriage certificate |
| Texas | ~$11 duplicate license | Standard correction fees apply |
| New York | $12.50–$17.50 by class | Standard amendment fees apply |
| Florida | ~$25 replacement license | Update SSA at least 48 hours before the DMV visit |
| Ohio | ~$25 replacement | Standard BMV correction fees apply |
| Pennsylvania | $29.50 (Form DL-32 + DL-143) | $0 if no new title is issued — record update only |
Picking a state above fills the calculator's typical fee — override it with the exact number from your DMV's fee page if you have one. Most other states land between $10 and $45.
A name change isn't one fee — it's a relay of documents, each feeding the next. The good news: the anchor step is free, most of the stack is state-level pocket change, and the biggest line is usually the passport. This calculator adds up the whole relay so nothing surprises you at a counter.
Total = certified copies (count × per-copy fee) + $0 Social Security + your state's license fee + the passport fee for your situation ($0 within a year of issuance, $130 renewing by mail, $165 in person) + optional photo, vehicle title fee, and an online kit. Every input is editable because the state-to-state spread is wide.
Pick your state if it's listed — that loads typical DMV and title fees — then adjust counts and fees to match your situation. Skip the passport line only if you don't travel; a passport in your old name stays valid until it expires, though booking tickets gets confusing. The kit toggle adds the $50–$100 service price on top, since no kit replaces a government fee.
A Florida newlywed doing the full stack: 3 certified copies at $15 each = $45. Social Security card: $0. License: $25. Passport renewal with the new name: $130, plus a $15 photo. Vehicle title: $15. Total: $45 + $0 + $25 + $130 + $15 + $15 = $230. The same stack with a $75 online kit is $305 — the kit fills in forms you could fill in yourself, which is exactly the trade to eyeball. A Californian running the same errands pays closer to $190, since the DMV charges nothing.
The full checklist with timelines lives in the marriage name change cost guide. If a green card is part of your marriage paperwork, the marriage green card cost calculator prices that stack separately.
Doing it yourself usually runs $150 to $300. The Social Security card update is free, the DMV charges $0 to $45 depending on the state, a passport name change is $0 to $165 depending on how long ago it was issued, and certified copies of the marriage certificate run $5 to $25 each — you'll want 2 to 4. Online name-change kits add $50 to $100 but don't replace any government fee.
Yes — Form SS-5 has no fee, ever. You file it with your marriage certificate and ID, and the new card arrives in 2 to 4 weeks. Do this first: most DMVs and passport agencies check that the SSA record already shows your new name before they'll update their own.
Nothing if your current passport was issued within the last year — Form DS-5504 is free. Otherwise you renew by mail with Form DS-82 at $130, or file Form DS-11 in person at $130 plus the $35 execution fee if you're not eligible to renew by mail. Add a passport photo, about $15, unless the old one still looks like you.
Plan on 2 to 4 at $5 to $25 each. Social Security, the DMV, passport agencies, insurers, and banks each want to see a certified copy, and most keep them or return them slowly. Ordering extras later means a wait of several weeks by mail, so buy them upfront.
They cost $50 to $100 and don't replace a single government fee — they pre-fill your paperwork and ship instructions and envelopes. If your stack is Social Security plus DMV plus passport, the DIY route is a few forms and one afternoon. The kits earn their price when you're also updating a dozen banks, loyalty programs, licenses, and titles.
There's no single national deadline, but pieces have clocks. Many states expect a driver's license update within 30 days of the name change (some allow 60), and you shouldn't book travel under a name that doesn't match your passport. Since everything chains off the Social Security record, starting within a few weeks keeps the documents from drifting apart.
Social Security first — it's free and everything else checks it. Then the driver's license (Florida, for example, wants the SSA update done at least 48 hours before your DMV visit), then the passport, then the vehicle title and registration, then banks, employer payroll, insurance, and voters registration. Certified copies are the fuel for all of it.