Checked against official SSA, State Department, IRS and USAGov pages and forms on 2026-10-07. Agency rules and fees change; the agency's current instructions win.
The order matters because each step makes the next one easier. Here's the sequence USAGov's name-change page points to:
| # | Step | Why here |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | Get certified copies of your marriage certificate | USAGov: "Use certified copies of key documents as proof" when you notify agencies. To get them, "contact the vital records office in the state where you were married" (USAGov). |
| 1 | Social Security | "Other agencies learn of name changes through the SSA." |
| 2 | Driver's license or state ID | "Having an updated license or state ID will make changing your name with other agencies easier." Each state sets its own process (state motor vehicle offices). |
| 3 | Passport | "Report your name change to the State Department as soon as possible to get an updated passport." See which form to use. |
| 4 | Employer and taxes | "Every name on your tax return must match Social Security Administration (SSA) records." |
| 5 | Voter registration, Post Office, other records | "If you change your name or move to a new address, you must update your voter registration" (USAGov). Also tell the local post office that delivers your mail, the VA if you receive veterans benefits, and your state tax office. |
| 6 | Banks, cards, insurance, bills and accounts | Usually easiest once your ID shows the new name. Ask each company what it needs. |
Some steps hold or mail your documents for a while. For example, the passport renewal form says "All original documents will be returned to you by mail." If you'll mail a passport application and visit the DMV in the same few weeks, you may want more than one certified copy. The kit's certified-copy tracker shows where each one is.
The kit has every step above with the documents each agency lists, a passport form chooser, document packets for each visit, an accounts tracker and a notice letter for companies, in PDF and Word.
Get the Name Change Kit (PDF + Word), $12
Instant download. 14-day no-questions refund. Edition 1.0, dated 2026-10-07. Federal steps for every state; state steps you look up.