Name Change After Marriage Illinois – Options, Process, and Costs
How To Change Your Name In Illinois After Marriage
What are the possibilities?
Name Change after Marriage Illinois is available in 3 basic ways. Each way has it’s own process and costs. Your situation will fit one of these choices: Marriage License, Order For Name Change, Divorce Judgment.
Name Change After Marriage is important. Period. You should get this done, and done right. Do you need 1 piece of Identification changed? Several? Everything? If you want this handled, with the least amount of time and wasted energy, study up and plan a little first.
Several pieces of your ID are really key, and you can do those all in a few days if you want. Everything else may take a couple of months, but not very much of your actual time. There is no “button” to push. But, it’s completely manageable. This will help.
Process To Change Last Name After Marriage
Name Change After Marriage Illinois Using the Marriage License
Your Marriage License is the best way to Legally take your spouse’s last name, if that’s the kind of Name Change you want. The license/certificate process will allows you ways to change your name free. To Update your ID After Marriage, take a Certified Copy of your Marriage Certificate to a convenient Social Security Office and ask them to update your Social Security Account to your Married Name.
If the Social Security Office will give you a new card with your Updated Married Name (same number), then you can go to ILSOS to get your Updated Driver’s License. Once you have your Social Security Card and Illinois Driver’s License Updated to your New Married Name, all the other IDs and Official Records can be corrected in the order you choose. A Certified Copy of Your Marriage Certificate is an Official Record and can be treated as a Name Change Document.
Name Change After Marriage Illinois Using the Order For Name Change (Court Order)
The Court Order process is the best way to Legally Change Your Name After Marriage for these situations:
- First or Middle Name Change with Last Name Change
- Restoring Your Maiden Name without a Divorce Judgment
- Taking a brand new Married Last Name (not your spouses)
- Changing a Child(ren)’s Last Name to match your Married Name
The Circuit Court Request for Name Change Process is semi-complicated and isn’t free. The Full Service total cost is $668 in Cook County, but less in other counties. In order to use the Court Order process, you must have been an Illinois resident for at least 6 months. You can do the court process all yourself, or you can have assistance from a Name Change Specialist like EZ Name Change, or you can hire a licensed Illinois Attorney to represent you.
An Order for Name Change from the Illinois Circuit Court is honored everywhere. Unlike Marriage or Divorce Name Change, the Court Order process for Name Change is “free form”. In addition to any Name Change you can get through a marriage license or divorce judgment, you can get any other kind of legal name change you might want, upon approval. Many people use the Court Order for Name Change After Marriage to have first, middle or totally different last names legally changed.
Documents Needed to Change Name After Marriage in Illinois
Make a little list. Put down each ID/Official Record you have, and what name is on each one. The documents you need will depend on the process you used. Whichever process you used, you will need a Certified Copy of Your Name Change Document:
- Marriage Certifcate
- Order Changing Name of Adult
- Divorce Judgment
If you don’t have one of these Name Change Documents, or another acceptable Official Record establishing a new legal name, you won’t be able to update core ID. To see more about documents needed and how to get an Order Changing Name in Illinois, visit: How to Change Your Name in Illinois
Once you have a Certified Copy of your Name Change Document in hand, you can start to update your ID and Official Records. In addition to your Certified Name Change Document, each different ID agency (i.e., Social Security, ILSOS, etc) will have their own Checklist for other documents they will ask you to submit:
- Birth Certificate and/or Citizenship Status Document (i.e., Citizenship Certificate, Green Card, Visa, etc.
- Social Security Card
- Driver’s License or State ID/Real ID
- Passport
- Proof of Residency (e.g., Utility Bill, Rental/Mortgage document, etc.)
HINTS and NOTES: Start with Social Security, then do ILSOS 2nd (Driver’s Lic./Real ID/State ID), and then the others in any order you prefer. Not many places require proof of residency.
Every core ID (Social Security, ILSOS, Passport, etc.) will require your Certified Name Change Document, Proof of your Identity, their completed application and then they each may have other particular documents they require. Most places will have a Website with an online Checklist for Updating for Name Change.
Marriage Certificate
If properly done, a Certified Copy of Illinois’ Marriage Certificate is a real Name Change Document for Updating ID in Illinois. Other states may not accept an Illinois Marriage Certificate to change ID if it doesn’t show both your complete legal name before AND after your Marriage, right on it. Some states won’t consider a Marriage Certificate a proper name change document if your full married name isn’t printed on the Certificate.
If your Marriage Certificate is from another State, it may or may not be accepted by Illinois ID Agencies. Find out by taking a Certified Copy of it to a Social Security Office and ask them to Update your Social Security Card to your Married Name. If that works, proceed on to ILSOS, etc.
If your Marriage License is from another State (not Illinois), it may not be usable as a name change document depending on the state where you were married. In some states, the marriage license process isn’t credited with properly assuring a person’s identity.
Other Certificate
There are other kinds of Certificates or Court Orders that can be used as a Name Change Document. A Certified Copy of one of these may allow you to Update ID and Official Records:
- Citizenship/Naturalization Certificate
- Adoption Order
- Family Law/Custody Order
To be universally accepted by government ID agencies, a Name Change Document must:
- Be a Certified Copy of an Original document showing your full current legal name and your new legal name
- Be signed by an authorized person from that government agency
- Have undergone a review and approval process (e.g., marriage, court order, etc.) sufficient to confirm the identity and entitlement of the person’s name change.
A Citizenship or Naturalization Certificate with a Name Change should be signed by a Judge, and be supported by a Name Change Petition. A new name written on a Citizenship Certificate, without a Judge or Name Change Petition with it, may or may not be universally recognized as a Legal Name Change.
Court Certificate
If you don’t have the right Marriage or Citizenship Certificate, you need a Circuit Court Order. To see more about documents needed and how to get an Order For Name Change in Illinois, visit: How to Change Your Name in Illinois
Once you have a Certified Copy of your Name Change Document in hand, you can start to update your ID and Official Records. In addition to your Certified Name Change Document, each different ID agency (i.e., Social Security, ILSOS, etc) will have their own Checklist for other documents they will ask you to submit:
- Birth Certificate and/or Citizenship Status Document (i.e., Citizenship Certificate, Green Card, Visa, etc.
- Social Security Card
- Driver’s License or State ID/Real ID
- Passport
- Proof of Residency (e.g., Utility Bill, Rental/Mortgage document, etc.)
HINTS and NOTES: Start with Social Security, then do ILSOS 2nd (Driver’s License/Real ID/State ID), and then the others in any order you prefer. Not many places require proof of residency.
Every core ID (Social Security, ILSOS, Passport, etc.) will require your Certified Name Change Document, Proof of your Identity, their completed application, and then they each may have other particular documents they require. Most places will have a Website with an online Checklist for Updating for Name Change.
Costs Of Changing Last Name After Marriage Illinois
The Certified Copy cost is $5-$10 each and you will need that to Update your ID with any of the Name Change Documents you would get from Superior Court:
- Marriage Certificate
- Divorce Judgment
- Order Changing Name
To get the Order Changing Name, for Yourself and/or a Child(ren), after Marriage or Divorce, you will need to pay various costs:
- Application Preparation
- Court Filing
- Notary, Notice, Consent, Publication
- Certified Copy(s)
You can do everything yourself, or have it done professionally for a small fee. EZ Name Change is a Legal Name Change Specialist and has Full Service.
Everyone will need to pay Court Filing or file a completed Application for Deferral or Waiver of Court Fees, plus Notary and other potential costs depending on your situation. For a more specific itemization of costs and situations, take a look at this page: Illinois Name Change Costs
Marriage Name Change Illinois Options
There are a number of options available.
- Wife last name change after marriage
- Husband surname change after marriage
- Same-sex couple name change after marriage
- Hyphenating last names after marriage
- Combining both spouses last names without a hyphen
- Changing child last name after marriage
- Changing first, middle and/or last name
Wife Last Name Change After Marriage
Traditional Choices:
- Take husband’s last name as your new last name
- Take husband’s last name and take your Maiden last name as your new middle name
- Hyphenate your last name and your husband’s last name as your new last name
Recent Trends:
- Combine (mashup) part of your Maiden last name with part of your husband’s last name
- Add your husband’s last name to your last name (no hyphen)
- Add your Maiden last name to your current middle name (no hyphen)
- No Change – Your married name remains your Maiden Name
Popular New Options:
- Both newlyweds choose a brand new last name
- Change your First and/or middle name AND take your husband’s last name
- Add a middle name to connect with a family member or to honor someone
Husband Surname Change After Marriage
21st Century Options:
- Husband takes wife’s family last name
- Both newlyweds choose a brand new last name
- Husband changes legal first and/or middle name
Same-Sex Couple Name Change After Marriage or Domestic Partnership
Illinois law allows same-sex couples to change their names, with all the same options and processes that are available to opposite-sex couples. A Certified Copy of Your Marriage Certificate is a recognized Name Change Document.
The possibilites for Legal Name Change outlined above, for Last Name and other Changes would be available to Same-Sex Couples After Marriage. If either spouse would want to also Change a First Name, the Petition or Request For Name Change process would be the way to accomplish that type of Name Change After Marriage.
Hyphenating Last Names After Marriage
Hyphenating your last name after marriage has become a common choice for newlyweds, particularly for wives. Consider the pros and cons for this choice when deciding.
Pros:
- Keeping your last name lets you take your name identity into your married identity
- Adding your spouses last name to yours is a visual recognition of the joining of marriage
- Hyphenating your last name and your spouse’s, will make your married last name uniformly treated by ID agencies, reservation systems, etc., and avoid chances for confusion
Cons:
- Unless both spouses hyphenate, your last name will not be the same as your spouse
- Choosing children’s last names will be another consideration
- The longer name may become tedious to use as time goes on and using shortened versions may create confusion in some situations
Changing Child Last Name After Marriage
Changing your child(s) last name after marriage, can only be accomplished through a court order process. You can use the Request For Name Change (minor children) process to change your child’s last name, and also to change a first or middle name if that’s something that should get done at the same time.
The Court Order Name Change process is semi-complicated, but can definitely be done. And, you can have inexpensive professional help. Name Change for a Child is a big deal. Getting it done well, and done as soon as possible after you make the decision, can make a really big and positive difference to the Child and for everyone in the family.
To get more specific information about Child Name Change in Illinois: Changing A Child’s Last Name in Illinois
To see what Professional Name Change help provides and what it costs, see: Full Service Illinois Name Change
Marriage Certificate Name Change
In Illinois, your government issued Marriage License is a recognized Name Change Document. Generally, you can legally update your ID and Official Records with a Certified Copy of Your Marriage Certificate, at Social Security, IlSOS, US Passport, etc.
Marriage Licenses from other States may or may not be honored to Update Illinois ID. The marriage license process and certification processes in some States don’t satisfy requirements for checking identity, official review, and official symbol of authority. To inexpensively test whether yours will work or not, ask a local Social Security Office to Update your Card to your Married Name.
A first name change isn’t allowed through the Marriage Certificate process. For a legal first name change, you can do that through the Request for Name Change (adult) process. Some people who want a legal first name change when getting married, use EZ Full Service to do all the married name changes at the same time, through Circuit Court, to simplify the legal and Official Records changing activities.
New Official Records and ID After Marriage
To keep the enjoyment of being newlywed going, we recommend Updating your ID and Official Records as soon after marriage as is convenient and comfortable, and doing all the important ones at reasonably the same time. These won’t take long. It will be fun to see your Married Name in print:) Before you start, do a little planning and save yourself time and irritation.
Core ID:
- Social Security
- Real ID -Driver’s License/State ID
- Passport
- Professional Licensing
- Job
- Main Bank
- Current School
Look up each of these places online. Each ID and Official Records organization will all have a policy about Name Change. Make a list of what they want and prefill their Application if possible.
All the other ID and Official Records can be updated when you next interact with them. If you have any particular agency, company or institution where your name change is particularly important, then prioritize that Update accordingly.
New Social Security Number After Marriage
Social Security Card – Do this before updating your Driver’s License or State ID.
This should take an hour or less. Go to any convenient SSA Office. You must have your Name Change Document (Certified Copy) and a completed application. No fee for this.
Your Social Security Number WILL NOT Change. Same Number, New Name. Social Security does have a process to get a new Number, but that’s a very different process for very different reasons.
New Drivers License After Marriage
Driver’s License or State ID Card – It’s best to do this second, after first updating your Social Security Account.
The Illinois Secretary of State (ILSOS) office has a process to issue you an Updated Driver’s License or State ID for your Name Change After Marriage. To get your new ILSOS ID to be REAL ID COMPLIANT, take a look on their website, at their Name Change Checklist, before going in. They have a small fee for this and you must go in to one of the ILSOS offices to get this taken care of.
New Passport After Marriage
Passport – Depending on your travel plans, you can do this first, third or when it’s convenient.
Passports are issued by the US Secratary of State and you can you can deal with them by mail, go into one of their offices or have a private service assist you for an extra fee. It will take about an hour to initiate the process and then you will get your Passport by mail, usually in a few weeks.
Documents you’ll need:
- Your Current or most recent Passport (Renewal only)
- Completed Passport Application (DS 82 for Renewal; DS 11 for New)
- Certified Copy of your Name Change Document
- 1 Color Photo
- Applicable Fees ($130 +35 for New only)
- Identity Document (New only; birth certificate/naturalization certificate, foreign passport, etc)
You can begin your Passport process before Updating your Social Security and Driver’s License ID. You can also travel with your pre-marriage name by carrying a copy of your Court Order with you. Then you can Update your Passport, and other ID, after returning. That may be particularly useful for a honeymoon situation:)
New Birth Certificate Name Change After Marriage
Update your Birth Certificate for Name Change After Marriage? – Your original birth certificate, together with your original or Certified Name Change Document, will be all you need to prove your legal name in every situation. That’s why most adults never bother with getting a new or amended birth certificate, particularly after marriage.
The exception is for infants. New parents have emotional reasons for getting an updated birth certificate for a young child whose Name is Changed following their Marriage. If you want to get one, go for it:)
Changing Everything Else – Bank, School, Job and More
Your Name may be your single biggest public identifyer, and it’s on a lot of things. However, once your Core ID is Updated, the bulk of all the rest may take about 2 months or less. There will be stragglers for a while. But before you know it, it will seem like you never had your former name.
If you make a list it will help save time and give you a better sense of completion when everything’s checked off. Proceed at your own comfort level. You can set up 2 groups:
- Active Accounts (e.g., job, professional license, school, main bank, 401K, credit cards, gym membership, clubs, etc.);
- Inactive or Payment Accounts (e.g., property titles, auto club membership, subscriptions, etc). Go to the main 3 or 4 of these and let all the others come to you. They all have periodic mail or email to you. So you can reply or follow their links to advise them of your legal name change.
There are just a handful of these that are important in your daily life. Take care of those first. Keep advising and responding so they know the change you want in each communication. Each place you contact will have its own process for accommodating your name change after marriage. They’re used to it. Some places may ask to see your Certified Copy, most will just do as you ask. You will be surprised at how quickly they will all be using your new married name exclusively.
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