Name Change Information

Name Change Restrictions

A name change may not be sought for any fraudulent purpose or if it will infringe upon the rights of another. You must file the name change in the Circuit Court of the locality in which you live.

Petitioners who desire to change the name of their child or ward must obtain the consent of both parents to change a child’s name.

The fee to file a Name Change Application is $37 payable by cash, check, money order, or credit card (Mastercard, Visa and Discover are accepted - there will be a 4% convenience fee assessed on each transaction). Checks should be made payable to the Clerk of the Circuit Court. Please do not send cash by mail.

Name Change After Marriage

The first step in changing your name after getting married is to get a certified copy of the license from the Clerk’s Office that issued it. Certified copies are available when the license is returned to our office by the officiant. After getting a certified copy, you will need to notify the following to change your name:

• Social Security - Complete Social Security Administration Form SS-5 (PDF) and either mail it or take it to your nearest Social Security office. Include a certified copy of your marriage record. There is no fee for filing Form SS-5. You should receive your new Social Security card within four weeks, and your Social Security number will not change.
• Driver's License - Take your driver's license, Social Security card, and a Certified Copy of your marriage record to the Department of Motor Vehicles office near you (if you are a Virginia resident).
• Voter Registration - Notify your local registrar's office of your name change.
• Personal Property - Notify your local Commissioner of the Revenue's Office of your name change within 30 days.
• Banking Institutions, Credit Card Companies, and Insurance Companies – Notify each institution that you are doing business with of your name change.  They may require a certified copy of your marriage license.
• Address Changes - If you will also be changing your address, do not forget to notify the Registrar's Office, Commissioner of the Revenue's Office, the U.S. Postal Service, and the Internal Revenue Service with IRS Form 8822 (PDF).

Court personnel is prohibited by law from giving legal advice, restating the law, or recommending legal action. Questions regarding the interpretation of the law should be directed to an attorney licensed in the Commonwealth of Virginia.