Name Change After Marriage in Georgia: What to Do First and in What Order

A name change after marriage in Georgia happens in a set order: get certified copies of your recorded marriage license from the probate court, update Social Security, then your Georgia driver's license, then your passport and everything else. Getting married does not change your name on any record by itself. You do that yourself, one office at a time.

We are Augusta Officiant. We have married more than 1,200 couples across the CSRA, and what to do with the license afterward is one of the questions we hear most. The agency steps below were checked on the official Social Security, Georgia DDS, and State Department pages in October 2026. Offices do change their rules, so confirm before you drive over.

Do you have to change your name when you get married?

No. It is a choice, and plenty of people keep their name, hyphenate, or decide later. One tip for before the wedding, though. The Georgia DDS says that if you married in Georgia and want a hyphenated name on your license, you must present a certified copy of the marriage license application stating the hyphenated name. So settle on your married name before you fill out the application, and ask the probate clerk how to record it.

First, return your license and ask for certified copies

At your ceremony we complete and sign the marriage license and hand it to you. You return it to the probate court yourselves, in person or by mail, and it must be back within 30 days of the ceremony. Returning it yourselves also gets your recorded license back faster.

When you return it, ask for certified copies. Every step of a name change after marriage in Georgia runs on that document, and the agencies below ask for an original or certified one, so a photocopy will not get you far. In Richmond County and Columbia County a certified copy is $10. In other counties, ask the clerk what they charge.

We suggest two or three. Our guides to the Richmond County marriage license and the Columbia County marriage license walk through each court.

What is the order for a name change after marriage in Georgia?

Step 1: Social Security

The Social Security Administration says that if you legally change your name because of marriage, you must tell them. You do that by requesting a replacement Social Security card. Depending on your situation you may be able to make the request online. If not, you will need an appointment at a local office.

SSA asks for evidence of your identity, your new legal name, and the name change event, which is where your marriage document comes in. The agency says there is no charge for the card, that it arrives by mail in 5 to 10 business days after the request is completed, and that your number stays the same.

Step 2: Your Georgia driver's license or ID

The Georgia Department of Driver Services says in its license FAQs that driver's license name changes must be done within 60 days of the name change. Its driver's manual says name changes are completed in person at a DDS Customer Service Center. Bring the original or certified document that supports the change. DDS lists a certified copy of the marriage certificate or license among the documents it accepts.

Why Social Security first? DDS checks your Social Security number when you apply. Its Real ID page says that if the number fails to verify you will be asked for more documents and may need to contact the Social Security office. Check the DDS website for current fees before you go.

Step 3: Your passport

The State Department sorts this by timing. If it has been less than one year since both your passport was issued and your name legally changed, you mail Form DS-5504 with your most recent passport, an original or certified name change document such as your marriage certificate, and one passport photo. The State Department says there is no fee for that service unless you want expedited processing.

If it has been more than a year, you may be able to renew by mail with a certified copy of the name change document. If you are not eligible to renew by mail, you apply in person with Form DS-11 and a valid ID in your new name. That is why the driver's license comes before the passport. The forms are at travel.state.gov.

Step 4: Everything else

Once your Social Security record and your license match, the rest is a list. Keep a certified copy handy and ask each office what it needs.

• Your employer and payroll

• Banks and credit cards

• Health, car, and home insurance

• Voter registration

• Car title and registration

• Your lease or mortgage and utilities

What do military couples need?

The paperwork for a name change after marriage in Georgia is the same for military couples, with one addition. Certified copies are also needed for DEERS enrollment. Fort Eisenhower couples are a big part of our work, and our advice is to pick up an extra copy and ask your ID card office what else to bring.

How does your officiant affect any of this?

A name change after marriage in Georgia depends on a license that was completed correctly and recorded. A wrong date or a missing signature can cause real trouble. That risk is one reason many venues now ask officiants for a business license and proof of liability insurance. We hold a business license and $2 million in liability insurance, and we are a preferred partner of the Richmond County and Columbia County probate courts.

If you already have your marriage license and simply need it made legal, our License Signing is $60 when you come to us or $100 when we meet you anywhere in Augusta or Richmond County. It is often possible the same day. Every package, this one included, can be paid on a payment plan.

Name change after marriage in Georgia FAQ

How many certified copies of our marriage license should we get?

We suggest two or three. Social Security, the Georgia DDS, and the State Department each ask for an original or certified document, and a passport update by mail means sending one away for a while.

Do I have to update Social Security before my driver's license?

That is the order we recommend. The Georgia DDS checks your Social Security number when you apply, so updating your Social Security record first helps the two records match.

How long do I have to update my Georgia driver's license?

The Georgia DDS says driver's license name changes must be done within 60 days of the name change.

Who returns the marriage license to the probate court?

You do. We complete and sign the license at the ceremony and hand it to you. You return it in person or by mail within 30 days of the ceremony, and you can ask for certified copies at the same time.

Can I keep my name or hyphenate instead?

Yes. Changing your name is optional. For a hyphenated name on a Georgia license, DDS asks for a certified copy of the marriage license application stating the hyphenated name.

Start with a license that is done right

A name change after marriage in Georgia is mostly patience and paperwork, and it goes more smoothly when the first document is correct. That part we can help with. We are a veteran owned, family run business, and our fees support the Augusta Birth Center, a local 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

Planning a wedding or an elopement around Augusta, Evans, or Grovetown? Send us your date, ask about payment plans, and read our 5 star reviews on Google while you wait to hear back.