Name change comes with paperwork
Taking the name of your husband isn't simply a matter of saying, “I do.”
After the rings and the romance, there will have to be paperwork and a trip to the driver's license bureau.
In fact, Judy Moser, register of wills and clerk of orphans' court in Butler County, whose office issues marriage licenses, said if a new bride is changing her name the driver's license facility is the first place she should go.
“You should go to PennDOT first,” said Moser. “Other places are much more congenial to change because you have a photo ID.”
Moser said when a marriage license is filled out, the applicant leaves a self-addressed, stamped envelope.
When the wedding officiant sends back his copy of the marriage license, Moser's office sends a marriage certification form in that envelope to the new couple.
“When the officiant turns that in and we are certain the marriage has taken place, we mail that out as soon as the return comes in,” said Moser.
She said it is important to note the newlyweds' copy of the marriage licenseis different from the marriagecertificationform they will be receiving after the ceremony.
The marriage license can never be replaced, she said, while copies of the marriage certification can be ordered from Moser's office at $5 a copy.
“We always tell people to take the original (certification) to PennDOT, so they can make a copy. There is no reason for an individual to have to keep buying these unless you are holding a professional license, in which case changing names will require a document with a raised seal.”
There's no requirement a woman has to change her name when she gets married, said Moser, but “if you are going out of the country on a honeymoon, I strongly urge you have some form of marriage certification with you. The problem isn't leaving the country, it's getting back in.”
According to Jan McKnight, community relations coordinator with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, if your name has changed due to marriage, you will need to go to a PennDOT licensing center and complete form DL-901.
Marriage certification is needed as proof for the name change.
“If your paperwork is in order,” said McKnight, “she should be able to get a license the same day. If you do it by mail, the time it takes is regular mailing time.”
Or the new bride can go to a notary public, said Robert White, owner of Notary Express, 181 New Castle Road.“They bring me their old license and their marriage certificate. I fill out a Form DL-901 here, notarize and sent it in to PennDOT,” said White. It will cost the applicant a $5 notary seal fee and a $6 messenger fee, he said.“In a week to two weeks, they'll get a change-of-name card that they will keep with their driver's license,” said White. He added the new wife won't get a new driver's license with her new name until the old one expires and she renews. She can get a new license if she's willing to pay an additional $13.50, he added.With a change of name card, Moser said it will be easier to change names on such forms as a Social Security card, which will take a visit to the local Social Security office on Woody Drive. She cautioned the office has limited hours and no direct phone line, so a little research will be needed before making a visit.Moser suggested taking your driver's license, change-of-name card and marriage certification to the Social Security office to have your new name placed on your Social Security card.With a driver's license and Social Security card reflecting the new name, Moser said it will be easier to update other identity documents such as: a passport, voter registration card, property titles, medical records and insurance policies.Moser suggested that newlyweds get started on the name-changing process fairly soon.“You don't want to wait until you really need to,” said Moser. “We've had a lot of children in here trying to help their elderly parents by tracking down the license and they can't remember when and where they were married.”
