How to Change Your Name With Social Security

Why Your Name Change Starts With Social Security

When you marry, divorce or change your name by court order, SSA is one of the first places to update. SSA itself gives two reasons. If your record still shows your old name, your wages may not post correctly to your earnings record, which can lower your future benefits. It can also hold up your tax return.

SSA also asks you to tell your employer about the new name if you work. Do both as soon as the name is legally changed.

The change happens through a corrected Social Security card. You keep the same number. Only the name on the card and in SSA’s records changes.

Online or at an Office: Your Options

SSA handles every name change as a replacement card request. In some states you can finish it in your my Social Security account. Everyone else starts the application online and books an appointment through it.

Route	Who it fits	What happens next
my Social Security account	People in states where SSA offers online name changes and whose documents it can verify online	No visit; the card is mailed
Online application plus appointment	Most people changing a name	You book a time at a local office or Card Center and bring originals
Paper Form SS-5	People who can’t use the online services	You complete the form and show originals at an office
Phone, 1-800-772-1213	Questions and booking help	You still verify online or in person

The phone line runs Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. in most U.S. time zones (TTY 1-800-325-0778). Tell the agent you want to update your name.

The Documents SSA Accepts for a Name Change

You prove three things: who you are, your new legal name, and the event that changed it. Every document must be an original or a copy certified by the agency that issued it. SSA turns away photocopies, notarized copies and receipts for documents you’ve ordered.

What you prove	Documents SSA may accept
The name change	Marriage document, divorce decree, Certificate of Naturalization showing the new name, or a court order approving the name change
Your identity	U.S. driver’s license, state-issued non-driver ID card, or U.S. passport
Your identity, second choice	Employee ID, school ID, health insurance card (not a Medicare card), or U.S. military ID, if you can’t get a first-choice document within 10 days
U.S. citizenship	U.S. birth certificate or U.S. passport, only if SSA doesn’t already have your citizenship on file

If you aren’t a U.S. citizen, you may also need to show your current immigration document. The guide for non-citizens lists those documents.

The Two-Year Rule for Older Name Changes

Timing matters. If your name changed more than two years ago (four years if you’re under 18), or your name change document doesn’t give SSA enough to find you in its records, you also need an identity document in your old name. SSA accepts an expired one for this purpose.

No ID in your old name? SSA may accept an unexpired ID in your new name, as long as it can still establish who you are in its records.

Social Security Name Change After Marriage, Step by Step

Taking your spouse’s last name is the most common Social Security last name change. The steps are the same for a divorce or court order; only the change document differs.

1. Order a certified copy of your marriage document. SSA needs an original or a copy certified by the office that recorded the marriage.
2. Gather your ID. A current driver’s license, state ID or U.S. passport works. If the marriage was more than two years ago, add an ID in your former name, even an expired one.
3. Start the application on ssa.gov. Choose the option to change your name. SSA’s questions show whether you can finish online.
4. Finish online or book the appointment. If an appointment is needed, the application lets you schedule it at a local office or Card Center.
5. Bring originals to the appointment. SSA reviews them during the visit.
6. Wait for the card. It arrives by mail in 5 to 10 business days after SSA completes your request.
7. Update everyone else. Tell your employer, then move on to your bank, driver’s license and passport.

If you’re moving at the same time, note that a new address on your card isn’t needed. The change of address guide explains who has to report a move and how.

Divorce, Court Orders and Naturalization

The process is the same for every legal name change. What changes is the document that proves it.

• Going back to a former name after divorce. Bring the divorce decree. If the divorce was more than two years ago, or the decree doesn’t give SSA enough to find you, also bring an identity document in the name SSA has on file, even an expired one.
• A court-ordered name change. Bring the court order approving the change, as a certified copy from the court.
• A new name at naturalization. A Certificate of Naturalization that shows your new name proves the change, and it can also prove your U.S. citizenship.

Fixing a misspelled name follows the same corrected card process: you still prove your identity and your correct legal name with original documents.

What It Costs, How Long It Takes and Card Limits

A corrected card is free. SSA charges nothing for any Social Security card, and private services that charge a fee offer no advantage, because you still have to give your documents to SSA yourself.

The new card arrives by mail 5 to 10 business days after SSA completes the change. The online route is quickest. With an appointment, the wait for an open slot is the main delay.

Name change cards don’t count toward the usual limit of three replacement cards a year and 10 in a lifetime. If you’ve used up your replacements for lost cards, you can still get a card in your new name. The replacement card guide covers those limits in full.

Do You Need to Visit an Office?

Many people do, because SSA has to inspect original marriage, divorce or court documents unless your state offers the online option. Bring every original on the list above.

The office finder covers all 1,231 Social Security offices in SSA’s office data, checked against SSA’s Office Locator on October 1, 2026. Of those, 1,194 keep standard hours, Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Examples from large cities:

• Los Angeles Social Security offices, including the Wilshire Center office
• Philadelphia Social Security offices, including the Phila-Downtown office
• San Antonio Social Security offices
• Seattle Social Security offices

Each office page shows its address and hours. Before you go, read what to bring to a Social Security office and the office hours and appointments guide.

Watch Out for Paid Name Change Services

Websites selling name change kits or filing services can charge a lot for a free process. SSA lists charging a fee for a replacement card as a sign of a government imposter. A real SSA application lives on a .gov website, and SSA never asks for payment by gift card or wire transfer.

If you get a suspicious call or message about your name change or your number, hang up and report it to SSA’s Office of the Inspector General at oig.ssa.gov/report.

If Something Goes Wrong

SSA can’t match your documents to your record. This usually happens with older changes or several name changes in a row. Bring an identity document in your old name, expired or not, and every name change document that links your old name to your new one.

You only have a photocopy. Order a certified copy from the issuing office before your appointment. SSA won’t accept photocopies or notarized copies.

The card hasn’t arrived. Allow 5 to 10 business days after SSA completes your request, then call 1-800-772-1213. A card that never arrived is an accepted exception to the replacement limits.

Your Medicare card shows the old name. The replacement Medicare card guide explains how to request a new one.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will My Social Security Number Change With My Name?

No. SSA says your new card has the same number as your previous card and shows your new name.

Does a Name Change Card Count Toward the Replacement Limit?

No. Cards issued for a legal name change don't count toward the limit of three replacement cards a year and 10 in a lifetime.

Can I Bring a Photocopy of My Marriage Certificate?

No. SSA accepts only originals or copies certified by the issuing agency. Order a certified copy from the county or state office that recorded the marriage.

Should I Tell My Employer Too?

Yes. SSA asks working people to tell their employer about the new name as well, so the name on your wage reports matches the name on your Social Security record.

My Name Changed Years Ago. Is It Too Late?

No, but expect to bring more proof. If the change was more than two years ago, or four years if you are under 18, SSA also needs an identity document in your old name, and an expired one is accepted.

Can I Do This by Phone?

The phone line at 1-800-772-1213 can help and book an appointment, but the change itself needs online verification or original documents shown in person.

Keep Reading

• What to BringThe documents SSA asks for at common office visits and what you can do online instead
• Office Hours and AppointmentsStandard office hours, how appointments work and when to call instead
• Phone NumbersSSA's national number, local office lines and how to get through faster
• Replace a CardWho can replace a card online, the documents needed and what it costs
• Change of AddressWho must report a move, the ways to do it and what happens to your payments
• Payment Schedule 2026The 2026 payment dates for retirement, SSDI and SSI by birth date

Sources

1. SSA: Change name with Social Security
2. SSA FAQ: How do I change or correct my name on my Social Security number card?
3. SSA: Learn what documents you will need to get a Social Security card
4. SSA POMS RM 10205.400: Limits on replacement SSN cards
5. SSA FAQ: What does it cost to get a Social Security card?