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Name change after marriage in Tennessee: checklist and DMV steps
The order to change your name after marriage in Tennessee, and what the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security asks for, from its own pages. Each step links its source.
How to change your name after marriage in Tennessee
Get certified copies of your marriage certificate first. Then change your name with Social Security, then at the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security for your license or ID, then on your passport, then with your bank, employer and everything else.
The steps, in order
- Certified copies of your marriage certificate. Ask the office that recorded your marriage; the Tennessee marriage license page links the official page.
- Social Security. You change your name with Social Security by requesting a replacement card. Depending on your situation you may be able to request it online; if not, you make an appointment at a local office. (Source: ssa.gov, checked October 26, 2026)
- Your Tennessee driver's license or ID. The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security: what its pages say is below.
- Your passport. The U.S. Department of State handles passports. Its site did not let us read it automatically when we checked, so open its passport pages for the form that fits your passport.
- Everything else. Bank and credit accounts, your employer, insurance, voter registration and the rest: the name change after marriage checklist lists them in order.
USAGov lists the agencies to tell after a name change, including Social Security, your state driver license office and the U.S. passport office, and says to use certified copies of documents such as a marriage certificate as proof. (Source: usa.gov, checked October 26, 2026)
Changing your name at the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security
From the agency’s own pages, last checked October 30, 2026. Open the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security page. Fees and rules change: confirm on that page before you go.
- What to do
- Visit a Driver Services Center with your current license and an original or certified document showing the reason for the change. (Source: tn.gov, checked October 30, 2026)
- Documents accepted as proof of the new name
- Marriage certificate certified by the county clerk or other agency, divorce decree, or court order with original signature or seal; originals or certified copies only. (Source: tn.gov, checked October 30, 2026)
- Fee
- A duplicate fee of $8 to $16, depending on prior duplicates and license type. (Source: tn.gov, checked October 30, 2026)
- In person or online
- You must visit a Driver Services Center to change your name. (Source: tn.gov, checked October 30, 2026)
- Social Security first
- The page advises updating your name with Social Security first. (Source: tn.gov, checked October 30, 2026)
- Deadline
- No deadline for a name change is stated on the pages we read. Official page
Common questions
How do I change my name on my Tennessee driver's license after marriage?
Visit a Driver Services Center with your current license and an original or certified document showing the reason for the change.
How much does it cost to change the name on a Tennessee license?
A duplicate fee of $8 to $16, depending on prior duplicates and license type.
What documents do I need to change my name at the Tennessee DMV?
Marriage certificate certified by the county clerk or other agency, divorce decree, or court order with original signature or seal; originals or certified copies only.
Do I need to update Social Security before the Tennessee DMV?
The page advises updating your name with Social Security first.
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