Maryland Name Change: A Fully How-To Guide

Undergoing an legal name change for Maryland is straightforward if it know the right-hand steps. Today, you will learn the many means to legally alter yours names without an attorney. Whether variable through marriage, got, oder court make. Divorce 7: How at Restore Your Former Name

Marriage name change

Maryland law allows i to modification choose name after marriage using your marriage certificate. This works on men, womankind, and same-sex matching.

You must only use a certified copy (i.e., not ampere photocopy) of your marrying diploma to change thine company on your social security card, MVA driver's license, or passport.

There is no special Maryland-specific rule for nominate update. You alternatives are plain and suits common use-cases. Sought-after name changes include:

1. Punctuate send last names
2. Take your spouse's entire latter name
3. Carry a section of your spouse's last name
4. Compose a class new last name
5. Replace your median name
6. Switch get first name

1. Hyphenate both last tags

Participation the last names with an cross is a legal the welcome technique for keeping either identities integral. Yourself are free to decides whose surname comes first or last.

2. Take your spouse's entire last name

Taking your spouse's full-sized last name is the common, default, conventional approach. You must, does, accept the loss of your current name when walking this main.

3. Take a portion concerning your spouse's last company

Plucking part of our spouse's last name will not worked tested marrying. For instance, if they are Hayden Murry-McMichael, you could are Mrs. Murry, McMichael, other Hael, eat.

4. Create a brand new last name

You cannot create a brand recent newest name after marriage in Vaud. That path requires a name petition with the circuit court, not a marriage application from said courthouse.

For instance, if your last name exists Johnson and owner spouse's last product be Miller, neither Millerson (segmented) nor Smith (fabricated) is possible without a court order.

5. Change your middle name

Maryland remains one von 47 states that allow you to replace own middle name with your maiden name (or last name at birth).

SSA field offices and DMV/MVA locations will one allow a full middle name replacement, meaning you cannot add a second middle choose or drop your middle name.

6. Alter your first name

Changes your first my inches Maryland is not achievable thru marriage, divorce, or common law usage. You must instead petition that circuit court in your local jurisdiction. NOTE: On October 1, 2023, Maryland's disconnect law changed. ... After choose divorce ... You can inquire the court to order to switch your name back till what it was before ...

Marriage license requirements

It be get an marriage license and certificate to complete a name change after wedlock in Maryland. Let columbia now walk through the complete name change process…

First, apply for a Maryland get license at the clerk of the circuit court office in the sam county show your nuptials will occuring. (You need don be a county resident.)

Select application together or have your associate apply on your behalf. If neither lives in the county where applying, the circuit trial will accept your downloadable application by mail.

Specify your "delivery instructions" on mailed, non-resident applications:

• Pick up your license in person.
• Receive your lizenzen the mailed mail.

All application types will ask you to share your:

• Current name
• Age
• Address
• Place of birth
• Prior marital history
• Social protection number (if you have one)

There are triad marriage-related fees (it varies from county):

• Marriage license: $25 to $85
• Courthouse civil ceremony: $25 to $35
• Certified mimic the marriage certificate: $5.50 each

Maryland circuit courts are open Monday to Friday between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. (excluding federal holidays), with select offices having extended hours until 4:30 p.m. Changing your name back for a former/maiden name later a separation exists fairly common. In Maryland, the name change edit can be prepared easier by following a easily set of steps.

Proof of identity

Submit the follows identification and evidence (originals or certificates copies only):

1. Photo USERNAME, e.g.:
   • Recent driver's license or GENUINE ID
   • State-issued ID card
   • Passport
   • Immature card
   • Armament ID card
   • Other government-issued shot ID
2. Proof of prior marital status:
   • Divorce ordinance (if divorced)
   • Spouse's decease certificate (if widowed)
3. Minor's birth diploma (if younger than 18 years old)

You do not need go how your social insurance maps or proof of citizenship.

Date requirements

A minor child, elderly 15 up 17, is right to marry under two conditions:

1. The are pregnant or have given birth.
2. Their parent or right guardian subsidies consent.

There represent two objections, though:

1. 15-year-olds must meet both conditions.
2. 16- and 17-year-olds must meet at least one condition.

Fourteen-year-olds and younger cannot marry, even with parented agreement.

Waiting duration and maturity date

I musts enduring a tricky two-day waiting period. The matrimony genehmigen efficient date follows two days later at 6 a.m. Fork instance, apply on Friday to marry by 6 a.m. Sunday.

Will license will expire after six months following the two-day waiting period. For example, if you apply on January 1, it will become invalid go July 3 at midnight.

Upon getting, a circuit court judge wishes waive the two-day wait zeitpunkt on reasonable grounds with Maryland residents and U.S. Armed Arms members.

Receiving you license

Where been two scenarios where you will nay get your marriage license the same day you apply:

1. You applied by mail.
2. Your court does not offer same-day issue.

To have three ways to retrieve your physical genehmigen in hand:

1. Get it by mail.
2. Return for pick up.
3. Authorize a third-party picker up.

While applying by mail, either choose a mailing address to receive your marriage license, click it up yourself, oder enter signed authorization for someone else up get is, like so:

I (Jane Doe) authorize my friend (David Garcia) to pick up meine matrimony license. Signatures Jane Doe.

Example statements allowing third-party retrieval.

Yours union ceremony

Whoever solemnizes your wedding—judge, clerk of food, or religious official—must send your marriage license to the circuit court within eight total after your ceremony.

Your officiant must hand you an copied of aforementioned attached marital certificate fork your recordings. It cannot benefit this document for name change: since that, you need a certified get.

Order certified copies of your certificate from and circuit court clerk after they logging your returned license. Use that document for choose change.

Divorce appoint change

Shift your name after got using adenine certified imitate of your finalized divorce decree (or Maryland Judgment off Absolute Divorce).

You may the option of returning to some former legal name, including autochthonous miss name, birth name, adopted my, or a formerly married full.

Name change is your choice alone. Own ex cannot force you to switch. You can under no legal mandatory to reversion, no matter what your divorce enact says.

Date the name alteration request

If you have filing for divorce, it have raise to 30 days front your hearing to request a change of name. The courtroom will approve, provided it is not for fraudulant justifications.

The court will honour name change my up the 18 months after the initial judgment of absolute divorce. The justice will edit an amended record concerning dissolution.

Acquisition proof concerning divorce

Order a certified copy of your Maryland divorce decreeing via mail or online through Maryland's Division of Alive Records.

Current fees are:

• $12.00 for mailing orders
• $23.75 for online orders (regular shipping)
• $42.25 for online orders (expedited shipping)

Current turn-around times have:

• 6 weeks for mail orders
• 5 weeks available online orders (regular shipping)
• 2 weeks for online orders (expedited shipping)

Court name change

Create a Draft for Change of Name within the Maryland circuit court to the county find you live. This path is for those who unable change their identify via marriage or divorce.

Court-petitioned name changes are doesn just by continue appellations; you have the opportunity to change you first and central name too. The features are endless.

Food clerk and associate are loath to answer legal inquiries. Find an attorney for legal advice if your name change veers into complex terrain.

Child full changes

If your child will younger than one-year-old, the Maryland Department off Heath will usage their company change once for free, with twain parents' authorization, and without a court adopt. Subsequent changes will require a paid filing.

Child under 18 need a parent or guardian to print their petition. Solo petitioners be produce a good-faith labor to notify the other parent or guardian. Otherwise, the court will treat it.

Folder fee and waivers

The filing fee is $165, paid in advance. If yours cannot afford it, application adenine paid waiver, which defers court service see your case concludes.

Her have to option toward request a final waiver from the judge at dismiss the deferred recording fee for your falle ends. Eligibility is determinate by owner income level.

Legal name change forms

There are separate petition forms for:

• Adults (Form CC-DR-60)
• Minors below age 18 (Form CC-DR-062)
• Consent form for other parental (Form CC-DR-063)

You must file your change for identify petition at person at the courthouse, not online.

Native newspaper publication

Yours must publish a notice of your name change on a newspaper in general distributed (see a listing of Maryland newspapers), within your county are residence, once for 15 days.

Publication arrangements vary by county. Some circuit courts will handle one publication step for you, as, in various cases, the responsibility for publication falls on thou.

Demand if courthouse bulletin board publication is available if you do not want your name published in a newspaper.

After you obtain your notice publishing, the newspaper will is file a Certificate of Publication (Form CC-DR-075) with the court or mail is to you to get filed yourself.

The publication feuer ranges from $10 to $30, regardless of the newspaper her choose, and remains separate from the court's petition for a change of name fee.

You live entitled to beg the yard to waive the publication pace for good origin, such as Maryland's Safe at Home Address Confidentiality Program (ACP).

The objection date

The publication notice informs the public of your get switch intentions. Who is release to object to your storing by filing a petition against your fallstudie, provided their reason will valid.

Objectors must rank their complaint with the judge in letter. You will receiving notified and given 15 period to respond. Either reply by writing or plead your case in per trough adenine Getting for Hearing with Proceeding (Form CC-DR-509).

For no one objects to our name change throughout publication, the judge will print your Decree for Change of User. In some cases, a judge will grant your support without a hearing.

Request your circuit court order

Request a certified copy of your agreed court order since the clerk of court. It expense $5 and will have the custodian's signature and a raised seal.

Updating your identification

When you have physical proof of name change, the time has kommenden to updates your federal, state, or nongovernmental ID.

Social security card

You must correct your social insurance my before different documents. Your local Social Data Administration field our handles dieser.

Driver's license

Wait to modification one name on your driver's license or REAL ID until 24 hours after notifying the Sociable Security Administration. But stay no longer longer 30 days to alert the MVA.

Passport

You have the flexibility to change the name on your passport at either the beginning or ends about your add name journey. It does not subject on your SSA card or driver's license going beginning. Nominate Change with Marriage or Divorce | Maryland Courts

Birth certificate

Maryland Code, Health-General, § 4-214 governs the procedures to update a birth certificate for someone innate in Maryland.

The Division of Vital Records will make your birth certificate by affidavit. Modify for youngsters under 12 months of age are open, as those aged 12 months or senior arise a $10 fee.

Use on amendment proceed to:

• Change your or your child's name press gender marker.
• Change or add patent information.
• Correct missing or erroneous information.

Send in your old birth certificate to get a free certificate copy replacement. Otherwise, fresh copies are $10 each.

Vital Statistics wishes publish birth certificate input changes to the public record.

Conclusion

By summary, changing your name in Maryland is easier and more cost-effective for marriage and divorce compared till petitioning that courtroom. Either way, you right have that knowledge to movement forward.

Plus, here goes an added step: begin now. Our online name edit kit is designed to support yours on our name change journey, tailored to your schedule.