Changing Your Name on Your Social Security Card After Divorce
Written by Olivia Alen
Update your Social Security card first, before any other record. Fill out the Social Security name-change application, attach your proof, and file it, at no cost from the SSA. This is the step that unlocks the rest, because your license, passport, and bank all check your Social Security record.
One thing to know up front. NameChange.com pre-fills the Social Security name-change form with your information so you are not deciphering a government PDF at your kitchen table. We do not issue your divorce decree or a court order. Those come from the court. What we do is take the tedious, error-prone part off your plate.
How do you change your name on your Social Security card after divorce?
You submit form SS-5 along with a certified copy of your divorce decree (or court order) and proof of identity. That is the whole application. The Social Security Administration does not charge a fee to update your card.
Have three things ready:
- Form SS-5, the Social Security name-change application.
- Your proof, a certified copy of your divorce decree, or your separate court order if your decree did not restore your name.
- Proof of identity, as the SSA requires.
NameChange.com pre-fills your Social Security name-change form with your information. You review it, sign it, and send it.
Does your divorce decree work as proof?
In many states, yes, if the decree restores your former name. Read your decree for a line that says your former name or maiden name is restored. If that language is there, a certified copy of the decree is usually your proof. If it is not there, you may need a separate court order, and you use that certified copy instead.
Requirements differ from state to state, and even from county to county. Confirm your own state's requirement before you rely on either path.
Do you need a certified copy or a photocopy?
A certified copy, not a photocopy. Social Security requires certified copies, so order a few certified copies of your decree at once, since several agencies each want their own. A plain photocopy will not be accepted.
Does Social Security charge a fee to change your name?
No. The Social Security Administration does not charge a fee to update your card. The government form itself costs nothing. What the kit saves you is the hour of deciphering and filling it correctly, not a form fee.
Can you change your Social Security name online?
Often, yes. Many people can now do this online through a my Social Security account instead of mailing the paper form. Whether the online option applies can depend on your situation, so check your my Social Security account for what it will accept.
How long does the new Social Security card take?
Many applicants receive the updated card within a couple of weeks, though this varies. Since every other agency checks your Social Security record, getting this step right first saves you from repeat trips everywhere else.
Why do Social Security first?
Because every other agency relies on your Social Security record being correct. Your driver's license, passport, and bank all check it. Do this step first and the rest of the list goes smoothly. Do it out of order and you risk getting bounced and starting again.
See the full divorce name change checklist for the complete order after this step.
Frequently Asked Questions
What form do I use to change my name on my Social Security card?
Form SS-5, the Social Security name-change application, filed with a certified copy of your divorce decree (or court order) and proof of identity.
Does the SSA charge a fee?
No. The Social Security Administration does not charge a fee to update your card.
Can I use a photocopy of my divorce decree?
No. Social Security requires a certified copy, not a photocopy. Order a few certified copies at once since other agencies want their own too.
How long until the new card arrives?
Many applicants receive the updated card within a couple of weeks, though this varies.
Does NameChange.com issue my divorce decree or court order?
No. NameChange.com fills out and organizes your government name-change forms, including the Social Security form. The court issues your divorce decree and any court order.
Related guides
- Divorce name change checklist
- Changing the name on a deed after divorce
- How to change your name back after divorce
Start with your Social Security card
This is the step everything else depends on, so get it right first. Gather your certified decree, and let the kit pre-fill your Social Security form and every form after it, in the right order, ready to sign and send.
Rated 4.9 out of 5 across 512 reviews by people who wanted it handled quietly and correctly.
Leave a comment
This site is protected by hCaptcha and the hCaptcha Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.