Name Change After Marriage in Illinois: Steps, Cost & Forms
Verified against Illinois Circuit Court and .gov sources · Last verified July 16, 2026.
In Illinois, changing your name after marriage usually needs no court petition — your certified marriage certificate is the legal name-change document. There is no court filing fee. You update Social Security first (free), then the DMV, then your passport.
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What it costs
No court petition needed to take a spouse's name after marriage
Circuit Court (Circuit Clerk's office) in the county where you live
Step by step
- 1
Order a certified copy of your marriage certificate from the County Clerk of the Illinois county where your marriage license was issued — the Illinois Department of Public Health only provides marriage verifications, not certified certificates.
- 2
Update Social Security first with Form SS-5 using an original or certified marriage certificate (photocopies are not accepted); the corrected card arrives in about 7–14 business days.
- 3
Take the certified marriage certificate and current license in person to an Illinois Secretary of State (DMV) facility to change the name on your driver's license or state ID.
- 4
Update your US passport (Form DS-5504 is free if issued within the last year), then update voter registration at ova.elections.il.gov and your banks, employer, and USPS.
Official forms
Every link goes to the official court or government host — never a paid re-host.
- • Illinois driver's license and state ID name changes must be done in person at a Secretary of State facility within 10 days of the change, with a certified marriage certificate, divorce decree, or court order as proof.
Then update your IDs
Once you have the certificate, update Social Security first, then your Illinois license, then your passport and accounts.
Marriage name change in nearby states
Name Change After Marriage in Illinois: FAQ
Do I need a court order to change my name after marriage in Illinois?
How much does it cost to change my name after marriage in Illinois?
Can I hyphenate or combine last names in Illinois?
What's the first thing to update after marriage in Illinois?
Sources
Every fee, court, rule, and form on this page traces to an official government source:
- www.ilsos.gov/departments/drivers/home.html
- www.illinoiscourts.gov/documents-and-forms/approved-forms/circuit-court-standardized-forms-suites/name-change
See our verification methodology and themaster source list.