Restoring Your Name After Divorce in New Mexico: Steps, Cost & Forms
Verified against New Mexico District Court and .gov sources · Last verified July 16, 2026.
In New Mexico, you restore your former or maiden name after divorce through the divorce decree — request it in the divorce and the decree is your legal proof. There is usually no extra court fee. Then update Social Security first, then the DMV, then your passport. No newspaper notice is required.
Your personalized plan
Pick your state and situation for your exact filing fee, court, forms, and ordered steps.
What it costs
Restoring a former name inside the divorce carries no separate name-change fee
District Court in the county where you live
Step by step
- 1
Ask the District Court to restore your former name within your petition for dissolution of marriage or in the final divorce decree — there is no extra filing fee to include this request.
- 2
If the divorce is already final and your former name was not restored, file a separate adult name-change petition under Section 40-8-1 NMSA using the District Court name-change packet.
- 3
Obtain a certified copy of the final decree of dissolution (or the name-change order) from the District Court clerk.
- 4
Use the certified order to update Social Security first, then the New Mexico MVD in person, then your US passport and financial accounts.
Official forms
Every link goes to the official court or government host — never a paid re-host.
- • Restoring a former name is normally handled inside the divorce case, so a full separate name-change petition is usually unnecessary.
- • If restoration was missed at the time of the divorce, you can still use the standard adult name-change process later.
Then update your IDs
Once you have the signed order, update Social Security first, then your New Mexico license, then your passport and accounts.
Divorce name change in nearby states
Restoring Your Name After Divorce in New Mexico: FAQ
Can I restore my maiden name without paying again in New Mexico?
What if I forgot to ask for my former name in the divorce in New Mexico?
Do I need to publish a notice to restore my name after divorce in New Mexico?
What's the first ID to update after a divorce name change in New Mexico?
Sources
Every fee, court, rule, and form on this page traces to an official government source:
- nmcourts.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/SRL_Name_Change.pdf
- nmcourts.gov/forms-files/name-change
- www.mvd.newmexico.gov/how-do-i-change-the-name-on-my-driver-license
See our verification methodology and themaster source list.