How to Change Your Name in Kansas After Marriage

Here's what you have to do to make your married moniker official.
Elena Donovan Mauer the knot
by
Elena Donovan Mauer
Elena Donovan Mauer the knot
Elena Donovan Mauer
Wedding Planning Expert
  • Elena creates content for a variety of print and digital publications, including The Knot, The Bump, Parents, Real Simple, and Good Housekeeping.
  • Elena is a former weddings editor, having held positions at Modern Bride and Bridal Guide and contributed to The Knot Ultimate Wedding Lookbook.
  • Elena is currently Senior Editor for Happify Health, an adjunct instructor for Pace University, a freelance writer, and content con...
Updated Dec 19, 2023
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Congrats on your marriage, Kansan! If you've decided to change your name after marriage, you're probably wondering exactly how to do it. While some procedures are the same across the country (more on that ahead), many name change instructions vary by state. So, it pays to do some digging into KS's specific requirements.

The good news is, you don't have to figure out everything on your own. Here, we explain all the most important state of Kansas name change to-dos. But there's also the option of outsourcing the work almost entirely—a service dedicated to postwedding name changes actually exists, and it's called HitchSwitch. Here's how it works: You'll head to the HitchSwitch website and fill out a form (yes, just one). Then, the team of experts will wrangle the paperwork you need, autofill most of it using the info you provided, then send you simple instructions on how to submit it all. It's a great solution if you're already over researching your state's requirements—and if the thought of manually completing paperwork is making your hand cramp up.

Whether you're interested in hiring help or not, it's best to understand what's involved in the process, so we've outlined the major Sunflower State steps below. Here's how to change your last name after marriage in Kansas, including what forms are involved and how much it costs.

In this article:

    How to Get a Marriage License

    You might not realize it, but the name change process starts before you even get married. The first step is to apply for your marriage license, because that's how you legally tie the knot and get a marriage certificate. In most cases, the easiest way to change your name postwedding is with that certificate.

    Submit an application wherever it is you're exchanging vows. If that's in Kansas, follow the instructions below; if it's somewhere else (hello, destination wedding), look up that state or county's specific requirements.

    What documents do you need?

    Head to your district court clerk's office to fill out and submit a Kansas marriage license form. Some offices have the application available online to complete in advance.Contact your location to find out what else you need—typically, you're required to both bring along a state issued photo ID to prove your ages and identities, and you should have your parents names and birthplaces handy as well as your social security numbers.

    How much does it cost?

    The cost of a Kansas marriage license may vary a bit from office to office. However, generally speaking, the clerk's office charges $86.

    Important things to remember:

    Kansas has a three-day waiting period and the license expires after six months, so factor that into your prewedding planning.

    You have 10 days to return your signed and witnessed marriage certificate back to the court after your ceremony. From that you'll get a certified copy of your marriage license (aka the marriage certificate) as documentation of your wedding, which you need in order to change your name after marriage. You can order certified copies of your marriage certificate from the Kansas Office of Vital Statistics for $20—we recommend having a few on hand to complete the rest of the process.

    How to Petition for a Name Change in Kansas

    In some cases, a court order may be required for a legal name change. That's because not all marriage certificates can be used for all sorts of name changes. If you want to change your middle name after marriage, for example, you have to make sure your marriage license permits that. Some applications ask you to declare your desired married name, and if you don't, it makes it tricker to switch monikers. Others only let you change your last name after the wedding and nothing else.

    If you're taking your spouse's surname or hyphenating last names, your marriage certificate should suffice when it comes to a name change in Kansas. But it never hurts to make sure. Consider sending HitchSwitch a photo of your certificate, and its pros will tell you whether or not it works for your sort of name change. If it doesn't, you'll need a court order.

    If you need to petition for a name change, contact your district or county court for full instructions on how to do it. In short, the process involves submitting paperwork to a judge for approval.

    How to Change Your Name on Your Social Security Card

    Once you've been officially wed or granted your court order, it's time to notify the Social Security Administration of your new name. Changing your name with the SSA is the most important part of a legal name change in Kansas—it's the easiest way to make the government (and entities like the IRS) aware of your married moniker.

    For full details, see the SSA's instructions for getting a corrected card, but we've got the basic steps highlighted below.

    What documents do you need?

    Mail or bring to your local SSA office:

    • Form SS-5, an application for a Social Security card

    • Your legal name change document (the marriage certificate or court order)

    • Proof of identity (such as your current driver's license or state ID)

    • Proof of citizenship if you haven't submitted this to the SSA in the past (your birth certificate or passport works!)

    Find Kansas SSA locations here.

    How much does it cost?

    Usually, this is totally free. (At least something on this list is!)

    Important things to remember:

    Photocopies of your documents won't be accepted by the SSA. So, consider purchasing certified copies so as not to risk misplacing your originals.

    How to Change Your Name on Your US Passport

    The next step is changing your name on your US passport, since this process can take eight to eleven weeks, and even if you don't have a trip coming up, you'll want this valuable ID to reflect your current info stat.

    What documents do you need?

    Well, it really depends. It will be one of these three:

    1. Form DS-5504 is for a passport correction. Use this form if your passport was issued less than a year ago and you changed your name within that year. Fill it out and mail it in with:

    • Your current passport

    • Your legal name change document

    • A color passport photo

    2. Form DS-82 is for a passport renewal. You'll do this if your current passport is in good condition and was issued within the last 15 years—so long as you were at least 16 years old when you got it. Complete and mail it in with:

    • Your current passport

    • Your legal name change document

    • A color passport photo

    3. Form DS-11 is used to apply for a new passport. Go this route if your passport doesn't fit either of the above descriptions. The process is a little more involved—you'll have to visit a Passport Acceptance Facility in person to submit the form and:

    • Proof of identity, like a driver's license or state or military ID, including a photocopy

    • Proof of citizenship, like your birth certificate, including a photocopy

    • Your legal name change document

    • A color passport photo

    For more information about the different types of passport forms, visit Travel.State.Gov.

    How much does it cost?

    It's totally free to correct a passport, but it costs $130 to renew a passport book and $30 to renew a passport card. Applying for a new passport costs $130 for a passport book, $30 for a card, plus $35 in additional fees.

    Important things to remember:

    You won't be able to travel if your passport name doesn't match the name on your plane or train tickets. So, be careful with timing here! Many people wait until after the honeymoon to initiate the name change, so they can travel under their prewedding name and not worry about making updates in time.

    How to Change Your Name on Your Driver's License in Kansas

    We recommend changing your name on your driver's license or state ID as soon as possible after making it Social Security official. This will help cut down on confusion between documents, and give you another form of ID to use as you update your name on additional accounts and records.

    What documents do you need?

    Bring your current driver's license or ID card with you to the driver's license office. (Here's a list of locations.) According to the Kansas Department of Revenue, you'll also need proof of your name change (the marriage certificate or court order will work here too) and a proof of residency, like a lease or utility bill.

    How much does it cost?

    It costs $16 to get a name change on your driver's license in Kansas, or $12 for a non-driver ID.

    Important things to remember:

    Bring along an original or certified copy of your proof of name change document. If you have a REAL ID, a new form of enhanced ID, or want to get one, you may need to provide additional documents.

    How to Finish Changing Your Name in Kansas

    If you've gotten through all of the above information and still think, "That's not so bad!" you're probably right. But know that once you've updated your Social Security card, passport and driver's license, you've really just taken care of the legal name change and major IDs. There's still your employer, insurance companies, banks, credit cards and more to update. It's a lot to get done, but HitchSwitch can help with all that too! The company offers checklists and tons of how-to guides for changing your name on accounts and records both big and small (even your social media accounts!).

    This article has been fact-checked and reviewed for accuracy in November 2023.

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