A passport name change after marriage or divorce is not a sticker you slap on the old book. You apply for a new passport that shows your current legal name. Some adults still qualify to mail Form DS-82 with a certified marriage certificate or court order. Many do not, and that shift turns a $130 renewal into a $165 in-person file because the $35 execution fee returns.
Airlines compare tickets to the name on the ID you present at the gate. If your ticket says your married name and your book still shows your maiden name, fix the passport before check-in, not at the counter. The State Department publishes the full name-change rules on travel.state.gov. Read them the same week you receive the certified document from the county clerk.
Key takeaways
- You need a new passport book with your current legal name, not an annotation on the old one.
- DS-82 mail renewal works only when you meet every ordinary renewal rule plus certified name-change proof.
- DS-11 in person adds the $35 execution fee on top of the $130 book fee.
- Certified marriage certificates or divorce decrees are required; decorative ceremony copies are rejected.
- Routine processing takes 6-8 weeks; expedited mail takes 2-3 weeks with a $60 expedite fee.
Why a name change is not a sticker
US passport books are printed with the legal name on file at the time of issuance. There is no field on the data page for handwritten updates. When you marry, divorce, or receive a court order changing your name, the State Department issues a new book with a new passport number. Your old book is cancelled when you submit it with DS-82 or when staff process your DS-11 replacement.
Visas stamped in the old name may still be usable with the old book and your marriage certificate, depending on the destination country. That is a consulate question, not a post office question. For international travel, matching ticket, passport, and boarding pass names is the safest path.
What you need before you start
Name-change files fail at the counter when applicants bring the wrong certificate type or the wrong form. Gather these items before you print anything or book a post office appointment.
Core documents
- Proof of US citizenship: prior passport, certified long-form birth certificate, or naturalization certificate.
- Certified marriage certificate from the county that filed the license, or a certified divorce decree showing the name change.
- Government photo ID in your current legal name, or ID plus the court document linking old and new names.
- Your most recent passport book (required for DS-82 mail renewal).
- One compliant 2x2 passport photo on white or off-white background.
- Completed Form DS-82, DS-11, or DS-5504 depending on eligibility.
Before you mail or visit
- Update Social Security if your employer or bank requires matching records.
- Order extra certified copies from the county recorder. You may need them for DMV and airline records too.
- Photocopy citizenship evidence and ID on single-sided letter paper if applying in person.
- Prepare separate payments for the $130 book fee and $35 execution fee on DS-11 files.
Our printable document checklist lists each item with checkboxes. Marriage certificates from the county recorder are not the same as the decorative handout from the ceremony. Order certified copies early. County offices still mail paper on their own schedule.
Citizenship evidence rules trip up people who assume the old passport is enough on its own. Read proof of citizenship for a passport if you were naturalized, born abroad, or only have a short-form birth certificate.
Can you mail Form DS-82?
Mail renewal works only when you meet every ordinary DS-82 rule and you can document the name change. Your previous passport must still be undamaged, issued within the last 15 years, and issued when you were 16 or older. You must submit the old book with the application. If any of those fail, you are on Form DS-11 in person regardless of how simple the name change feels.
When mail is allowed, include an original certified marriage certificate or a certified divorce decree that shows the name change. Photocopies, church certificates without county certification, and phone photos are rejected. The document must match the name you want in the new book.
| Situation | Typical form | Execution fee |
|---|---|---|
| Marriage, still eligible for DS-82 | DS-82 by mail | No ($0) |
| Divorce decree with new name, DS-82 eligible | DS-82 by mail | No ($0) |
| First passport, child, or DS-82 rules broken | DS-11 in person | Yes ($35) |
| Name change within one year of passport issue | DS-5504 (special case) | Varies |
The form split is explained in plain language in our DS-11 vs DS-82 guide. Wrong form means a rejection letter and lost weeks.
Cost breakdown in 2026
The passport book application fee is $130 whether you mail or walk in. In-person DS-11 cases add the $35 execution fee paid to the acceptance facility. Expedited processing adds $60. A passport card costs $30 if you add it to the same application. Photos run about $15 at retail and are not a government fee.
| Path | Book | Execution | Expedite | Typical total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DS-82 mail, routine | $130 | $0 | $0 | $130 (+ ~$15 photo if new) |
| DS-82 mail, expedited | $130 | $0 | $60 | $190 |
| DS-11 in person, routine | $130 | $35 | $0 | $165 (+ ~$15 photo) |
| DS-11 in person, expedited | $130 | $35 | $60 | $225 (+ ~$15 photo) |
Compare lines on our adult renewal cost page, then adjust for the execution fee if DS-11 is your only option. Extra lines like overnight return ($21.36) or file search ($150) appear when packets are incomplete. See hidden passport fees before you budget honeymoon travel.
Run the calculator twice: once as a mail renewal and once as an in-person application. The $35 execution line is the surprise that breaks honeymoon budgets.
Calculate your passport costTimeline from certificate to new book
Name-change timing stretches from the county clerk to your mailbox. Plan backward from your departure date so you are not mailing your only passport the week before an international trip.
| Step | Typical duration | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Order certified marriage or divorce certificate | 1-4 weeks | County mail times vary; order multiple copies. |
| Update Social Security (optional but common) | 1-2 weeks | Employers and banks may require this before other updates. |
| Mail DS-82 or visit acceptance facility | Same day for in-person | DS-11 requires an appointment at many post offices. |
| Routine processing | 6-8 weeks | See our routine processing page. |
| Expedited processing | 2-3 weeks | Requires $60 expedite fee; see expedited times. |
| Urgent agency appointment | Same day with slot | Only with proof of travel within 14 days; see passport in 24 hours. |
Marriage: step by step
- Receive a certified marriage certificate from the county that filed the license.
- Decide whether your old passport still qualifies for DS-82.
- Update Social Security first if your employer or bank requires matching records.
- Complete DS-82 or DS-11 with the new name printed exactly as it should appear in the book.
- Mail the packet with the old passport and certified certificate, or apply in person with originals.
If you changed your name more than one year after the passport was issued, DS-5504 usually does not apply. You follow the standard renewal or in-person path and pay the normal $130 application fee.
Hyphenated names and middle-name changes cause extra typos. Type the name exactly as it appears on your certified certificate and airline ticket. A one-letter mismatch between DS-82 and your boarding pass can trigger a call to the airline on travel day.
Divorce: details people miss
A divorce decree must show the court restored a prior name or authorized a new legal name. If the decree only dissolves the marriage and never mentions names, you may need an additional court order before the State Department will print the name you want. Clerks see this often with default forms from online templates.
Women returning to a maiden name should confirm airline tickets and TSA PreCheck records match the passport before international travel. Domestic TSA accepts mismatches more often than foreign carriers, but that is not a rule you should rely on for a honeymoon flight to Rome.
If you remarry and change your name again, each change follows the same passport rules. There is no lifetime limit on name updates, but each update requires a new application and the standard fees.
Common mistakes
- Mailing the decorative marriage certificate from the ceremony. You need a certified copy from the county recorder with a raised seal or stamp.
- Assuming DS-82 works when the old passport is damaged or older than 15 years. Those cases require DS-11 in person and the $35 execution fee.
- Printing the new name on the form before the certificate arrives. Spell the name exactly as the certified document shows, including hyphens and middle names.
- Forgetting to include the old passport with DS-82. Mail renewal requires you to surrender the prior book. Living without any valid passport during processing is normal; plan travel accordingly.
- Using a non-compliant photo after a major appearance change. Wedding hair and makeup often fail the six-month photo rule. See passport photo mistakes.
- Skipping expedite when the honeymoon is eight weeks out. Routine service is 6-8 weeks with no guarantee you land at the short end.
- Expecting the State Department to return your marriage certificate. Supporting documents are sometimes retained. Keep extra certified copies at home.
Travel while you wait
Routine processing runs several weeks. If tickets are within eight weeks, pay the $60 expedite fee or track official processing times before you finalize non-refundable hotels. A valid passport in your old name plus a certified marriage certificate sometimes satisfies airlines for a short window, but international carriers set their own rules. Call the airline if you are cutting it close.
After submission, status appears at passportstatus.state.gov. Plan on mailing your old book with DS-82 and living without it until the new one arrives. Use a trackable envelope and keep photocopies of everything. Our application status guide explains what each tracker message means.
Common questions
How long does a passport name change take?
Do I have to change my passport after marriage?
Can I use DS-5504 for a name change?
What if my divorce decree does not mention my name?
Related tools on this site
- Passport cost calculator: compare mail renewal vs in-person totals with execution fee
- Adult renewal cost: DS-82 fee lines without execution
- Document checklist: printable list for marriage and divorce name changes
- Expedited processing times: 2-3 week window when you add the $60 expedite fee
Official sources
- Passport renewal (travel.state.gov)
- Passport fees (travel.state.gov)
- Processing times (travel.state.gov)
- Photo requirements (travel.state.gov)
- Full fee schedule on this site
Name changes are paperwork-heavy but predictable. Match the form to your eligibility, bring certified documents, and use the passport cost calculator so the execution fee never catches you off guard.
Keep a photocopy of your marriage certificate or court order in a safe place after the passport arrives. You may need the same paper again for Social Security, your driver license, or a future renewal. The passport office does not return supporting documents with the new book in every case, so never mail your only certified copy without a backup plan.