How to Change Your Last Name on Your Passport

To change your last name on your passport, you file one of three forms with the Department of State along with a certified copy of the legal document that changed your name. Which form you use depends on when your current passport was issued and how old you were at the time. There is no fee if your passport is less than a year old; otherwise you pay the standard renewal or application fee. The whole process runs by mail or in person, never online.

Which Form You Need

Three forms cover every name-change situation. Picking the wrong one is the fastest way to have your application sent back, so work through them in order.

Form DS-5504 if Your Passport Is Less Than a Year Old

You qualify for DS-5504 only if less than one year has passed since both your passport was issued and your name was legally changed. Both conditions have to be true. A passport issued eleven months ago paired with a name change from two years ago does not qualify.¹ There is no application fee, so it is worth checking your dates carefully before you default to a renewal.²

Form DS-82 for a Mail-in Renewal

If you fall outside the DS-5504 window but still hold your most recent passport, DS-82 is the standard path. Your passport has to meet all of these conditions:

It was issued when you were 16 or older.
It was issued within the last 15 years.
It is undamaged beyond normal wear and tear.
You can submit it with your application.

Include a certified name-change document such as a marriage certificate, divorce decree, or court order.³ DS-82 is filed by mail, so you never have to appear in person.

Form DS-11 for Everyone Else

DS-11 covers anyone who does not qualify for DS-5504 or DS-82. That includes people whose passport was issued more than 15 years ago, anyone who was under 16 when their last passport was issued, and anyone whose passport is lost, stolen, or damaged. DS-11 requires an in-person visit to a passport acceptance facility.⁴

Online Renewal Doesn’t Work for Name Changes

The Department of State runs an online renewal portal, but it excludes anyone changing personal information such as name or sex.⁵ If you try the online system and your new name does not match the name on your old passport, you will end up starting over on paper. Use DS-82 by mail or DS-11 in person.

Proof of the Name Change

Every application needs the original or a certified copy of the legal document that changed your name. Photocopies and notarized copies are not accepted. Acceptable documents include a marriage certificate, a divorce decree, or a court order with an official seal.¹ DS-5504 and DS-82 applicants also send in their current passport.

DS-11 applicants bring more, because they are applying fresh. You need evidence of U.S. citizenship such as a birth certificate or naturalization certificate, a photocopy of that evidence, a valid government-issued photo ID, and a photocopy of the front and back of that ID. Photocopies must be single-sided on standard 8.5-by-11-inch paper.⁴

Your originals come back to you in a separate mailing after processing. The old passport may arrive up to four weeks after the new one, so don’t panic if they don’t show up together.³

Photo Requirements

Every application needs one color passport photo taken within the last six months, 2 by 2 inches, on a plain white or off-white background. Keep a neutral expression with both eyes open and mouth closed. A closed-mouth smile is fine; showing teeth is not. Glasses have to be removed. The only exception is a medical need, which requires a signed note from your doctor included with the application.⁶

What It Costs

What you pay depends on the form and how fast you need the passport back.

DS-5504: no application fee. Expedited processing adds $60.²
DS-82 for a passport book: $130. Adding a passport card costs $30 more, for $160 total.³
DS-11 for a passport book: $130 application fee plus a $35 acceptance fee at the facility, for $165 total.⁴
Expedited processing: $60 on top of the application fee, regardless of form.²
1-2-3 Day Delivery for faster return shipping: $22.05. Not available for passport-card-only applications.²

For mail-in forms, pay by personal check, certified check, cashier’s check, traveler’s check, or money order made out to “U.S. Department of State.” Do not send cash.³ For DS-11, the acceptance facility sets its own payment methods for the $35 fee, so check ahead.

How and Where to Submit

Mailing DS-5504 or DS-82

Both go through the U.S. Postal Service. Private carriers like UPS, FedEx, and DHL cannot be used because the mailing address is a P.O. Box. Use a trackable service so you have proof of delivery.³ The address differs for routine and expedited service, so check the form instructions. Complete all fields in black ink, and if you make a mistake, start a new form rather than crossing anything out.

Applying in Person With DS-11

DS-11 applicants visit an authorized passport acceptance facility, which may be a post office, public library, or local government office. Many require appointments, so check before showing up. Fill out the form ahead of time but do not sign it. A passport acceptance agent will verify your identity, administer an oath, and have you sign in front of them.⁴ The agent seals your application and documents into an envelope for processing.

How Long It Takes

Current processing times are 4 to 6 weeks for routine service and 2 to 3 weeks for expedited service. Those windows cover only the time your application spends at a passport agency. Mailing time is separate. The Department of State estimates up to two weeks for your application to reach them and another two weeks for the finished passport to come back, so the real door-to-door timeline for routine service can stretch to 8 to 10 weeks.⁷

Paying $22.05 for 1-2-3 Day Delivery speeds up the return shipping leg, not the processing itself. Your new passport and your returned original documents arrive in separate mailings with different tracking numbers. If your passport hasn’t arrived within the expected window, contact the National Passport Information Center at 1-877-487-2778.⁸

If you have international travel within the next two to three weeks, you may be able to book an urgent appointment at a regional passport agency. You can schedule online once you are within 14 calendar days of your travel date, or within 28 days if you also need a foreign visa. Appointments are not guaranteed and depend on the agency’s workload. A separate life-or-death emergency service exists for travelers with an immediate family member abroad who has died, is dying, or has a life-threatening illness or injury, and it has strict documentation requirements.⁸

When You Don’t Have a Court Order or Marriage Certificate

Not every name change comes with a neat paper trail. If you took a new name through long-term use rather than a formal court order or marriage, you can still get a passport in that name, but the requirements are stiffer. You must apply in person on Form DS-11 and submit three or more original or certified public records showing you have used the new name exclusively for at least five years. Acceptable records include tax documents, medical records, employment records, a driver’s license, or a state-issued ID.¹

You also submit Form DS-60, an affidavit completed by someone (preferably a blood relative) who has personal knowledge of your use of both names. That person signs the affidavit in front of a passport acceptance agent or notary. If you can only provide two public records instead of three, you need DS-60 affidavits from two people rather than one.

Updating Your Social Security Card

Changing the name on your passport does not update your Social Security record. The Social Security Administration runs its own process on Form SS-5 and needs to see the original or certified copy of the same name-change document. Photocopies and notarized copies are not accepted.⁹ If you changed your name more than two years ago, the SSA may also ask for an identity document in your prior name; an expired ID works for that.

Updating your Social Security card is free, and there is no rule about which agency you go to first. Since both agencies need your original documents and neither accepts photocopies, you cannot mail the two applications at the same time. Many people update Social Security first and then send the originals to the passport office, but either order works as long as you plan around the time each agency holds your paperwork.

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U.S. Department of State. Change or Correct a Passport
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U.S. Department of State. Passport Fees
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U.S. Department of State. Renew Your Passport by Mail
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U.S. Department of State. Apply for Your Adult Passport
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U.S. Department of State. Renew Your Passport Online
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U.S. Department of State. U.S. Passport Photos
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U.S. Department of State. Processing Times for U.S. Passports
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U.S. Department of State. How to Get my U.S. Passport Fast
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Social Security Administration. Learn What Documents You Will Need to Get a Social Security Card