How to Fill Out and Submit the American Express Name Change Form

To change the name on your American Express card, complete the American Express Name Change Authorization Form, attach a copy of a government-issued ID that already shows your new legal name, and submit both through your online account or by mail. The service is free, and Amex automatically sends a replacement card once the change is approved.

What to Have Ready First

The form requires one supporting document: a copy of a state-issued ID card, driver’s license, or U.S. passport that reflects your new legal name.¹ Update that ID with the issuing agency before you contact Amex. If your license still shows your old name, get it reissued first.

American Express also recommends having certified documents from the Social Security Administration confirming you’ve updated your name with them.² Credit bureaus cross-reference Social Security records, so a mismatch between your SSA name and your card name can create reporting problems later.

Before you open the form, pull together:

Your updated government photo ID (state ID, driver’s license, or U.S. passport) showing the new name.
The account number for each Amex card you want reissued. One form covers up to three accounts.
The billing address currently on file with Amex, which the form uses for verification.

Filling Out the Form

You can reach the form two ways. Log into your account at americanexpress.com and click the edit button next to your name to open it directly,³ or download the PDF from Amex.¹

It’s a single page. The fields are:

Original Name — exactly as it appears on your account today.
Name Changed To — your new legal name, split into first name, optional middle name or initial, and last name.
Name To Appear On Card — the name you want embossed on the physical card. There’s a 20-character limit including spaces, so a long full name may need an abbreviated middle name or initial.
Card selection — apply the change to all your Amex cards, or list up to three specific account numbers. Any card you leave off the list keeps the original name.
Billing address — the address Amex already has on file. If you’ve also moved, update your address at americanexpress.com/profile before submitting.
Signature and date. Unsigned forms are not processed.

Signing authorizes Amex to change the name on each listed account, issue replacements, cancel any outstanding cards in your former name, and use the new name on future renewals.¹ Because the old cards are cancelled, time your submission around autopay cycles or upcoming purchases.

Submitting the Form

Amex accepts the completed form two ways:

Online upload at americanexpress.com/documentcenter. Choose the Name Change Authorization document category and upload the signed form together with a scan or photo of your updated ID. Accepted file types are PDF, DOC, DOCX, TIF, JPG, BMP, and GIF.¹
Mail to American Express, PO Box 981540, El Paso, TX 79998-1540. Use a trackable shipping method since you’re sending personal ID documents.¹

The upload is faster and avoids mailing copies of your ID. Send everything in one submission so the processing team has the full package at once.

After You Submit

Amex won’t process the change until it has both the signed form and your supporting documentation.¹ Once approval is complete, a new card ships automatically.³ It generally arrives within a few weeks. Amex suggests noting the submission date and calling customer service if the replacement hasn’t arrived within 14 days.²

Expedited Shipping

If you need the card sooner, call the number on the back of your current card and ask about expedited delivery. Amex offers free next-day shipping for certain replacement situations.⁴ Whether that extends to a name-change replacement can depend on card type and account history; premium products like the Platinum are more likely to qualify than no-annual-fee cards.

Credit Bureau Reporting

You don’t need to contact the credit bureaus yourself. Amex reports the change, and the bureaus update their records. The update can take a few months to fully register, so don’t be alarmed if a credit report pulled shortly after still shows your old name.² Your credit history carries over. A name change does not reset your account age or payment history.

Existing Travel Bookings

If you have flights booked through American Express Travel under your former name, don’t count on the airline sorting it out at the gate. The name on your government photo ID must match the name on your airline ticket.⁵ Two options:

Arrive early with proof. Bring your marriage certificate, court order, or other legal documentation of the change to the airline counter. The airline may accept it.
Call Amex Travel to request a name correction. Most airlines treat this as a name change rather than a simple correction, which can trigger change fees and fare differences.⁵

The cleanest approach is to time the card name change so either your old ID is still valid for existing bookings or your documents and tickets already reflect the new name.

One boundary: for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, Amex has no control and cannot update your trusted traveler profile.⁶ Handle those separately at globalentry.gov or tsa.gov.

Authorized Users

If an authorized user has changed their name, the same form and documentation requirements apply. A government ID showing the new name must accompany the completed form.³ Amex does not publicly distinguish between primary cardholder and authorized-user procedures; both follow the same steps through their respective online accounts, and a new card in the updated name is sent automatically once the change is processed.

1
American Express. Name Change Authorization Form
2
American Express. How to Change Your Name on Your Credit Card
3
American Express. How Do I Change My Name on My Card Account?
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American Express. Lost, Stolen or Damaged Card? Request a Replacement Card Online
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American Express. Flight Change and Cancellation FAQs
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American Express. Application Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck