The Name Path
The Delaware Edition · $27

Delaware

Your name change after marriage in Delaware, in the right order: Social Security, your driver's license or state ID, your passport, voter registration and everything after, with every fact checked against the official source.

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Watercolor: Adult newlywed couple on The Green in Old New Castle beside the Old New Castle Court House, spring
At a glance

Delaware, in six lines

Straight from the Delaware guide. Where we couldn't confirm something from an official source, the guide says to ask the agency, and so does this page.

  • Certified copies

    From the Clerk of the Peace in the county where you got your license, or from the Office of Vital Statistics: $25 per certified copy, set by state law (New Castle County adds a one-time $5 processing fee).

  • DMV

    Delaware says to change the name on your license in person within 30 days. Update Social Security first and wait 48 to 72 hours before you go. The new license costs $10.

  • Deadline

    The Delaware DMV says to change the name on your license within 30 days of a legal name change.

  • Social Security online

    Delaware driver's licenses qualify (state ID cards don't), and so do Delaware marriage records. Because Delaware marriage records qualify for the online route, couples married in Delaware may be able to start their Social Security update online.

  • Voter registration

    Update your name through the online Voter Portal or a paper form, or update it when you go to vote. Delaware has no name-change deadline.

  • Social Security first?

    The DMV checks your name against SSA's records, so update Social Security first and wait 48 to 72 hours. Its vehicle page also mentions proof from SSA, so bring any SSA receipt you have.

Soft watercolor wash: Legislative Hall, Dover
DMV

Fees (DMV)

ItemFee
New license with your new name (change of name)$10

DMV fee schedule, checked Oct 23, 2026. (A duplicate license for a lost card is $20.)

REAL ID

REAL ID

Since May 7, 2025, you need a REAL ID or another TSA-accepted ID, such as a passport, for domestic flights. A Delaware REAL ID has a star in the upper right corner; a non-compliant card says "Not for Federal Identification."

Soft watercolor wash: Old State House on The Green, Dover
Step 1 · Certified copies

Where to order your marriage certificate

In Delaware, marriage licenses are issued by the Clerk of the Peace in each of the three counties. Certified copies come from that office or from the state Office of Vital Statistics. State law sets the fee at $25 per certified copy ($15 of it goes to the Domestic Violence Fund); active military members and their spouses are exempt with a valid military ID. The DMV accepts only a government-issued certificate with a raised seal, not a certificate signed by clergy.

WhereCertified copy fee (as published)How to order
New Castle County Clerk of the Peace (Wilmington)$25 per copy plus a one-time $5 processing feeOnline request portal, in person with photo ID, or by mail (money order or certified check; no personal checks)
Sussex County Marriage Bureau (Georgetown)$25 per copyIn person by appointment, by mail (money order to Sussex County Council, with a stamped return envelope) or online through GoCertificates (adds $19.95 plus $2.50 shipping). Records from March 2002
Kent County Clerk of the Peace (Dover)$25 per copy (Kent County Code)Ask the office how to order; its marriage page doesn't describe copy requests
Delaware Office of Vital Statistics$25 per copy (state law); GoCertificates or VitalChek add their own feeIn person at offices in Newark, Dover and Georgetown, by mail, or online
Married in another stateOrder certified copies from the office that issued your certificate in that state.See that state's vital records office

Fees as published by 16 Del. C. § 3132, the New Castle County Clerk of the Peace, the Sussex County Marriage Bureau and the Kent County Code (§ 128-40), checked Oct 23, 2026. Not sure which county? Check with the Clerk of the Peace where you applied, or order from Vital Statistics. See Sources.

Official forms

The Delaware forms, straight from the source

Every link goes to the agency's own page or PDF; we never host copies. Where we couldn't confirm a downloadable form, the row says to ask the agency. Your guide explains which form fits your situation. Links checked Oct 23, 2026.

ForFormOfficial link
Social SecuritySS-5: Application for a Social Security Card (PDF)ssa.gov/forms/ss-5.pdf
Social SecuritySSA online: Apply for a Social Security Cardsecure.ssa.gov/ossnap/public/
Driver's license or ID (DMV)Delaware DMV: Changing your name/addressdmv.de.gov/DriverServices/other/index.shtml
PassportDS-5504: Application for a U.S. Passport for Eligible Individuals: correction, name change to a passport issued 1 year ago or less, and limited passport replacement (PDF)eforms.state.gov/Forms/ds5504_pdf.PDF
PassportDS-82: U.S. Passport Renewal Application for Eligible Individuals (PDF)eforms.state.gov/Forms/ds82_pdf.PDF
PassportDS-11: Application for a U.S. Passport (PDF)eforms.state.gov/Forms/ds11_pdf.PDF
Vehicle titleDelaware DMV: Title name change pagedmv.de.gov/VehicleServices/titles/index.…
Voter registrationDelaware Voter Registration Form (PDF)elections.delaware.gov/voter/pdfs/VoterRegApplicatio…
How we checked

Checked against the agency itself

The Delaware guide's verification log lists 20 state facts: 20 confirmed on the official page. Sources checked October 23, 2026.

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The Delaware Edition

Your whole Delaware name change, one clear path

$27

14-day refund, no questions asked · One-time payment, no subscription

Changing your name with Social Security is free. You can apply directly with the Social Security Administration at ssa.gov or by calling 1-800-772-1213. You don't need to buy this guide, or anything else, to do it.

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