Name change in Maryland

These are the steps most people follow for a name change in Maryland, in order. Each links to its official source and the date we last checked it. When you're ready, build a personalized checklist that covers every document at once.

This is general information, not legal advice. Requirements change, so always confirm with the official source linked on each step, and talk to a lawyer or legal-aid organization about your specific situation.

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  1. Step 1: Get a court order for your name change

    • To legally change your name in Maryland, you file a Petition for Change of Name in the Circuit Court — not the District Court — for the county (or Baltimore City) where you live, carry on a regular business, work, habitually engage in a vocation, or where you were born. Maryland's courts say you can change your name as long as it is not for an illegal or fraudulent purpose and does not interfere with the rights of others.

    Cost: $165

    Varies by court/clerk.

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    • Use the Petition for Change of Name of an Adult (CC-DR-60). Attach documents that show your current legal name — such as a birth certificate, driver's license, or passport — and sign the petition with your current legal name. Anyone with a valid reason can file a written objection within 30 days of the date you filed the petition; failing to object in that time is treated as consent to the name change. If the court grants your petition and doesn't mail you a certified copy of the order, ask the clerk's office for copies — you'll need one to update your driver's license, birth certificate, Social Security record, and other accounts. If you also want a court order about your gender identity, Maryland courts describe a separate 'judicial declaration of gender identity' process where you can ask for a name change as part of the same case.

    📝 Get the official form: Petition for Change of Name of an Adult (CC-DR-60)

    Sources

  2. Step 2: Update your Social Security record

    • Social Security still changes the legal name on your Social Security record. A valid court order for a name change is one of the events Social Security recognizes as changing your legal name, and you apply with Form SS-5, the Application for a Social Security Card.

    Do first: Court order

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    • Social Security's policy manual defines your legal name as your first name and last name — the name you use to sign legal documents. For a person born in the United States, that is generally the name shown on the birth certificate, unless the name changed through an event such as a marriage or a valid court order for a name change. The sex marker on your record is handled separately and under a different rule — see the Social Security sex marker step.

    📝 Get the official form: Form SS-5 — Application for a Social Security Card

    Sources

  3. Step 3: Update your driver's license or state ID

    • To change your name on a Maryland driver's license or ID card, first update your name with the Social Security Administration — the MVA says to do this at least 72 hours before your MVA appointment. Then make an appointment online and visit an MVA branch office in person; you cannot complete a name change online or at a self-service kiosk.

    Cost: The MVA doesn't give a dollar figure for a name change on this page — it says a fee applies for a corrected license or ID and to check its fees and payment options page for the current amount.

    Do first: Court order

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    • Bring your current Maryland driver's license and an original or certified document of your legal name change — the MVA says photocopies are not accepted — such as a marriage certificate, divorce decree, court order, or a passport with your new name. If you already have a valid U.S. passport with your new name, the MVA says you do not need to present additional name-change documents. There is a fee for a corrected license or ID that shows your new name; see the MVA's fees and payment options page for the current amount.

    Sources

  4. Step 4: Update your U.S. passport

    • To update the name on your U.S. passport, submit a passport application with an original or certified copy of the document that legally changed your name, such as a court order.

    Cost: No fee when you use Form DS-5504 within a year of issuance ($60 if you want it expedited). Otherwise standard application fees apply.

    Do first: Court order

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    • If your name changed within 1 year of your most recent passport being issued, mail Form DS-5504 with the name-change document — you will not have to submit any fees for this service. If it has been more than a year, renew by mail with Form DS-82 and a certified name-change document, or apply in person with Form DS-11. If you have no legal documentation of the change, you apply in person with Form DS-11 plus Form DS-60, Affidavit Regarding a Change of Name.

    📝 Get the official form: Form DS-82 — U.S. Passport Renewal

    Sources

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Where to get help

These organizations publish their own guides or can help you directly.

Last reviewed 2026-07-13.