Just married in Indiana? Congratulations. A Hoosier name change is one of the cheapest and simplest around, with a couple of Indiana-specific quirks worth knowing. Here is exactly how to do it, in order, with what it costs and how long it takes.
What an Indiana Name Change Costs and How Long It Takes
The honest math for a standard married name change in Indiana, one of the least expensive states:
| Step | Indiana cost |
|---|---|
| Social Security card (SS-5) | Free |
| Certified marriage certificate copies | About $4 to $5 each, by county |
| Driver’s license (amend) | $9 |
| Vehicle title (duplicate) | $15 |
Core out-of-pocket runs about $15 to $30 – Indiana is one of the cheapest states for a name change. A passport update adds more only if yours is over a year old.
Time: your new Social Security card takes about 2 to 3 weeks, and you must wait at least one business day after that before the BMV. Do the BMV visit within 30 days of your name change.
Step 1: Get Certified Copies of Your Marriage Certificate
| What you need | Detail |
|---|---|
| Issuing office | The Clerk of Court in the county where your marriage license was issued |
| How many to order | 2 to 3 certified copies (Social Security and the BMV each want an original) |
| Typical cost | About $4 to $5 each (varies by county, listed below) |
| Find your record | Indiana’s statewide lookup: public.courts.in.gov |
Step 2: Update Social Security First
Social Security is free and the same in every state: complete form SS-5, show your certified marriage certificate, and your new card arrives in about 2 to 3 weeks. Do this first. Details: ssa.gov.
Indiana has 26 Social Security field offices. Find the one nearest you:
| City | Address | ZIP | Phone | Mon-Fri |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anderson | 117 S Scatterfield Rd | 46012 | (866) 875-0394 | 9 AM-4 PM |
| Auburn | 1240 S Grandstaff Dr | 46706 | (866) 829-2170 | 9 AM-4 PM |
| Bloomington | 515 W Patterson Drive | 47403 | (877) 819-2594 | 9 AM-4 PM |
| Columbus | 2535 Arnold Street | 47203 | (866) 755-0990 | 9 AM-4 PM |
| Crawfordsville | 1515 S Grant Ave | 47933 | (888) 577-1498 | 9 AM-4 PM |
| Elkhart | 231 Waterfall Drive | 46516 | (866) 426-0532 | 9 AM-4 PM |
| Evansville | 2300 N Green River Rd | 47715 | (877) 768-5679 | 9 AM-4 PM |
| Fort Wayne | 2122 Lincolnway Ct | 46819 | (877) 223-6061 | 9 AM-4 PM |
| Gary | 808 South Lake Street | 46403 | (866) 593-2911 | 9 AM-4 PM |
| Hammond | 418 E Douglas Street | 46320 | (877) 512-3859 | 9 AM-4 PM |
| Indianapolis | 1625 N Post Road | 46219 | (866) 220-7899 | 9 AM-4 PM |
| Indianapolis | 6745 Network Pl | 46278 | (866) 218-2309 | 9 AM-4 PM |
| Indianapolis | 575 N Pennsylvania St | 46204 | (866) 592-2812 | 9 AM-4 PM |
| Kokomo | 353 W. Alto Rd | 46902 | (866) 365-3036 | 9 AM-4 PM |
| Lafayette | 10 S. 2nd St | 47901 | (888) 884-0522 | 9 AM-4 PM |
| Madison | 150 Demaree Drive | 47250 | (877) 692-3144 | 9 AM-4 PM |
| Marion | 844 N Miller Avenue | 46952 | (888) 397-9795 | 9 AM-4 PM |
| Merrillville | 1438 E 85th Ave | 46410 | (877) 692-3142 | 9 AM-4 PM |
| Michigan City | 636 Pine Street | 46360 | (866) 248-2393 | 9 AM-4 PM |
| Muncie | 600 North Walnut St | 47305 | (866) 964-7586 | 9 AM-4 PM |
| New Albany | 3700 Blackiston Blvd | 47150 | (866) 331-9073 | 9 AM-4 PM |
| Richmond | 500 North A Street | 47374 | (866) 446-6190 | 9 AM-4 PM |
| South Bend | 602 S Michigan St | 46601 | (877) 274-5415 | 9 AM-4 PM |
| Terre Haute | 222 Cherry St | 47807 | (866) 635-0282 | 9 AM-4 PM |
| Valparaiso | 3810 Calumet Ave | 46383 | (888) 472-6120 | 9 AM-4 PM |
| Vincennes | 606 Veterans Dr | 47591 | (888) 456-9531 | 9 AM-4 PM |
Step 3: Change Your Indiana Driver’s License
You will visit the Indiana BMV (Bureau of Motor Vehicles) in person. The fee to amend your license is just $9.
A name change cannot be done online at myBMV.com or at a kiosk; it must be at a branch, within 30 days. Bring your marriage license (it must show a residential address, not a PO box).
An Indiana quirk: after you update Social Security, wait at least one business day before your BMV visit, because the BMV verifies your name against Social Security records.
Appointment? Optional. 73 BMV branches let you book online to skip the line; walk-ins are usually under 20 minutes (avoid Mondays, Fridays, and lunch). Ask about upgrading to REAL ID at the same visit.
Step 4: Update Your Vehicle Title
Own a car? File State Form 205 to have your title reissued in your new name (this is an amended title, not a “duplicate,” which is only for a lost or damaged title). The BMV fee is $15, and your registration updates to match. Bring your existing title, your updated ID, and your marriage certificate. Indiana BMV title amendment.
Other Indiana Licenses to Update
Handgun license (has a deadline)
If you hold an Indiana License to Carry a Handgun, update your name online only through the Indiana State Police portal (paper forms are no longer accepted). Notify within 60 days; there is no fee.
Notary public (has a deadline)
Indiana notaries have 30 days. First get a bond rider from your surety company showing your new name, then update your commission in INBiz (Edit License) with the rider and a new signature sample. After it is updated, order a new stamp with your name exactly as it reads on the commission.
Hunting and fishing
Edit your profile in the Indiana DNR GoOutdoorsIN account. If the legal-name field is locked, call the DNR Customer Service Center at 877-463-6367 so your existing record (and any preference points) stays intact rather than creating a second one.
Update Your Voter Registration
Update your name online at indianavoters.in.gov, or file the VRG-7 form with your county voter registration office. The deadline is 29 days before an election.
Licensed Professional? Update With the PLA
Most Indiana professions, from nursing to cosmetology to real estate, are licensed by the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency (PLA). Log in to MyLicense One with Access Indiana, find your license, and use the Actions menu to Upload Additional Documentation: a short name-change request plus your marriage certificate. A free updated copy prints once it is processed.
Indiana Name Change Tips
Small things that save Hoosier newlyweds time
- Wait a business day after Social Security before the BMV. The BMV verifies against Social Security, and the record needs time to update.
- The license change is in person at a branch (not online or at a kiosk), within 30 days.
- Book a BMV appointment online to skip the line, or walk in (usually under 20 minutes; avoid Mondays and Fridays).
- Making your maiden name your middle name is allowed on the marriage license, no court needed.
Indiana State Taxes
Indiana has a flat state income tax, and Revenue has its own step (it does not just follow Social Security). In INTIME, go to All Actions, then Manage names & addresses, open the Names tab, follow the legal-name-change prompts, and attach your marriage certificate. Do this in addition to your Social Security update, and give your employer an updated WH-4.
Indiana Marriage Certificate Offices by County
Order certified copies from the Clerk of Court that issued your marriage license:
| County | Certified copy fee | Order from |
|---|---|---|
| Allen | About $4 to $5 | Circuit/Superior Clerk |
| Marion | $4 | Clerk of Court |
| Lake | $4 | Clerk-Marriage |
| Hamilton | $4 (extra copies; 2 included with the license) | Clerk of Court |
Which Names Can You Take in Indiana?
Taking your spouse’s last name, hyphenating, or making your maiden name your new middle name are all done right on the marriage license, and the certified marriage license is your legal proof, with no court needed. Changing your first name, or creating a brand-new shared last name, is the exception that requires a court petition.
Changing your name is one of the happiest kinds of paperwork there is. Take it one step at a time, in the order above, and you will be signing your new Indiana name before you know it.