A drivers license name change in New Hampshire must take place promptly after any legal name change occurs. Applicants for an NH name change on drivers license forms must apply in person at their local DMV branch office. This is because drivers will need to furnish certain documents as evidence of the legal name alteration. Likewise, there is a fee to obtain a replacement drivers license with the new name.

Obtaining a change of name on driving license records is easier when motorists change their name first with the Social Security Administration (SSA). Many of the documents that residents need to furnish to the SSA are the same as those needed to change name details on a driver’s record. Learn more about how to change name on drivers license records in New Hampshire by reviewing the sections below.

Instances Where You Must Change Your Name on Your New Hampshire Drivers License

New Hampshire DMV name change requests can occur after several different life-changing events. However, you cannot request a drivers license name change on a whim. You must have a legal document or court decree proving that your name change has been legally established, and your name change must match the name you use on all other legal documents.

Marriage and divorce are the reasons for the majority of applications because one or both spouses usually change their surname after marital unions or dissolutions. Teenagers can also need a change a name on driving license and other legal records following an adoption. Some requests are due to drivers changing their names to reflect religious beliefs or personal preferences, such as shortening a long name or one that is difficult to pronounce.

New Hampshire Drivers License Name Change Time Limits

Changing your name on driving license records must happen within 30 days of the name-changing event. Although the state imposes no direct penalty for failing to obtain your DMV name change within 30 days, you can receive a citation for not having an updated license if a law enforcement officer pulls you over for a traffic violation.

How to Change Your Name With the Social Security Administration

Changing a name on driving license records in NH is easier if you first file your name change with the Social Security Administration. Doing so provides you with an updated Social Security card, which comes in handy for a name change on drivers license cards and other government transactions.

SSA name changes can be obtained through the mail or in person at your local SSA office, free of charge. However, it can be more convenient to conduct business face-to-face instead of waiting for the mail to return your original documents. Bring your state-issued drivers license, photo ID card or valid U.S. passport to verify your identity. The SSA will also need to view one of the following as proof of your legal name change:

• Marriage certificate
• Divorce decree
• Court order approving the name change
• Certificate of Naturalization printed with the new name

It can take a few days for SSA changes to show up in the system, so wait to apply for your NH DMV name change after two or more business days have passed. Within a week or two of your SSA name change, you should receive your new Social Security card in the mail.

Online Drivers License Name Changes

Although NH drivers may renew a drivers license online, DMV name changes are not attainable online. This is due to the rules that require applicants to surrender their current drivers license and provide original documents in person to a DMV agent.

How to Change Your Name on Your Drivers License in Person

Changing name on driving license documents in NH requires applicants to appear in person at their local DMV office. You must complete application to change the record to submit along with your current NH drivers license and legal documentation of your name change. This can be a marriage certificate, decree of divorce or adoption, a name change petition from probate court or another type of court decree that authorizes a legal name change.

Additionally, you cannot obtain a name change on drivers license records until you surrender your current New Hampshire drivers license. The DMV agent will dispose of your old card and issue a replacement license that features your new name, an updated photo and signature.

Although your drivers license name change is immediately registered into the system, you will be given a temporary paper license that is valid for 60 days. Use this document as evidence of your request while you wait for your permanent license to arrive in the mail.

How to Change Your Name on Your Drivers License by Mail

Although most NH DMV name change requests must be obtained in person, members of the U.S. armed forces and their spouses may be eligible to apply for one through the mail while stationed out-of-state. The NH DMV agent can provide individualized advice for your drivers license name change, and may request supporting documents that include an armed forces affidavit for out-of-state residency and a photocopy of your military ID card.

New Hampshire DMV Name Change Fees

A drivers license name change in New Hampshire is currently available at no cost. However, a replacement license fee applies to drivers requesting a replacement due to address changes.

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