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How to Change Your Name After Marriage in Montana

Changing My Name After Marriage in Montana

In Montana, newlyweds typically exemplify their commitment to each other by adopting a uniform surname. Identical surnames are a reflection of the couple’s new identity. However, they are relevant for other legal, cultural, and personal reasons.

While name changes are not compulsory for new couples, they are not automatic. Newlyweds who are interested in changing their names must do so by following a series of administrative processes. In most cases, they will be required to complete and submit an application alongside relevant documents such as a marriage license or certificate. Before a name change is deemed legal and recognizable, the applicant must undergo the name change process in several state and government agencies.

Interested and eligible persons may query local repositories or courthouses for copies of their Montana marriage records. These records are especially relevant for facilitating the name change process as well as validating their claims to other legal rights conferred by their new marital status.

How to Change Your Name After Marriage in Montana

Montana state law allows eligible persons to revise their name, provided the intent is not to avoid debt or hide a criminal record. Both state and municipal courts provide a form with which the requestor can make their name change petition and provide all the relevant information required to facilitate the revision. The forms include

  • The Petition for name change form
  • Order setting hearing form
  • Notice of hearing on the name change form
  • Order for name change form
  • Affidavit of Inability to pay (where the requestor cannot afford to pay the associated fees)

How to Update Your Social Security Card in Montana

Like most U.S states, Montana state law requires persons whose names have been changed or revised to obtain a new social security card bearing their updated information. The Social Security Administration is tasked with processing Social Security Card requests. Hence, Montana state residents may obtain information regarding the social security card update process in Montana from local SSA offices within the state’s jurisdiction.

Persons seeking to change or update the name on their social security card after marriage may do so by downloading and completing the administration’s Social Security Card Application (SS-5). Requestors must complete the application and submit it along with a few supporting documents. U.S citizens will be required to submit their U.S driver’s license and a certified copy of their marriage certificate. However, non-U.S. citizens may be required to submit evidence of their U.S. citizenship such as a U.S passport and a certificate of citizenship or naturalization. Completed applications may be delivered to the SSA in person, online, or via mail.

How to Get a New Driver’s License in Montana

Montana resident newlyweds who have opted for a name change are required to update their driver’s license information or get a new driver’s license. In Montana, driver license name changes are processed at the state’s driver license stations. The requesting party is required to acquire and complete an application and submit the form along with the prescribed name change documentation, their full name prior to marriage, and their new full name. The supporting documents for requesting a new drivers license in Montana include:

  • A certified copy of a marriage certificate
  • A court order granting the name change
  • A declaration of marriage
  • Proof of citizenship documentation (such as an international passport, the N-550 or N-570)

Requestors are typically required to pay a nominal fee for their application to be processed. However, applicants are also at liberty to apply for a replacement driver’s license in the legally changed name.

How to Update Your Insurance Information in Montana

In Montana, interested and eligible newlyweds are advised to update their insurance information after their marriage. The requirements and processes for making these updates are typically unique to the insurance provider, and the nature of the coverage the individual was subscribed to initially.

Requestors are advised to query their insurance providers for information pertaining to the update process and family-suited coverage options. However, there are a few general requirements for updating insurance information across the board. They include:

  • A certified copy of a marriage license or certificate.
  • Any updates to the full name of the requesting party
  • The new beneficiary of the insurance given their new marital status
  • A court order supporting any name changes
  • Any updates to the coverage plan

Where Do I Go to Change My Last Name in Montana?

In Montana, name changes are primarily processed by the Clerk of District Courts in various counties across the state. Requestors are required to petition for the name change using the Adult Name Change Petition form provided by the office of the district court clerk in their jurisdiction.

After submitting the petition, the requesting party will be provided a date for the order setting hearing where the petitioner will be notified of the hearing date. The applicant will also be required to publish a notice of the name change hearing in newspapers to inform the public of said name change. At the hearing, the judge may opt to decline the name change request or approve the petition, consequently completing an order of name change which will validate name changes to the requestor’s birth records and other identifying documents.

The petitioner will be required to pay a nominal fee to process their request. Where unable to meet the financial obligations, the requestor may complete an Affidavit of Inability to Pay, requesting the court to waive the filing fees.

Interested and eligible persons may obtain further information on the name change process from Title 27, Chapter 31 of the Montana Code Annotated (M.C.A) or the state law library.

What Documents Do I Need to Change My Name After Marriage?

In Montana, a variety of supporting documents are required to process a name change request in various establishments across the state. These documents may vary depending on the requestor, the institution processing the name change request, and the constitution of the judicial district where the requestors are resident. Generally, however, there are a few universal requirements for the name change process. They include;

  • A certified copy of the marriage certificate
  • Social Security Card information
  • Identifying documents such as a driver’s license, passports
  • Documents that prove the citizenship of the requestor (where they are not U.S citizens)

How to Get Certified Copies of Your Marriage License in Montana?

In Montana, marriage licences are issued in the county recorders office of each municipality. Copies of these licenses may be accessed by eligible persons upon request. The requesting party may be required to provide the personal information of the parties named on the license as well as relevant information for tracking down said license. Similarly, the Montana Department of Publice Health operates a Vital Records Division which serves as a repository for vital record information in the state. Requestors may also direct their queries regarding marriage-related records to the department.

How to Change Your Name After Marriage

A reliable alternative for obtaining vital records are third party websites. These are non-governmental aggregate sites that process record requests in a seamless, timely manner. While obtaining records from third-party sources is substantially easier than sourcing them from government-run repositories, the records and information contained in these sites may vary since they are privately-owned and independent of government sources.

How to Get a New Passport in Montana

Montana state residents may request a new passport after completing their marital rites and changing/revising their name to reflect their new status. The state runs a variety of intermediary institutions which serve as passport offices and receive petitions on behalf of the U.S. Department of State.

To request a new passport in Montana, interested and eligible persons will be required to download and complete the passport application form. The form may detail the reason for the requested change as well as the personal information of the requesting party. Completed applications must be enclosed in a stamped, self-addressed envelope and accompanied by identifying documents, a marriage certificate or court order and a document that provides proof of citizenship. Requests can be submitted at any passport office in Montana.

How to Change Your Name on Bank Accounts in Montana

The process for requesting a name change generally varies depending on institution. In Montana, this is no different when processing a name change for bank accounts. Consequent to the unique requirements of most institutions, those interested in changing the name on their bank account must contact the bank for information regarding the name change process of their institutions. Nonetheless, requestors can expect to be asked to provide proof of the name change such as a marriage certificate or court order authorizing the change. Generally, institutional criteria and approaches differ when it comes to processing name change requests. However, one application may afford the requestor the opportunity to update all their financial information, provided it is within the same establishment.

Haven updated the information on their bank account requestors are advised to update their tax information to ensure that their name is uniform across board. To request a tax information update, requestors will be required to download and complete a Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification Form or W-9. Name change requests for tax information are typically processed within 5-7 days of submitting the request

How Long Does It Take to Change Your Name in Montana After Marriage?

While newlyweds are free to assume their new name as soon as they receive a court order authorizing their name change, name changes aren’t effected instantly. It typically takes some weeks to several months for a new name to be reflected across all federal and state databases. Hence, requestors are advised to employ the services of a legal practitioner to facilitate the name change process in Montana.