Legal name not on my Driver's License

[Wondering in California]

Jurisdiction

California

Decades ago when I married (still married to the same man) I kept my legal name, but since I was also driving my husband's car, registered in his name only, I decided to hyphenate my last name on my California Driver's license -- in case I was pulled over for anything, the name on the registration would match the hyphenated name on my driver's license. The hyphenation didn't work so my last name and my husband's last name were merged together. I'd like to have his name removed from my driver's license--the person I spoke with at the DMV (she sounded like she was having a bad day) said it takes a lot of paperwork. I'm hoping someone here could give me some guidance as to what I have to do, what forms I have to fill out, specifically. Thank you!!!!

 

[army judge]

Decades ago when I married (still married to the same man) I kept my legal name, but since I was also driving my husband's car, registered in his name only, I decided to hyphenate my last name on my California Driver's license -- in case I was pulled over for anything, the name on the registration would match the hyphenated name on my driver's license. The hyphenation didn't work so my last name and my husband's last name were merged together. I'd like to have his name removed from my driver's license--the person I spoke with at the DMV (she sounded like she was having a bad day) said it takes a lot of paperwork. I'm hoping someone here could give me some guidance as to what I have to do, what forms I have to fill out, specifically. Thank you!!!!

I suppose DMV wants a divorce decree, or a court order granting you a new name.

Suppose your name was Judy Jones, and you married Frost.

You're probably wanted Judy Jones-Frost, somehow DMV made it become Judy Jonesfrost.

Well, no matter, CA DMV will require you to do this FIRST:
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Change your name with the local Social Security Administration (SSA). DMV electronically verifies your name, birth date and social security number (SSN) with the SSA.
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Then the other details can be found on the links.
Be advised, it is lengthy and complicated.
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It might be easier to get a passport, or change your name on the passport first.
If the passport was never changed, and reads Judy Jones, you might get away with simply using the passport.



This is an lengthier explanation:
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Request Rejected
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Change Your Name with the California DMV | DMV.org

 

[Wondering in California]

Thank you for your quick reply. My legal name, which is my maiden name, IS on my Social Security card--that was never changed nor was it hyphenated or "smoothed" together without a hyphen. My legal name is also on my teaching credentials as well as my insurance policies and medical records. We're certainly not divorcing. I don't have a passport but may get one if they can put my legal (maiden) name on it. This is so frustrating. Thank you again for your help.

 

[Wondering in California]

P.S. My legal (maiden) name is also on all of our tax returns and is not hyphenated or combined with my husbands.

 

[army judge]

P.S. My legal (maiden) name is also on all of our tax returns and is not hyphenated or combined with my husbands.

My wife and I experienced a similar problem when we married.
I took her name, and she took mine.
It got crunched together creating an unrecognizable mess.
We laughed at, left it alone, and enjoy the inquisitive looks when we present our drivers license.

Our passports were created correctly, as were our social security cards.

My retired military ID was correct, and so was her dependent ID card.
My law license, correct.
My other state issued ID, District Court Judge, retired, correct.
Her teaching, and mid-management (principal) credential are correct.
Only the DMV screwed it up on our respective DL.
Our registration/fee payment forms are correct, as are the deeds to our real estate.

We laugh (silently inside) each time we use those darn DLs.

It's good when the man/woman puts one over himself/herself. LOL

My wife says, we know who we are, why should we care about people who'll never know us, because they're performing some bureaucratic ID check.

 

[Wondering in California]

Thank you, Army Judge...that's hilarious! I tried to get my husband to take my last name but that was a no-go, and he wasn't interested in a hyphenated name either-- my guess is that hyphenation would be too many letters for him to spell out all the time!
Enjoy your weekend!

 

[adjusterjack]

When you spoke with the DMV agent who was having a bad day, was that on the phone?

If yes, I strongly suggest that you GO TO the DMV office with whatever documentation that you can muster and say "I want to do this."

Then do whatever "lots of paperwork" you have to do to accomplish what you want to do even if it takes a second trip.

 

[Wondering in California]

Thanks, AdjusterJack for your input. I think I'll try to get a passport first in my legal name, and then take that plus my recent tax returns (my legal name, married filing jointly) and my SS card and see what's what at the DMV.

 

[leslie82]

Decades ago when I married (still married to the same man) I kept my legal name, but since I was also driving my husband's car, registered in his name only, I decided to hyphenate my last name on my California Driver's license -- in case I was pulled over for anything, the name on the registration would match the hyphenated name on my driver's license. The hyphenation didn't work so my last name and my husband's last name were merged together. I'd like to have his name removed from my driver's license--the person I spoke with at the DMV (she sounded like she was having a bad day) said it takes a lot of paperwork. I'm hoping someone here could give me some guidance as to what I have to do, what forms I have to fill out, specifically. Thank you!!!!

So your legal name is your maiden name? You never legally changed your name when you got married - you just put down the two last names on the license?

So you lied on the form about your name? Would that be what it is (someone with more experience).

I think you should talk to someone else at the DMV. Legally your name has never changed.

 

[army judge]

A person's name is legally changeable upon marriage.
It's up to the person whether he or she wishes to avail himself/herself the opportunity to effect said change.

The person isn't time barred from when to make the change, either.

The name can be changed upon a divorce, but relies upon the change being made upon the marriage.
Changing the name after the divorce can be a tad more complicated.

 

[leslie82]

A person's name is legally changeable upon marriage.
It's up to the person whether he or she wishes to avail himself/herself the opportunity to effect said change.

The person isn't time barred from when to make the change, either.

The name can be changed upon a divorce, but relies upon the change being made upon the marriage.
Changing the name after the divorce can be a tad more complicated.

She said she kept her legal name so I'm confused now - is she saying she kept her maiden name? Was she married once before and kept that name? I understand that a person can change a name after marriage and can do it at any time. I changed mine four months after I got married. I haven't changed it back since the divorce even though I can because it's just easier with being in the military. I don't want to go through all the bs again to change stuff. All my lawyer did was ask me "Do you want your maiden name back?" I said "Yes" and in the decree it says I can change it.

It sounds like she didn't put her legal name on the driver's license. It seems like my sister in law hasn't legally changed her name but on Facebook and everywhere else she uses my brother's last name. But legally it's her maiden name still.

 

[cynthiag]

She said she kept her maiden name when she got married, decades ago, so her "legal" name she's talking about is her maiden name.

She said she tried to hyphenate it for the driver's license but it sounds to me like it was the DMV's mistake because they ran the two names together (for instance, "Smith-Jones" somehow became "Smithjones".) If her license said "Sally Smith Jones" or "Sally Smith-Jones" that would be one thing, and perfectly appropriate, but combining the last names ended up making it another name altogether.

Honestly, if I were her I would just go to the DMV and fill out whatever I needed to fill out and get it fixed. If all they need to do is disentangle the "Smith" from the "Jones" and it was an administrative error on their part to begin with, it doesn't seem like too much to ask for them to correct it.

 

[army judge]

Honestly, if I were her I would just go to the DMV and fill out whatever I needed to fill out and get it fixed. If all they need to do is disentangle the "Smith" from the "Jones" and it was an administrative error on their part to begin with, it doesn't seem like too much to ask for them to correct it.

I did the same thing many years ago.
DMV couldn't hyphenate mine because hyphens weren't allowed back then.
So, it was simply concatenated.
I thought it was funny then, and think the same today.
The world has many flavors.