Name change question for Texas DPS (Houston, Spring: 2014, legal, drivers license)

[Thila]

Hello,

I just recently married in Harris County and have received the marriage license back in the mail. I was planning on going to one of the DPS offices in Houston in the next few weeks and having my name changed on my license. I would like to have it changed to my first name, my maiden name, then my married name with no hyphen (for example, Jane Smith Doe). Is this allowed? I have looked all over the internet and on the DPS website and have not found the answer. Thank you in advance.

[need4speed2012]

Your driver's license must show your full and current name for purposes of identification.

A married woman may continue to use her maiden name after marriage or she may adopt the surname of her husband or of a previous husband.

If she adopts her husband's surname, she may use her maiden name as her middle name if she wishes.

[FalconheadWest]

You must first go to the social security office and legally change your name. Then you can change your drivers license.

[TXsurburbanmom]

That's exactly how my name is so yes you can do that but you must change your SS info first.

[Thila]

Thanks everyone. Glad I asked instead of waiting in a long DPS line. I will try the SS office first.

[biscuitmom]

Originally Posted by FalconheadWest

You must first go to the social security office and legally change your name. Then you can change your drivers license.

Not so. My name is different on my SS and DL, has been so for 35+ years now with no problems. I use my maiden name on SS and my husband's surname on my DL.

Originally Posted by need4speed2012

If she adopts her husband's surname, she may use her maiden name as her middle name if she wishes.

Yes, this is what I use for my DL but I have retained my maiden name on SS.

[Aggiebuttercup]

You don't need your SS card to change your driver's license.

I brought my marriage license with me, and they let me fill out the form. So my name is First (Middle + Maiden) Last

I did change my name with social security to be the same thing, later.

[Thila]

If anyone happens to read this thread, do NOT go to the Texas DPS first!

You MUST go to the social security office FIRST and change your name THEN you can go to the DPS. I was just turned away at the DPS Mega Center in Spring and was told that they were unable to help me because I had not talked to social security first. What a pain!

On the plus side, I will give kudos to the DPS Mega Center. I only had to wait NINE minutes to talk to someone. They were also quite friendly. Then again, I went on a Wednesday around 10:00 am. There were very few people in line.

[curbur]

I'm kinda surprised no one brought this story up:

Woman denied Texas driver's license because of same-sex marriage

[HookTheBrotherUp]

Originally Posted by Thila

If anyone happens to read this thread, do NOT go to the Texas DPS first!

You MUST go to the social security office FIRST and change your name THEN you can go to the DPS. I was just turned away at the DPS Mega Center in Spring and was told that they were unable to help me because I had not talked to social security first. What a pain!

On the plus side, I will give kudos to the DPS Mega Center. I only had to wait NINE minutes to talk to someone. They were also quite friendly. Then again, I went on a Wednesday around 10:00 am. There were very few people in line.

^^^ True. About two, or three years ago, DPS changed their policy. It used to be that you could actually go in to get a new DL, or ID and use aliases, for example, like Danny, or Daniel, so long as your other information was the same. I had to do this to fulfill a requirement when I was getting a foreign passport (dual passport), the consulate required me to provide an ID with what my birth certificate said, so I simply walked into the DPS office, changed it, and then later presented the "new" DL to the consulate.

A year later, I wanted my DL to revert back to what it was all my life, my SS, my US passport, etc. and all legal documents had my regular name, but the DPS office would not change it back, even though I even presented the old DL. DPS said I had to get it changed at the SS office. I did not bother with it then because I did not have my SS card on me. But I just need to find the time to visit the office again because my SS card already has my "regular" name. The DPS office also said one could get a court order, or some sort of document signed by the courts.