Passport Name Change: DS-5504 vs DS-82 vs DS-11
The passport is the only step with three different price tags, and the difference is purely when your current passport was issued. Find your row:
| Passport issued <1 year ago | Form DS-5504 — FREE. Mail the form, your current passport, a certified marriage certificate (or decree), and one new photo. This window is the single best reason not to procrastinate. |
|---|---|
| Issued >1 year ago (normal case) | Form DS-82 — $130, by mail, if you have the undamaged passport and were 16+ when it was issued. It's just a renewal with a name-change document attached. |
| Issued >15 years ago / lost / you were under 16 | Form DS-11 — $130 + $35 execution fee, in person at an acceptance facility (many post offices). |
Honeymoon rule
Fly under the name in your passport. If the trip is soon, book tickets in your maiden name, travel, and start the paperwork when you're back — trying to squeeze a name change between the wedding and the flight is how people end up paying for expedited everything.
What to send
- The right form (all three are free downloads at travel.state.gov — never pay for the PDF)
- Your current passport (it comes back cancelled with the new one)
- A certified marriage certificate or divorce decree — it's returned to you, but it's out of your hands for weeks, which is why every guide on this site says order 3+ copies
- One new passport photo, paper-clipped not stapled
- A check for the fee, if your row has one
Do this after Social Security and your state license — the application asks for your ID, and life is simpler when the ID already matches.
Skip the forms — get them filled in 10 minutes
The NamePacket Packet ($39, one time) asks you the questions once, then generates your completed official forms — SS-5, the right passport form — plus notification letters for your banks and employer, and your state's exact instructions. Built entirely in your browser: your details never touch our servers.
Get the $39 packet →Common questions
Is a passport name change free?
Only if your passport was issued less than 1 year ago — that's Form DS-5504, no fee. Older than a year, it's a standard renewal: DS-82, $130. (Fees change; confirm at travel.state.gov.)
Can I travel with the ticket in my new name and passport in my old name?
No — airlines match the ticket to the passport exactly. Book in whichever name your passport will show on the day you fly. Honeymooners: it is completely fine (and common) to honeymoon under your maiden name and change everything after.
How long does it take?
Routine processing runs several weeks, expedited (extra fee) cuts that roughly in half. Check current times on travel.state.gov before booking anything tight.
Which form am I?
Issued <1 year ago → DS-5504 (free). Issued >1 year ago, you have it, undamaged, and you were 16+ when issued → DS-82 renewal by mail ($130). Issued >15 years ago, lost, or you were under 16 → DS-11 in person ($130 + $35 execution fee).