About Changing Your Name on Your Illinois Registration

You must change the name on a car registration in Illinois as soon as possible after you legally change your name due to marriage, divorce, a court order or any other reason.

Under Illinois law, you must change car registration information within a certain number of days after legally changing your name, and you must purchase a duplicate vehicle registration and license displaying your new name.

Before changing the name on car registration credentials, you must notify the Social Security Administration (SSA) of your new legal name and apply for a corrected Social Security card at no charge.

After changing your name with the SSA, you must update your Illinois driver records and purchase a replacement driver’s license or ID card that displays your new legal name. If you own a motor vehicle, you must also update the name on the certificate of title.

To learn more about these DMV name change requirements and to explore the steps you must take to change the name on your registration ID card, review the information below.

Your Illinois Name Change Checklist

Before you can change your name on car registration credentials, you must complete several other steps. First, you must change your name with the SSA and obtain a corrected Social Security card.

To update your information with the SSA, you must complete a new Social Security card application and submit it to the SSA along with certified proof of your name change. Depending on the nature of your request, certified proof may include a copy of a marriage or divorce certificate.

For more information about performing this crucial step, download our registration guide.

Once you change your name with the SSA, wait two to three business days for the update to be processed. Then, visit a local Secretary of State (SOS) facility to update the information on your driver’s license and vehicle registration credentials.

When applying for a name change on car registration and driver’s license credentials, you must pay a fee to obtain replacement ID cards and licenses.

Note: The SOS will check your new name against SSA records, so if you do not wait for your SSA records to be updated before you begin the process of requesting a car registration name change, the SOS may reject your application.

Applying for an SOS Name Change in Illinois

To change the name on your vehicle registration and driver’s license credentials, you must visit a local SOS facility to submit your request in person. After legally changing your name, you cannot electronically update your on your driver’s license, registration card or certificate of title.

Before heading to your local SOS facility, it is important to gather any application materials that you may need to submit your request. For instance, you may need your Illinois driver’s license, your registered vehicle’s original certificate of title and certified proof of your name change.

Additionally, you must provide an acceptable form of payment to cover the cost of replacing your driver and vehicle registration credentials.

Changing Illinois Car Registration Information During Your Renewal Period

If you wish to change your car registration name when you request a vehicle registration renewal, you must first update the information on your title and apply for a corrected certificate of title. After updating your vehicle’s title record, you may renew your registration credentials by mail or in person at a local SOS office.

In Person

To apply for an IL SOS change of name when you renew your vehicle’s license plates, you must visit a local Secretary of State office to submit your registration renewal notice and payment for the annual fee.

By Mail

To renew your registration credentials and update the name on your vehicle records, you may choose to apply by mail. To do so, you must mail your renewal notice and corrected certificate of title to the SOS.

Get information about changing your name on your car registration by downloading our free registration guide.