If your current legal name is different from the name that appears on your civil birth certificate then you must show legal proof of the name change. Legal proof includes a certified marriage or civil union certificate, a divorce decree or a court order linking the new name with the previous name. A divorce decree may be used as authority to resume using a previous name only if it contains the new name and the previous name, and permits the individual to once again use the previous name.
A name change can be processed at any on a walk-in basis. Bring all the required documentation in order to complete this transaction, as well as your .
All documents must be original or certified copies and have the required municipal and/or State seals. To obtain certified copies of New Jersey records, you should contact the municipality that originally issued the document and/or contact the State Office of Vital Statistics and Registry by visiting www.nj.gov/health/vital or by calling (609) 292-4087. If your birth certificate was issued by Jersey City or Hudson County, and you were born before 1965, you must visit or call (609) 292-4087.
If the required documents for a name change are not in English, they must be accompanied by a translation from an approved translator or translation service. This list of approved translators may be viewed at:
Certain documents may require proof of legal U.S. presence. To obtain a list of those documents, visit www.njmvc.gov or call the MVC’s Customer Support Line at (609) 292-6500 weekdays (except holidays) from 8:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.