At last…
Kasia April 22nd, 2009
So – just short of 90 days after the wedding, I have finally succeeded in changing my driver’s license.
I tried to go a week or so after the wedding, but was turned away because I hadn’t updated my name with Social Security yet. Then I tried to go on another convenient day, and it turned out it was Presidents’ Day. (Yeah, you know, one of those “holidays” that normal people don’t have off? Only government agents and banks?) Two other times I tried to go but was deterred by the length of the line and the shortness of my time. (Hey, once in a while you do get in and out in a hurry – it didn’t hurt to try.)
Today…well, I waited in line for just shy of an hour (good thing I’d brought a book), but I:
- got my name changed on my license
- ordered one of those fancy-schmancy “enhanced” licenses for quick and easy border crossings (my passport is about to expire, and it’s looking like they might actually stick with their June 2009 date for requiring a passport or similar for land crossing into Canada)
- got my title and registration updated with my new name
Alas, it’s never quite as simple as you think…I just looked more closely at my new registration, and it has my old driver’s license number on it. (D’OH!!) So I’ll call the Secretary of State tomorrow and see if they can fix it and mail me a new one. (It never hurts to ask.)
I really need to make friends with someone who works for the SOS…sigh… :-p
Now, I still need to change my name with the utility companies…and the mortgage companies…and on the title to the condo…and on my library card and my bus pass debit card…and I’ve filled out my new passport application, so I can mail that off in my three-pay May…
Ain’t marriage grand? 
Oooops! Sorry
http://www.industrysearch.com.au/Products/Food_Grade_Plastic _Pails_and_Cans-10200
do you have a new ss # to memorize now?
what about a new dl # to memorize?
Same SS#…DL# changed very slightly (I think one digit). So not too onerous.
The utilities will be a bit of a pain, especially DTE, because they seem to have made it part of their corporate mission to make their customers’ lives more difficult; but really I just need to take an afternoon or a day off and deal with it. I’ll have some comp time coming up because of a weekend event we’re having in May, so I’ll probably deal with it then.
What’s really got me antsy, honestly, is the condo title – we asked about that when we were up at the county seat getting the marriage license copies, and I was told I had to file a “quit claim deed” but that no one at the clerk’s office could tell me how to do it, because it constituted giving legal advice. So that’s the very last item on my list…honestly, it may stay in my name until we sell it… :-p
Oh – and I tried to change my name with my insurance company, but it turned into a giant mess. It went something like this:
“Why are you changing your name?”
“I got married.”
“Congratulations!”
“Thanks!”
“We’ll need to add your husband’s name to the policies…what’s his driver’s license number?”
“Um…ok, but as far as the car insurance goes, he shouldn’t be named, because he’s legally blind and can’t drive.”
“Oh. OK. Well, does he have a state ID?”
“Not yet – he’s actually a Canadian citizen who just moved over here, and we had to get his Social Security number first. The Secretary of State won’t issue a state ID without it.”
[Insert lengthy back-and-forth about IDs, blind husband, immigration processes, etc.)
Finally: “Oh. OK…um, well, if I send this to our head office just to change your name, they’re going to come back with questions like why you’re changing it and why your husband shouldn’t be named, and they’re going to want documentation. So I’m not going to make the change right now, and I’m going to mail you some paperwork to fill out when you’ve got everything straightened out. OK?”
“OK…”
Fast-forward a week and I get the paperwork. Home and auto, with areas highlighted for me to fill in…including, on the auto…husband’s name, driver’s license number, etc.
I said a naughty word or two, threw the paperwork into my “deal with later — MUCH later” spot, and have tried not to think about it since.
What a pain!!! <—the insurance one…
Congrats on finally getting your license changed! I was actually aware of having to change at the soc. sec. office because I asked when I went to renew my tags and change the address on my license a couple months back.
As for the quit claim deed…I have a handy dandy little package that my mom gave me for Christmas that has all that stuff in it. All you need is a notary I believe. I will show you on Saturday! Just help me remember LOL
Now you know why I still have my maiden name…and add in all the same in a second country…yeah, fun!
Almost four years after the wedding, I still haven’t got the cable company to recognize my married name. And communications about the student loans, they come sometimes under my married and sometimes maiden name.
Hmm…. I thought mine was fairly straight-forward, and had everything changed over within 30 days of the wedding. However, there are some lingering issues. For example, this fall, before the election, I received 2 voter’s registration cards: one for my married name, and one for my maiden name. Okay, no big, right? I just voted with my married name. EXCEPT, yesterday, I got a summons to appear for jury duty — IN MY MAIDEN NAME. What to do?