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M
Savvy July 2016

Latino last name issue.. Florida brides, please help!

Mariana, on September 7, 2016 at 11:47 AM

Posted in Etiquette and Advice 112

Hi community.. I'm going through a nightmare with my name change here in FL. My husband is Puerto Rican where it is standard to be given both your mother and father's family name. When I showed my certificate to the SSA, they had no issue in me taking only his father's last name (which is the name...

Hi community.. I'm going through a nightmare with my name change here in FL. My husband is Puerto Rican where it is standard to be given both your mother and father's family name.

When I showed my certificate to the SSA, they had no issue in me taking only his father's last name (which is the name he mainly uses anyway.. But for all legal purposes he does have two separate last names, no hyphenation or anything). My trouble starts when I go to change my license.. They say they will not accept this change. The DMV says I must take both his last names rather than just his father's.

I'm being told I'll have to wait at the SSA and file to once again change my name to both last names rather than one so it can match my ID and social. I do not agree with this at all. I don't want both last names! It's customary here to use only one last name, why am I being forced to have two as well if SSA is fine with me only taking one of his?

Has any other bride experienced something similar?

112 Comments

  • E
    Super October 2017
    Emily ·
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    Honestly I'm in agreement of just going to a different DMV, not mentioning it and trying again. This "law" doesn't make any sense because what if you didn't take his name? You could still get a license with your name as it is? It isn't law that you have to have the same last name as your husband...



    aaaaand this is what you get when you don't read everything first. I'm glad this worked and you got it sorted out!

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  • M
    Dedicated November 2018
    mimi ·
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    If most [or all?] of your husbands legal I.D.s have both last names, then I can see why the DMV is having issues. It would be similar to marrying a Mac Gregor but telling the DMV you wanted to go by Mrs. Gregor-their computer system isn't set up for it, and it's like you're trying to create a new legal name change for yourself that isn't based on marriage and hasn't gone through a court. I can see why it's frustrating, but I can see their side too. All state DMV's are very different btw, so peoples experiences from different states might be very different from yours.

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  • Alexandra
    Just Said Yes November 2017
    Alexandra ·
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    So can anyone post the DMVs where they were successful, please? I do not need to read anymore responses about about sympathizers with the state! Thanks but no thanks!
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  • R
    Just Said Yes December 2017
    Renata ·
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    I had this issue yesterday at the Lee Vista office in Orlando and wanted to cry, haha. After trying to find a law online and coming across this discussion, I tried the East Orlando office today and had no issues with making the change!!! I don't know if it's an issue per office exactly, I think it is just going to depend on the person helping you - the first woman was not mean or unhelpful in anyway and she was Latino herself, which might have been the problem because she was too familiar with the 2 last names issue.
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  • R
    Just Said Yes December 2017
    Renata ·
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    *she was Latina
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  • M
    Savvy July 2016
    Mariana ·
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    I still think the issue is absurd. Thankfully, I was helped in the downtown Orlando office without a single issue but the one on Colonial Dr near S John Young, gave me an awful experience.
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  • J
    Just Said Yes March 2019
    Jessica ·
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    I had this same exact issue today. I almost left the DMV crying. I had no issue at SS taking only his first last name, them they told me I have to use both, anddddd go back to social security and get that fixed. I don’t understand!!
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  • J
    Just Said Yes March 2019
    Jessica ·
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    Where was this? They also
    suggested to me to have him remove his second last name. I was like seriously?!
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  • M
    Savvy July 2016
    Mariana ·
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    Jessica, I’m so sorry you’re going through this too.. I also wanted to cry! I was immensely frustrated that they wouldn’t allow me to name myself the way I wanted to. This isn’t like you’re making up an entirely brand new name, you just don’t want to use two totally separate last names at the same time.

    My best luck was just trying different DMVs and hoping for the best. I want to know what law this is because it is obviously not consistent based on the multiple experiences from the ladies commenting on this post.
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  • A
    Just Said Yes January 2018
    Ashleigh ·
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    It was the DMV in South Clermont, Fl. I went to that one, one in Davenport, one in Osceola. The one that had no issues and didn’t ask any question was the one in Lake Wales. I walked in and out with no questions, no mention of having to use both names, nada. It was so odd.

    So you literally just have to keep trying several DMVs. I did more research and as you can tell from this article it is a common issue. However, the DMV cannot fell you which name to take - what if i had wanted to keep my maiden name and hyphen one is his married names?
    As long as social security allowed it I would keep trying. Best advice, keep trying different DMVs and just walk in and take a number - don’t discuss that you’ve had issues elsewhere, nada. Just take a number, give them your paperwork and you should be good to go as long as you get the right person.
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  • MrsV1027
    Master October 2018
    MrsV1027 ·
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    When I got married DH had 2 last names as well. I did not want to take his dad's portion of his last name since his dad hasn't been a part of his life for more than 20 years. I was told that I had to do the name change through the court the long way or take both names. I submitted my paperwork and they put the change notice in the paper and I had a court hearing to finalize it 30 days later. DH actually opted to also remove his dad's portion when I changed my name since he never used it and has no fond memories of his dad. So you may have to do this.

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  • Jessica
    Devoted December 2018
    Jessica ·
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    Oh god. I'm about to do this! I would never have imagined that this would be an issue.

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  • K
    Just Said Yes November 2018
    Kelly ·
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    I’m also about to do this and now I’m terrified. I just got my new SS card with no issue. I am panicking now over going to the dmv.
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  • J
    Just Said Yes March 2019
    Jessica ·
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    They did the same thing to me. It’s because both last names are on the marriage license, so to them, you take all or none. Which as we know, isn’t how it’s supposed to work. After arguing with them and almost crying, I was able to convince them to just do the first last name.
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  • M
    Savvy July 2016
    Mariana ·
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    Jessica, Kelly.. best of luck! I hope you’re not met with the same hassles. There are obviously ways around it but it’s not fun, It’s senseless. Other Jessica, I’m sorry you had to get to that point of nearly crying but so glad they gave you your name as SS accepted it. I’m still in shock how often this must happen.. I made this post like 2 years ago and obviously many of you are going through the same thing Smiley sad
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  • Maria
    Just Said Yes March 2020
    Maria ·
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    I’m getting married by court, and I was wondering if I have to keep both of my fiancé’s last name or can I just keep his second last name?
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  • Jessica
    Devoted December 2018
    Jessica ·
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    We are getting our marriage license on Monday (super late I know) and I'm going to ask at the Clerk's office if there is any way that we can avoid this whole fiasco. I'll keep you guys posted!

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  • J
    Just Said Yes March 2019
    Jessica ·
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    Good luck!
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  • K
    Just Said Yes November 2018
    Kelly ·
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    Hey ladies. I just got back from the DMV and had no issues at all! The lady I was working with did verify with the guy next to her and he said ‘Yes, she can have whatever name is on her new social’. It was a breeze so there is hope! I went to the South Daytona location. Good luck everyone!
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  • Jessica
    Devoted December 2018
    Jessica ·
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    So not very helpful information. I talked to the lady at the clerk of courts office today when we went get our marriage license. She said that she has never heard of that being an issue, and the same thing that everyone else has been saying....the DMV shouldn't be able to regulate your name if the SSO approves it. The only suggestion she gave is that maybe I should want a day or two between going to the SSO and the DMV since it takes the SSO's system a full 24 hours to update. I'll know more in a few weeks when I go through the name change process!

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