Marriage

[Dusty Bin]

After marriage, once the bride has agreed to take her husband's surname, is she legally required to change any documents/bank details/doctor's records into her new surname and if so is there a time limit in which the alterations would have to be made?

[Ethel]

Firstly, a woman does not have to take her husband's name and can keep her own name.

But if she does intend to use his name, she should inform all relevant authorities, agencies and so on as soon as is practicable.

Here is some good advice, with a sample letter:

http://tinyurl.com/2belze

[JRB]

Dusty Bin has given you all the necessary information so I am just adding a cautionary tale. A friend of mine who had decided to keep her maiden name after marriage was travelling with her new husband by a well-known airline to a popular holiday destination. They were latish arriving at the airport and were allocated seats at opposite ends of the full plane. She was informed that had her passport been in her married name, and therefore her airline booking too, the airline would have done its best to put them together but as the names were different they didn't bother and now it was too late. She eventually did what I had done - changed all formal documentation to her married name and (informally) kept her maiden name for use at work.

[Dusty Bin]

Thank you, Ethel.

The link you provided was pretty comprehensive.

What is still unclear to me, however, is the issue of if there is a maximum time period by which time all relevant parties need to be notified. Can you clarify, please?

[Ethel]

There is no maximum time, per se, but it should be as soon as is practicable.

Within 3 months for the government agencies such as passport office, tax office and so on - and important to you organisations such as your banks and buildings societies and doctor.

And six months for everyone else.

Really though this boring stuff is best done all at once, and get it out of the way.

I can see no good reason for delaying.

Obviously if the newly marrieds are having a six month honeymoon in remote parts of the world, it is going to be later.

[Nether Edge]

The main thing is consistency. Use one version, stick to it, and unify all documents' references: the sooner, the better.

PS: practice is/was different in Scotland, I believe, where some/many/most (?) women don't/didn't use to change surname on marriage.

[Dusty Bin]

If a woman married last June still hasn't changed her bank details, utility services records etc., could these companies/organisations penalise her in any manner?

[samuel23]

Only if the intent was to commit fraud ~ e.g. if you applied for a loan, credit card, mortgage etc in your original name and then did a runner or denied that this person was you.