Changing your name after marriage

No, you don't need to petition the court! A marriage certificate is all you need, go to your local SS office and bring your certificate and DL, and bringing your birth certificate would be smart just in case! After that, you take your new SS card to the DMV (along with marriage certificate, birth certificate, and current DL/ID, and get your new DL/ID. Once those are both done you can start changing it everywhere else, banks, work, etc.

When FH and I got our marriage license, the clerk told me I would be able to change my name at the SSA. All I would have to do is bring our signed marriage certificate. I think that's standard for most states!

Agreed. Just did this. Took the marriage certificate to the SS office. Then off to the DMV a few days later with that info and the marriage certificate. All set. Now to change everything else... banking accounts, credit cards, bills, etc. All good.

This varies by state. In North Carolina, you do not put your new married name on your marriage license. You put the name you are entering the marriage in under. After 10 days, I was able to go to my local Register of Deeds office and get a certified copy of my marriage license. I took that to my SSA office and changed my name. Within 1 week I had my new SS card. I went a couple of days later to the DMV and changed it on my license.

Depends on the state. I live in PA.

I changed my SSN first - no cost, just go to the office w/ an official wedding certificate (raised seal) & the completed form (it's available online, but they also have it in the office - when filing out the form, I didn't need my parents SSN) and they will change it. You will receive it in the mail. Mine came super fast (I filed on a Thursday & received it on Monday).

In PA you don't need your Social Security card to change your standard license, only your marriage license. However you do need the social security card if you want your new license to be a "Real ID". This is what I did.