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Restoring your name after a Florida divorce

How to request a former name in the petition, what the final judgment must say, and the post-divorce administrative steps.

Florida divorce guide

Quick answer

A spouse may request restoration of a former name in the Florida divorce petition. The court routinely grants the request, and the Final Judgment of Dissolution of Marriage formally restores the name. After the judgment is entered, the spouse updates Social Security, the Florida DMV, passport, and financial accounts using a certified copy of the final judgment.

  • Request restoration in the petition
  • Final judgment is the legal authority
  • Update SSA first, then DMV
  • No separate name-change case required

Asking for the name change in the petition

The cleanest way to restore a former name is to include the request directly in the Petition for Dissolution of Marriage. The petitioner identifies the exact former name to be restored, and the responding spouse acknowledges the request in the answer or marital settlement agreement. The court then incorporates the restoration into the Final Judgment of Dissolution of Marriage at no additional cost.

If the divorce is already final

If the original petition did not request restoration, Florida law allows a former spouse to file a separate Petition for Change of Name (Adult). This is a separate case with its own filing fee and procedural requirements and is not part of the divorce file.

Updating government records

Order at least two certified copies of the Final Judgment of Dissolution of Marriage from the Florida clerk. The certified copy is the document agencies require.

  • Social Security Administration — update first; other agencies pull from SSA records
  • Florida DMV — driver's license and vehicle registration
  • U.S. Passport — Form DS-82 (renewal) or DS-5504 (correction) depending on age of passport
  • Employer payroll and tax withholding
  • Banks, brokerages, retirement plans, insurance
  • Voter registration and the U.S. Postal Service

Frequently asked questions

Can a spouse refuse the name restoration?
No. Restoration of a former name is a request the petitioner makes on their own behalf and the court routinely grants. The other spouse cannot block it.
Can I take a brand-new name (not my former one) in the divorce?
Florida divorce judgments are limited to restoring a previously used name. Adopting a new name requires a separate Petition for Change of Name (Adult).
How long do I have to use the divorce judgment to update my name?
Florida does not impose a deadline. The certified final judgment remains valid proof of the name restoration indefinitely.

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Florida residents only. Information, not legal advice.

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