If you’re an adult living in the U.S., you likely have at least one credit card. These tools’ ubiquity has made them essential in building healthy credit. In most cases, after the credit card is acquired there is little in the way of upkeep beyond making regular payments and monitoring for fraud. Paying associated fees and redeeming rewards aside, once a card is in your name you generally do not have to do much beyond paying it off in order to keep using it for purchases.
Things become slightly more complicated if you need to change your name on a credit card. It’s certainly doable, but the process can be more complicated and tedious than you might think—especially if you own multiple different cards. This article will walk you through exactly what’s required to change the name on a credit card and what pitfalls to avoid in the process.
Why You Might Need a Name Change
What’s in a name? That which we call a rose—just kidding, we won’t make you read this whole article in iambic pentameter. There are numerous reasons a person might need to change a name on an existing credit card. The most common reasons people do so are when changing names after marriage or divorce.
But many other reasons exist for changing a name too—for example, if you’d prefer to be addressed as “Princess Consuela Bananahammock” or you’re named “Ryan.” Whatever your reason for the change, your new name will impact your ability to legally use your credit cards.
Steps to Get a Name Change
Before you can change your name on your credit cards, you must ensure your name is legally changed on your social security card and driver’s license. This will more than likely necessitate a trip to the DMV and a hefty stack of thrilling paperwork and forms. It should be straight forward enough—if exceptionally boring.
Try to avoid services claiming to speed up the process for you. These businesses charge a fee and still require you to do much of the work you’d be doing if you went to the DMV directly—not likely worth your money. Also, be sure to verify your new name is written correctly before you leave. If you are mailed an incorrect driver’s license, you will have to repeat this entire process again. Nothing against the great folks at the DMV, but we understand a visit isn’t most people’s idea of a good time.
Once the name change is officially complete and your new license is in hand, the next step is to contact your credit provider. There isn’t a codified system for getting a name change among credit card issuers and each company has slightly different steps required to make it happen.
Some may simply approve the name change online or over the phone while others may require this to be done in person. In general, once notified of the desired change, your provider will ask for proof of identity—this is why it’s important to make sure your documentation is current and correct. The card issuer may accept digital scans of your documents, but be ready for them to require in-person verification if necessary. After this verification is complete, the issuer should send out an updated card in short order.
Lastly you’ll want to update any accounts using your credit card. Airline miles and hotel rewards are a prime example, but it could be anything that requires a credit card—your Netflix, Hulu or Amazon account, for example.
How Long Will a Name Change Take to Update?
The amount of time required to update the name on a card will vary depending on the issuer, and what steps are required. It could take as few as ten minutes if the change can be done online or it could take an hour to wade through phone menus and repeatedly be placed on hold. Regardless, the process shouldn’t take longer than an hour or two.
If you have multiple accounts requiring a name change, the time required compounds. It may take a few days before your new card arrives, as well.
Does Changing My Name Affect My Credit?
Simply put, no. A name change has no bearing on your credit score. The accounts in your name and any scores associated with them remain the same—the only update is to the name on the account.
Additionally, you do not have to do anything to update your information on your credit report—it should update automatically. Give it a few weeks and if you still don’t see the change it might be a good idea to contact your credit provider or the bureau directly.
Bottom Line
The process of getting a name changed on a credit card can be tedious, but it doesn’t have to be difficult. As long as all your documents are in order it can be completed fairly easily. The more patient and prepared you can be, the better.
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