Delaware Address & Name Change

By Javier Marín, Editor·Last reviewed September 2026·How we check this

Delaware law requires drivers to update their address with the Delaware DMV within 30 days of moving, and to update the name on their license and registration after any legal name change. Both transactions run through any of Delaware's four DMV offices in Wilmington, New Castle, Dover, or Georgetown — or through the MyDMV portal for eligible address changes. The vehicle title and registration update separately at the DMV motor vehicle counter.

Address change on a Delaware driver's license

If you move within Delaware — even within the same county — you have 30 days to update the address on your Delaware driver's license. The procedure:

Most address changes can be filed through the MyDMV portal at the Delaware DMV website if your current license is REAL ID-compliant.
If you need an in-person update, visit any Delaware DMV office. Bring your current driver's license and two proofs of new Delaware residency dated within 60 days (utility bill, bank statement, lease, mortgage statement).
Complete the address-change request and pay the address-change fee (typically $5-$10).
Receive a sticker for your existing card (online updates) or a fresh card with the updated address (in-person updates), depending on the DMV's current practice.

An out-of-state move — leaving Delaware — does not require a Delaware address update; instead, surrender the Delaware license to your new state's DMV when you obtain that state's license. The Delaware license is canceled automatically upon notification.

Address change on Delaware vehicle registration and title

Vehicle registration and title address updates are handled by the Delaware DMV, separately from the driver's license update. Most updates can be filed online through MyDMV, by mail, or in person:

Provide your current registration card showing the registration number and VIN.
Provide a proof of new Delaware residency dated within 60 days.
Complete the address-change request form and pay the fee (typically $0-$5).
Receive an updated registration card by mail in 5-10 business days; the title is updated administratively without issuing a new card.

Name change after marriage or divorce

To change the name on your Delaware driver's license after a legal name change, you'll have to visit any Delaware DMV office in person — name changes cannot be handled online. Bring:

Your current Delaware driver's license.
Certified copy of the marriage certificate, divorce decree restoring a prior name, or court order showing the name change.
Your Social Security card showing the new name (update the SSA before visiting the DMV) — Delaware cross-checks the name with the federal database.
Two proofs of Delaware residency dated within 60 days.
Completed DLA-100 with the new name.
Payment of the duplicate license fee.

The DMV issues a new license with the new name; the previous card is voided. The new license keeps your existing license number and expiration date.

Name change on vehicle registration and title

The new name on the registration and title has to match your driver's license. After the license is updated, return to the DMV motor vehicle counter (or the same counter at offices that combine services) with:

The new license showing the updated name.
The current title and registration card.
The legal documentation supporting the name change (marriage certificate, divorce decree, court order).
An updated MV-212 in the new name and the title-correction fee.

The DMV issues a fresh title in the new name. There is no Document Fee on a name-change title — it's treated as an administrative correction, not a sale. See Delaware title transfer for the standard buyer-seller procedure if a separate transfer is also needed.

Updating insurance and the SSA

After the license and registration are updated, notify your auto insurer with the new name and address — Delaware insurers cross-reference the rated address against the registration. Update the Social Security Administration before the DMV visit so the federal name matches; bring your updated Social Security card to the DMV counter. Voter registration, employer payroll, and federal tax records are separate updates that don't run through the Delaware DMV. See Delaware license renewal for how the address and name on file affect your next renewal.