New York Address & Name Change

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

New York drivers must report an address change to the DMV within 10 days of moving. The same rule applies after a marriage, divorce, or court-ordered name change. The address change is free and online; a name change requires either a new license at the next renewal or a duplicate card now.

Address change — the 10-day rule

Vehicle and Traffic Law §505(5) requires that every New York licensee notify the DMV within 10 days of changing address — whether the move is across the street or across the country. The notification covers both the driver license and every vehicle registered in the licensee's name. Missing the deadline does not by itself produce a fine, but the driver loses the legal protection of the notice provision: court mailings, registration renewals, and DMV correspondence go to the old address, and the driver is responsible for missed deadlines as if the mail had been delivered.

Updating online

The simplest channel is the MyDMV portal at dmv.ny.gov. Log in with your driver-license number and ZIP code, choose Change of Address, and enter the new address for both the license and any vehicles. Confirmation is immediate. The new address shows on your driver record within hours and on every future DMV mailing. The change is free; no new license card is issued unless you specifically request one.

Updating by mail

If you prefer mail, complete form MV-232 (Address Change) and send it to the DMV's Office of Customer Services. The form covers the license and up to 10 registrations on a single sheet. Mail-in turnaround is two weeks. There is no fee unless you also request a new license card with the updated address (currently $12.50).

Why a license card is not automatic

Address changes do not automatically reissue the license card. The card you carry continues to show the old address until you renew or proactively request a duplicate. New York permits a current license with an old address to be used as ID at the airport (TSA only verifies the photo and expiration date), but for any state, federal, or financial transaction that requires a current address, you may want to request a duplicate. The duplicate fee is $17.50 and the card arrives in 7-10 days.

Name change — documents required

To change your name on a New York driver license, bring one of these certified documents to a state DMV office:

A certified marriage certificate showing both the prior and new name.
A certified divorce decree restoring the prior name.
A court order granting a name change (Civil Court, Family Court, or Surrogate's Court).
An updated U.S. passport showing the new name (acceptable as the primary identity document).

Bring the current driver license, a completed MV-44, and the new-name document. Pay the duplicate-license fee of $17.50, and the new card arrives within two weeks. The Social Security Administration must be notified before the DMV will accept the change — the DMV checks the SSN database in real time at the counter.

Updating registrations after a name change

The vehicle registration must also be updated to match the new license. Bring the same name-change document plus the current registration to the DMV office; the registration is reissued under the new name for $3. The vehicle title is updated separately by submitting form MV-902 with a $20 fee — details on the title replacement page.

Address change for a suspended license

The 10-day notification rule still applies to drivers whose license is currently suspended or revoked. Reporting a new address does not lift the suspension and does not interfere with reinstatement — it just keeps the DMV record accurate. Drivers serving an out-of-state suspension on a New York license should also update the new address so DMV correspondence about reinstatement reaches the right place.

Voter registration and EZ-Pass

The MyDMV address-change form includes optional check-boxes to forward the new address to the New York State Board of Elections and to your EZ-Pass account. Both updates happen automatically once you submit. Other agencies — the New York Department of Health, the IRS, your insurance carrier — have to be notified separately. The DMV does not share the address change with private parties.