Your first stop after the court house should be the social security office. Bring your court order, your old Social Security card, a valid form of state- or federally-issued ID (with your old name is fine), and an SS-5 form. Filling this out prior to your visit is advised if you make an appointment. The closest location to the Richmond and Columbia County Courthouses is 115 Robert C Daniel Jr Pkwy in Augusta, behind Best Buy. Their hours are 9am to 4pm Monday through Friday. If you wish to make an appointment, which is strongly recommended, you can call them at 1-877-616-2523. As of April 2022, masks and physical distancing are required. Show them your court order confirming your name change and they should give you a document indicating that they are processing it. This will enable you to change your name on your driver’s license.

Next, head to the Department of Driver Services near you and let them know you have changed your legal name and want to update your driver’s license. They will hole-punch your old license and give you a piece of paper that will act as your driver’s license until your new one arrives.

If you have a court order in support of changing your gender marker as well, or a doctor’s letter stating you’ve had any gender affirming surgery, you can bring that in to get your gender marker changed as well.

Each workplace is different. Contact your HR department if you have one, otherwise, speak with a supervisor or records manager to find out what is required in order to get your name switched over.

If you are attending a school, Google “legal name change (name of school)” to find out how to update your name. If no information is found, contact your school’s registrar’s office.

For people who were assigned male at birth and have registered with the Selective Service: if you are younger than 26 years old, notification of a name change is legally required within ten days. Verify your enrollment here and then fill out the Change of Information Form with your new name.

If you are applying for a passport for the first time, applying for a new passport after your old one has expired, or changing your gender marker in addition to your name*, you must apply in person so that your signature is witnessed. You’ll need to fill out a DS-11. You can search here for suitable locations near you. Passport books cost $165 for first time applicants and standard processing can take 8 to 11 weeks. Expedited processing costs an extra $60.

*The State Department no longer requires medical documentation to change your gender marker on a passport. You can select M, F, or X on your application.

If you wish to only change your name, and not your gender marker, on an existing, valid passport, you can apply by mail. See here for more information.

If you were born in Georgia, to change your name on your birth certificate, fill out an Affidavit for Amendment (must be notarized). Send the completed form along with a certified copy of the court order with your name change, a copy of valid government issued photo ID, and a money order or cashier's check for $40 (do not send cash via mail).

In Georgia, "a certified copy of a court order indicating the sex of an individual born in this state has been changed by surgical procedure and that such individual's name has been changed" is required to amend the sex indicated on a birth certificate. Send the court order indicating your gender marker change and the physician’s letter saying you have had gender affirming surgery along with the above forms.

Submit these documents by mail to:
Vital Records, Amendment Unit
1680 Phoenix Boulevard
Suite 100
Atlanta GA 30349

If you were not born in Georgia, you can Google the requirements for your place of birth. If you were born in the U.S., National Center for Transgender Equality is a good resource.

Different banks, credit card companies, and utilities companies have different procedures. You can search online or call ahead to ask what documentation each bank or company will require.

Expect to provide a certified copy of your name change and/or an updated ID.

Things to consider as you update your name include:
Banks
Credit card companies
Insurance companies
Landlord/mortgage
Utilities companies
Past schools
Licensing agencies
Car registration and title
Tax information
Magazine/newspaper subscriptions
Government assistance programs
Pharmacy
Memberships like frequent flyer programs and various other rewards programs

Most of these aren’t urgent and it will become apparent in time that you need to change your name. Try not to sweat it - just keep a copy (or multiple copies) of your court order and be prepared to send these places a photocopy. It is cumbersome, but it will likely get easier as time goes on.