# Florida DMV - woman changes name on marriage, well and good; guy does so - "That's FRAUD!"
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/florida-dmv-woman-changes-name-on-marriage-well-and-good-guy-does-so-thats-fraud/648890
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [January 31, 2013, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/florida-dmv-woman-changes-name-on-marriage-well-and-good-guy-does-so-thats-fraud/648890 "2013-01-31T06:40:48Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)
#### Post date: [January 31, 2013, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/florida-dmv-woman-changes-name-on-marriage-well-and-good-guy-does-so-thats-fraud/648890/1 "2013-01-31T06:40:48Z")
News report: in Florida, a guy changed his name to his wife’s name when they got married. Filed exactly the same paperwork with the Florida DMV to get a new licence as a woman does on marriage who takes her husband’s name.
DMV originally issued a new licence to him, but after further review, they’ve suspended his licence on the basis that he obtained it by fraud.
[‘Act of love’ ends in fraud charge](http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/World/2013/01/29/20535861.html)
> [@](#):
>
> Real estate investor Lazaro Sopena offered to change his name following his 2011 marriage to Hanh Dinh in order to help his wife’s Vietnamese family perpetuate their family surname.
>
> Shortly after their marriage, Lazaro Dinh obtained a new passport and Social Security card and changed his bank account and credit cards before applying to update his drivers licence.
> …
> Lazaro Dinh was initially issued a new licence after presenting his marriage certificate at his local DMV office and paying a $20 fee, just as newly married women are required to do when they adopt their husband’s name.
> …
> More than a year later Dinh received a letter from Florida’s DMV last December accusing him of “obtaining a driving licence by fraud,” and advising him that his licence would be suspended at the end of the month. Ironically, it was addressed to Lazaro Dinh.
>
> “I thought it was a mistake,” he said.
>
> But when he called the state DMV office in Tallahassee he said he was told he had to go to court first in order to change his name legally, a process that takes several months and has a $400 filing fee.
>
> When he explained he was changing his name due to marriage, he was told ‘that only works for women,’" he said.
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### Author:  [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)
#### Post date: [January 31, 2013, 9:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/florida-dmv-woman-changes-name-on-marriage-well-and-good-guy-does-so-thats-fraud/648890/2 "2013-01-31T09:03:22Z")
Well… if the law really is written in a way that these “quick and easy” marriage name changes really are only for women, you can’t really blame the DMV for following the law. It’s a stupid law though, if it is written that way.
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### Author:  [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)
#### Post date: [January 31, 2013, 10:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/florida-dmv-woman-changes-name-on-marriage-well-and-good-guy-does-so-thats-fraud/648890/3 "2013-01-31T10:34:51Z")
> [@drewtwo99](#):
>
> “quick and easy” marriage name changes really are only for women
I wouldn’t be surprised if it is the case in most States. I think it’s only in the past ten years or so that the law has been applied without discrimination in California- I remember reading about a couple who sued the State and thus succeeded in having the law changed. I’m pretty sure I was already living in California when I read about it, so I’m thinking it couldn’t have been much more than 10 years ago (it is possible, though, that I read about it before moving here).
There’s a certain stupidity in approving the process when he applied originally then a year later finally figuring out what State law really says.
It would be nice for them to fight it like the California couple did- that’s the only way it will change.
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### Author:  [@nashiitashii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nashiitashii)
#### Post date: [January 31, 2013, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/florida-dmv-woman-changes-name-on-marriage-well-and-good-guy-does-so-thats-fraud/648890/4 "2013-01-31T11:29:53Z")
> [@drewtwo99](#):
>
> Well… if the law really is written in a way that these “quick and easy” marriage name changes really are only for women, you can’t really blame the DMV for following the law. It’s a stupid law though, if it is written that way.
According to the article, Florida doesn’t mention gender of the person changing name due to marriage in their law.
> [@Article in OP](#):
>
> In Florida’s case it has no law, although the DMV’s website does not specify gender.
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### Author:  [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)
#### Post date: [January 31, 2013, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/florida-dmv-woman-changes-name-on-marriage-well-and-good-guy-does-so-thats-fraud/648890/5 "2013-01-31T13:18:48Z")
Been there, done that. YMMV by state, but generally, you have to start the process with Social Security. Once you have a new SS card, then you can go on to change your name elsewhere.
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### Author:  [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)
#### Post date: [January 31, 2013, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/florida-dmv-woman-changes-name-on-marriage-well-and-good-guy-does-so-thats-fraud/648890/6 "2013-01-31T13:22:46Z")
> [@drewtwo99](#):
>
> Well… if the law really is written in a way that these “quick and easy” marriage name changes really are only for women, you can’t really blame the DMV for following the law. It’s a stupid law though, if it is written that way.
But they didn’t follow the law (if there is one, as questioned in the article). They took his application and gave him a new driver’s licence, then a year later suspended it on the basis of fraud, being his gender - which is something that they knew, since it’s on the driver’s licence.
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### Author:  [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)
#### Post date: [January 31, 2013, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/florida-dmv-woman-changes-name-on-marriage-well-and-good-guy-does-so-thats-fraud/648890/7 "2013-01-31T13:25:21Z")
This seems like a clear case of gender discrimination. I hope it goes to court, as it looks like an obvious win for the guy. I wonder if **Bricker** will agree.
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### Author:  [@ladyfoxfyre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ladyfoxfyre)
#### Post date: [January 31, 2013, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/florida-dmv-woman-changes-name-on-marriage-well-and-good-guy-does-so-thats-fraud/648890/8 "2013-01-31T13:33:08Z")
NM, didn’t fully read the OP.
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### Author:  [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)
#### Post date: [January 31, 2013, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/florida-dmv-woman-changes-name-on-marriage-well-and-good-guy-does-so-thats-fraud/648890/9 "2013-01-31T13:59:20Z")
Articles like this make me so glad I’m no longer a Floridian… There are too many crazies working in the state’s gummint, among other places.
OK, I’ll admit, one of my favorite BBQ places is in Jacksonville, but it’s not enough to redeem the state.
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### Author:  [@The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Devil_s_Grandmother)
#### Post date: [January 31, 2013, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/florida-dmv-woman-changes-name-on-marriage-well-and-good-guy-does-so-thats-fraud/648890/10 "2013-01-31T17:05:16Z")
> [@bienville](#):
>
> I wouldn’t be surprised if it is the case in most States. I think it’s only in the past ten years or so that the law has been applied without discrimination in California- I remember reading about a couple who sued the State and thus succeeded in having the law changed. I’m pretty sure I was already living in California when I read about it, so I’m thinking it couldn’t have been much more than 10 years ago (it is possible, though, that I read about it before moving here).
It’s been more than ten years, because I’ve had several friends take the woman’s name, or create alltogether new names from both natal-family names.
Sombody at the Flordia DMV probabaly thinks men taking a woman’s name is the first step to allowing gay marriage.
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### Author:  [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)
#### Post date: [January 31, 2013, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/florida-dmv-woman-changes-name-on-marriage-well-and-good-guy-does-so-thats-fraud/648890/11 "2013-01-31T17:09:09Z")
> [@gotpasswords](#):
>
> Been there, done that. YMMV by state, but generally, you have to start the process with Social Security. Once you have a new SS card, then you can go on to change your name elsewhere.
As someone who had an utterly bizarre name-change issue with SS, this is about like saying “you need to begin with your birth certificate.”
You typically can’t change your SS account without court-issued documents. Sometimes even a marriage license is not enough.
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### Author:  [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)
#### Post date: [January 31, 2013, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/florida-dmv-woman-changes-name-on-marriage-well-and-good-guy-does-so-thats-fraud/648890/12 "2013-01-31T17:11:30Z")
> [@NitroPress](#):
>
> You typically can’t change your SS account without court-issued documents. Sometimes even a marriage license is not enough.
Then what is? “Sometimes”? What times does a marriage license work, and what times does it not, or are you just making this up?
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### Author:  [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)
#### Post date: [January 31, 2013, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/florida-dmv-woman-changes-name-on-marriage-well-and-good-guy-does-so-thats-fraud/648890/13 "2013-01-31T17:42:08Z")
> [@Musicat](#):
>
> Then what is? “Sometimes”? What times does a marriage license work, and what times does it not, or are you just making this up?
I don’t know the difference, but it was reported to me by two recently married women in our circle of acquaintances that their license was rejected as a name-change document and they had to obtain a court order - which was trivial to get, relatively speaking, but should have been unnecessary.
FWIW, this was around 2003-4 when 9/11 hysteria was still at its peak, and during an earlier attempt to fix a name problem on my own SS record. From the days when you could fill out a postcard and drop it in the mail (the source and era of my own problem) to something akin to being vetted for CIA clearance, SS name issues have changed. They are back to something reasonable; I had no problem getting my name issue resolved in 2010.
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### Author:  [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)
#### Post date: [January 31, 2013, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/florida-dmv-woman-changes-name-on-marriage-well-and-good-guy-does-so-thats-fraud/648890/14 "2013-01-31T18:54:04Z")
And if SS sends you an incorrect card you can’t get it fixed over the phone even if you spent a goddamned hour with a rep - you have to go in. Again.
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### Author:  [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)
#### Post date: [January 31, 2013, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/florida-dmv-woman-changes-name-on-marriage-well-and-good-guy-does-so-thats-fraud/648890/15 "2013-01-31T19:01:18Z")
I left out the part about being within some window of time (IIRC, 90 days) where you can go to the SS office with your marriage license or other appropriate document.
The point is that your first contact with a government entity is with Social Security. Once you change your name with them, you can then go to the DMV, (and if applicaable, to the State Department to update your passport) and once you have your new license, then it’s off to your banks, credit cards, etc.
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### Author:  [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)
#### Post date: [January 31, 2013, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/florida-dmv-woman-changes-name-on-marriage-well-and-good-guy-does-so-thats-fraud/648890/16 "2013-01-31T20:18:08Z")
Actually, here in SC the DMV didn’t need my new SS card. Which is good because it took forever to get that fixed.
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### Author:  [@ladyfoxfyre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ladyfoxfyre)
#### Post date: [January 31, 2013, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/florida-dmv-woman-changes-name-on-marriage-well-and-good-guy-does-so-thats-fraud/648890/17 "2013-01-31T20:38:18Z")
When I had my name changed, in Florida, in 2010, I had to take my copy of the marriage certificate and my current drivers license with the old name to the SS office. They had my card changed and mailed to me with my new name, which I took along with my marriage certificate and two proofs of residence to the DMV to get my license changed. That is the current process in this state.
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### Author:  [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)
#### Post date: [January 31, 2013, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/florida-dmv-woman-changes-name-on-marriage-well-and-good-guy-does-so-thats-fraud/648890/18 "2013-01-31T20:54:57Z")
9/11 is responsible for at least some of the hassle in getting driver’s licenses, etc. renewed. I was unable to renew my license after 50 years under the same name, in 3 states, without providing either a SS card (had to be a real card, not just a number or a copy), or a copy of my birth certificate. Oddly, the _original_ was not acceptable, it had to be a certified copy.
I fail to see how this kind of procedure, if it had been in effect prior to 9/11, would have prevented it from happening.
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### Author:  [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)
#### Post date: [January 31, 2013, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/florida-dmv-woman-changes-name-on-marriage-well-and-good-guy-does-so-thats-fraud/648890/19 "2013-01-31T21:05:54Z")
> [@Musicat](#):
>
> 9/11 is responsible for at least some of the hassle in getting driver’s licenses, etc. renewed. I was unable to renew my license after 50 years under the same name, in 3 states, without providing either a SS card (had to be a real card, not just a number or a copy), or a copy of my birth certificate. Oddly, the _original_ was not acceptable, it had to be a certified copy.
>
> I fail to see how this kind of procedure, if it had been in effect prior to 9/11, would have prevented it from happening.
i think there is a drivers license and now a new drivers license/ID card. the new card requires that info. a drivers license only card might be able to be renewed as usual though they are being phased out.
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### Author:  [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)
#### Post date: [January 31, 2013, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/florida-dmv-woman-changes-name-on-marriage-well-and-good-guy-does-so-thats-fraud/648890/20 "2013-01-31T21:10:18Z")
> [@Musicat](#):
>
> I fail to see how this kind of procedure, if it had been in effect prior to 9/11, would have prevented it from happening.
Well, you’re talking about the difference between reality and a band-aid solution that makes all participants feel good without actually accomplishing much. (A pull-tab solution, in Cecilspeak.)
You’re also talking about pushing everything further towards a national ID without actually issuing such a thing as a national ID - by forcing every public record to be tied to a validated SS number, it’s de-facto without being de-fensible.
[Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/florida-dmv-woman-changes-name-on-marriage-well-and-good-guy-does-so-thats-fraud/648890.md?page=2)