Married and maiden name

[Chantellemarrisa]

Hi, I need help
I've been married 5 years and have my driving test coming up but it's booked my maiden name and my license is in my maiden name too but I've been told by my instructor I need to have my name changed on my license before my test but will this affect my test? If my name's don't match?
HELP ME PLEASE

Why would you need to change? The names match. I don't think your driving instructor is correct.

Your licence shouldn't be in your maiden name as far as I know...that was one of the first things I changed. When did you get your driving licence?

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/dvla-warning-drivers-getting-married-1000-pound-fine-b1025223.html

If it's booked in the name your license says, I don't see the issue.

Have you changed your name or is this just that your instructor thought you had?

As long as they're in the same name, you're fine. It's legal to call yourself what you like as long as you're not defrauding. And it's not compulsory to change your name. The term "maiden name" is utterly yuk. It's your name.

Which name are you known by?

As long as the test booking and your licence match who's going to even know?

There are thousands of women who have a married name but are known professionally by their maiden name and the system seems to cope.

The only thing that matters is that the name you have booked under matches your provisional licence. It's not compulsory to change your name. Does your instructor think all married women with licences have done so?

You don't have to change your name when you get married

What happens when women decide to use both.

I know a lot of women who keep their professional name as education and other professional certs are needed and they dont need the faff of changing their email address.

They use their new name for their private life (and benefit as they dissappear on personal social media)

How does your driving instructor even know your marital status?
none of his business!

I am married and have never changed my name. Nobody can tell me that I have to do so

I agree you don't have to change your name. But the fact she's written 'maiden name' insinuates she has changed her name though, at work, on socials, in public etc etc.

Otherwise, her name is her name, and why is she asking?!

So one comment is saying "why is she even asking?" I'm asking but I'm at a loss of what to do, I didn't know I needed to change my license name until it expired like passports, I'm asking for advice as this is what this page is for. I don't mean to insult anyone at all.
Ill call the dvsa and speak to those to see what they say, I never gave it a thought even when booking my test etc it's only until recently when I've had emails about my test approaching etc that I've thought about my name change. But as it stands my license name and my test booked name are the same so I can't see it flagging anything up? I could just change it after my test couldn't I?

I didn't know I needed to change my license name until it expired like passports
You don't need to change it ever if you don't want to.

But as it stands my license name and my test booked name are the same so I can't see it flagging anything up? I could just change it after my test couldn't I?
Yes. No need to call. If your test is booked under the name in your provisional licence that is all that matters.

It's your name. Keep it.

I use one name at work and one name in rest of life. 20 years in and no issues.
As long as licence and test booking match you are fine.
You don’t need to change your name on marriage.

The license should be in your legal name. So if you use your maiden name on everything, bank accounts/passport etc it’s fine. If not I think they are right about changing it.

👍
Yep sometimes bureaucracy forget women have choices

What nonsense, why do you have to change it. I've been married 13 years and my license is still in my "maiden" name.

English law doesn't have a "legal name"- the legal name is the name you're known by. That can be Princess Consuayla. As long as you're not committing fraud, you can call yourself what you like. It can be hard to prove things are you if you use a different name to your ID. But you can call yourself whatever you like.

In this case, the licence and test need to match. That's all.

My driving licence is in my maiden name, as are all my bank accounts / financial stuff. My passport is in my married name as is HMRC (I basically got bored of the faff of changing my name very quickly!)

I've never had any problem. I'll take my marriage certificate with me if I think there might be a challenge, but I've never needed it. Gov.uk and credit checks are unaffected as they allow for "other names you're named by".

And even if there was a problem, if you've booked the test in one name and your licence in the same name, how would they know a) whether that was your maiden or married name or b) whether you were married in the first place?! Total non-issue.

Good luck with the test!

My bank account is still in my pre-marriage name and so is my passport.
I'm honestly at a loss, theres only a handful of things in my married name, legal stuff like banks, credit card, loans etc are in my maiden name

This is so confusing. So you haven’t changed your name! And there is no need to after marriage - you can be mrs “maiden name” forever. Your driving instructor seems like they are in the 1950s.

so keep using your “maiden name” - on your passport, driving licence and test.

Then if and when you actually decide to change your name - change your passport, driving licence, hmrc entry, land registry entry and everything else

What are you at a loss about? Your provisional licence and your test booking are under the same name. That's all that matters. There is no problem whatsoever and nothing to worry about.

Your driving instructor sounds from 1950s. You haven’t changed your name on marriage all your legal docs are in your original name. Your test is in your original name that’s fine.

(A) he's wrong (b) none of his goddamn business. Tell him to do one.