How to Change Your Name with Equifax?

• You need a legal name change document (marriage certificate, divorce decree, or court order) before contacting Equifax
• Updated driver's license or state ID showing the new name
• New Social Security card reflecting the changed name
• Certified copy of the court order if the name change came from a court (optional if already covered)
• Recent utility bill or bank statement confirming your address (optional secondary proof)

Equifax will process an Equifax name change only with the original or a certified copy of the legal document that officially alters your last name.

• Marriage: Certified marriage certificate (or original license with official seal)
• Divorce: Final divorce decree that includes your former name, certified copy
• Court order: Court‑issued name‑change order, certified copy with judge's signature

These documents must be unaltered and legible; any other paperwork will be rejected.

You can change your name with Equifax either online or by mail, depending on how quickly you need the update and whether you prefer digital or paper handling.

Online processing lets you upload the scanned documents you gathered in the previous section directly to the Equifax online name change portal. After you select 'Equifax name change,' attach your marriage certificate, divorce decree, or court order, then submit. The system confirms receipt instantly and typically completes the Equifax name change within five to seven business days, with status updates visible in your account.

Mailing requires a printed cover letter, the original certified documents, and a self‑addressed stamped envelope sent to the Equifax mailing address for name changes. Use certified mail to track delivery. Expect the Equifax name change to take seven to fourteen days, as the paper package must be received, logged, and processed manually.

Ready to file your Equifax name change online? Follow these five steps after you've gathered the required documents (see 'Gather essential documents before contacting Equifax').

1. Visit the Equifax online name change portal and click 'Sign In' or 'Create Account.'
2. Log in, then select 'Update Personal Information' from the dashboard.
3. Choose 'Legal Name Change' and enter your new name exactly as it appears on your documents.
4. Upload clear scans of your approved document (marriage certificate, divorce decree, or court order) - PDFs under 5 MB work best.
5. Review the summary, submit, and note the confirmation number; you'll receive an email receipt within minutes.

Proceed to the next section for mailing certified copies if you prefer the paper route, and later see 'How long you should expect Equifax name updates' for processing timelines.

Mail certified documents to Equifax by sending a sealed packet via USPS Certified Mail with a return receipt to the Equifax name change address.

Package must contain

• A one‑page cover letter stating the purpose (Equifax name change) and listing enclosed items.
• Certified copies of the legal name‑change document(s) you gathered in the 'accepted Equifax documents' section.
• A clear photocopy of your current government ID showing the new name.
• Your Equifax account number or the reference number from your credit report, if available.
• A self‑addressed, postage‑paid envelope for Equifax's reply.

How to send

1. Print the cover letter on plain paper; sign it.
2. Place all items in a sturdy envelope; seal it.
3. Take the envelope to the post office, request Certified Mail with a return receipt, and keep the receipt for your records.

Send the package to:

Equifax
P.O. Box 105069
Atlanta, GA 30348

Equifax will confirm receipt via the return receipt, then begin processing the change as described in the next section on expected timelines.

Equifax typically finalizes an Equifax name change within 7‑10 business days after it receives all required, certified documents.

Processing may stretch to 15 business days if the paperwork contains errors, missing signatures, or if additional verification is needed; you can review the official timeline on the Equifax name change processing time page.

Once the update is confirmed, pull your credit report to confirm the new name appears correctly, then move on to the 'notify lenders and other bureaus after Equifax updates' section for the next steps.

Pull your latest Equifax credit report and line‑up every name entry with the spelling on your legal documents. Scan the header, every account line, and the 'also known as' field for typos, missing middle initials, or old surnames that survived the Equifax name change process.

If a mismatch appears, open a dispute through the Equifax dispute portal, attach the marriage, divorce, or court order you gathered earlier, and request correction; Equifax typically resolves valid disputes within 30 days, after which you can move on to notifying lenders and the other bureaus.

• After the Equifax name change appears on your credit report, contact each lender and tell them your new legal name.
• Send lenders a copy of the updated Equifax credit report or the name‑change confirmation letter so they can amend their records.
• Notify TransUnion and Experian by uploading the Equifax confirmation through their portals or mailing it certified, because they don't inherit the change automatically.
• Update automatic payments, credit cards, and loan accounts in their online settings to prevent payment rejections.
• Pull a fresh credit report from each bureau within 30 days to verify the new name screens correctly before checking how the change may affect your credit score.

Changing your name through an Equifax name change does not affect your credit score; it only replaces the identifiers on the same credit file, so the score itself stays the same.

If the new name is not yet reflected, a mismatch may cause a lender to question the record, which is why you should scan your credit report for errors after the typical 30‑45‑day processing period described earlier and then notify any lenders or other bureaus (see the 'notify lenders' section) to ensure smooth credit checks.

If TransUnion refuses your deletion request after you've followed the document‑gathering steps, you can push the matter forward through disputes, regulator complaints, or a small‑claims suit.

• File an online dispute that cites the specific inaccuracy and attach the same proof you used in the original request.
• Send a certified‑mail deletion request that restates the dispute, includes a copy of the FCRA‑required 'notice of dispute,' and demands a written response within 30 days.
• Escalate to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau or your state banking regulator, providing the TransUnion correspondence and your certified‑mail receipt.
• If TransUnion still refuses to correct or remove the erroneous entry, consider filing a claim in small‑claims court for FCRA violations, attaching all dispute records and regulator complaint IDs.

Keep every email, letter, and receipt; the paper trail proves you acted in good faith and strengthens any regulator or court filing. The next step is to verify that any corrected or removed items stay accurate while you protect your credit profile.

Equifax accepts non‑US documents for an Equifax name change only when the original government ID is accompanied by a certified English translation and a secondary US‑issued ID, such as a driver's license or passport; hyphenated surnames are allowed if the hyphen appears on the same legal document, and gender‑marker updates require a court order or a newly‑issued government ID that shows the corrected gender and name.

Examples include a Canadian passport with a certified translation and a US driver's license, a Mexican birth certificate showing 'García‑Lopez' together with a US state ID, and a court order changing 'Jordan Lee' to 'Jordan Lee‑Smith' plus an updated state ID reflecting the new gender. After submitting these, check 'How long you should expect Equifax name updates' for processing timelines.