What's happening
This bill allows certificates of marriage from foreign governments or religious institutions to be used to change names on New York driver's licenses and non-driver ID cards.
Why it matters
Expands name change access for immigrants and religious communities. This bill directly helps people who married abroad or through religious ceremonies outside the U.S. by allowing their marriage certificates to be recognized for official name changes—potentially reducing barriers for immigrants and religious minorities.
Streamlines bureaucratic processes. By accepting a wider range of valid documents, the bill may make it faster and easier for individuals to update their names on state IDs, potentially saving time, legal expenses, and reducing the need for additional court orders or translations.
Supports consistency across identity documents. Enabling foreign and religious marriage certificates to be used for name changes helps ensure that people’s names match across various legal documents, reducing complications with travel, employment, and accessing services.
Promotes inclusivity and equal treatment. The bill signals that marriages performed and recognized outside of the U.S., including those by religious authorities, are valued equally for the purposes of state documentation, which can foster a sense of belonging and respect for cultural diversity.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Accept Foreign Marriage Certificates
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 7
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to transportation
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Accept Foreign Marriage Certificates
In Assembly Committee · Transportation · Sponsor Charles Lavine
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
7239
IN SENATE
January 13, 2020
Introduced by Sen. KAPLAN -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Transportation
AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to allowing certificates of marriage from foreign governments and religious institutions as acceptable documentation to change a name on the driver's license or non-driver identification card
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 502 of the vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding a new subdivision 1-a to read as follows:
1-a. In addition to any other documentation acceptable to the commissioner for the purposes of changing a person's name on a driver's license pursuant to subdivision one of this section, the commissioner shall accept a certificate of marriage from the government of a foreign country or from a bona fide religious institution that issues certificates of marriage in a foreign country.
§ 2. Section 502 vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding a new subdivision 3-a to read as follows:
3-a. In addition to any other documentation acceptable to the commissioner for the purposes of changing a person's name on a non-driver identification card pursuant to subdivisions two and three of this section, the commissioner shall accept a certificate of marriage from the government of a foreign country or from a bona fide religious institution that issues certificates of marriage in a foreign country.
§ 3. This act shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and completed on or before such date.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD14550-01-9
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to allowing certificates of marriage from foreign governments and religious insti- tutions as acceptable documentation to change a name on the driver's license or non-driver identification card
Purpose
This legislation would make a marriage certificate issued by a foreign government, or a bona fide religious institution that issues certif- icates of marriage in a foreign country acceptable forms when an indi- vidual seeks to change their name to their married name.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 amends Section 502 of the Vehicle and Traffic Law by adding a new subdivision 1-a to require in addition to other acceptable documents for changing a person's name on a driver's license, a certificate of marriage from the government of a foreign country or from a bona fide religious institution that issues certificates of marriage in a foreign country.
Section 2 amends Vehicle and Traffic Law Section 502 by adding a new subdivision 3-a to add to already acceptable documentation on a non- driver's license, a marriage certificate from the government of a foreign country or from a bona fide religious institutions that issues certificates of marriage in a foreign country.
Justification
Throughout this world, there are countries that have disparate views on the performance of weddings as either a civil or a religious ceremony. Some countries require a wedding to be performed as a civil ceremony so that the government can "legalize" the wedding; other countries take the opposite approach and leave marriage up to the religious institutions that are within that Country. While many countries accept both. While the State of New York views these marriages as legal for the purpose of the relationship between spouses, the New York State DMV currently does not accept a religious marriage certificate as a means to allow for a name change on a New York Driver's License, or Non Driver ID. This legislation seeks to ensure that both foreign civil and religious marriage licenses are deemed acceptable in the views of the DMV when it comes to a name change.
Legislative history
None.
Fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the sixtieth day.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.