Name Matches

All applicants must present one primary document showing their full legal name (first name, middle name, last name and suffix). Secondary documents must match the name on the primary document.

Middle Names and Suffixes

REAL ID will allow secondary documents that have

  • No middle name or initial or suffix; or
  • A middle initial, but not the full middle name

as secondary documents, as long as there is no conflict between the secondary documents and the primary document.


REAL ID will not allow “Sr.” (Senior) to be added unless it appears on primary document.


Examples:

Primary Document Secondary Document Ok for REAL ID?
Jane Mary Smith Jane M. Smith ACCEPTABLE
Jane Smith ACCEPTABLE
Jane T. Smith NOT ACCEPTABLE
Jane Doe Smith NOT ACCEPTABLE
John Doe Smith, Jr. John D. Smith, Jr. ACCEPTABLE
John D. Smith ACCEPTABLE
John Smith ACCEPTABLE
John L. Smith NOT ACCEPTABLE
John Lewis Smith NOT ACCEPTABLE

Note for Married Women and others with Name Changes

You may need more than a marriage certificate to verify your name change! Please check the Names Must Match page to ensure your documents will work for REAL ID.


Examples:

Social Security Document Primary Document Name in MVC System Marriage/Civil Union/Domestic Partner Certificate: Name Permitted name(s) on REAL ID
Jane Mary Smith Jane Mary Smith Jane Mary Smith Jack Joseph Jones Jane Mary Smith Jones OR Jane Mary Jones OR Jane Mary Smith-Jones OR Jane Mary Smith
Jane Smith Jane Mary Smith Jane M. Smith Jack Joseph Jones
Jane M Smith Jane Mary Smith Jane Smith Jack Joseph Jones

The following combination of documents represent a failure to match under REAL ID rules.

If the name on your New Jersey license/ID doesn’t match your Social Security and primary documents, REAL ID requires that you show a legal court-ordered name change document or use your primary document to change the name on your Social Security account to match it.


Examples:

Social Security Document Name on Primary Document Name in MVC System Spouse Name
Jane Mary Smith Jane Mary Smith Jane Mary Jones Jack Joseph Jones NOT ACCEPTABLE
Jane Smith Jane Mary Smith Jane M. Jones Jack Joseph Jones
Jane M Smith Jane Mary Smith Jane Jones Jack Joseph Jones
Jane Smith Jones Jane Mary Smith Jane Smith Jones Jack Joseph Jones
Joseph J Smoe Joseph James Doe Joseph J Smoe Mark William Smith

Multiple Last Names

A Social Security document with only one of your last names will be accepted for REAL ID, but only on a one-time basis.

REAL ID requires that the name on your Social Security account be changed to match prior to license/ID renewal.


Examples:

Primary Document Social Security Document Name in MVC System Permitted name(s) on REAL ID
Jorge Juan Gonzalez (paternal) Diaz (maternal) Jorge Juan Gonzalez Jorge J Gonzalez Jorge Juan (middle) Gonzalez Diaz (last)
OR Jorge Juan Gonzalez
OR Jorge Juan Diaz
Jorge Gonzalez Diaz Jorge Gonzalez
Jorge J Diaz Jorge Diaz Gonzalez

Primary Document Social Security Document Name in MVC System Spouse Name Permitted name change(s) on REAL ID
Sofia Maria Montoya (maternal) Rivera (paternal) Sofia Maria (middle) Montoya Rivera Diaz (last)
OR Sofia Maria (middle) Montoya Diaz (last)
OR Sofia Maria (middle) Rivera Diaz (last)
Sofia Maria Montoya Sofia M Montoya Jorge Juan Diaz
Sofia M Rivera Sofia M Rivera Jorge Juan Diaz
Sofia M Montoya Rivera Sofia Rivera Jorge Juan Diaz
Sofia Maria Montoya Rivera Sofia Montoya Rivera Jorge Juan Diaz
STEP 1
TOTAL:  0
STEP 2
TOTAL:  0
STEP 3
TOTAL:  0