Lazaro Dinh (neé Sopena) changed his last name to his wife’s to prevent it from dying out (her father has no sons). He got a new Social Security card, passport, and credit cards before going to the DMV to get an updated driver’s license. Over a year later, the DMV notified him that they would be suspending his license at the end of the month for “obtaining a driving license by fraud”.
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.
Florida has no gender-specific laws regarding name change upon marriage. Dinh’s license has since been revoked, and he is appealing the decision.