# For the Ladies - Changing your Name when you get married?



## NJWaterEngineer (Jul 26, 2012)

I'm curious to know what other female PEs think/have done in this situation. As you all know, the road to becoming a Professional Engineer is a long one. I think from starting the application process to finally passing that damn PE exam, it took me about 3 years. During those three years, I went and got married (I know, silly me for having a life outside of engineering!) Since my State has such a notorious track record for "getting confused" about changes to applications, I made the decision to not change from my last name to my hubby's last name until after I was an approved professional engineer. Well, now that time has come. I made it all the way through to Board approval, and my certificate should be on it's way, with my maiden name on it. So here's the big question:

To change my last name or not to change my last name????

There are sections in the State regulations for changing one's address, but nothing regarding changing one's name on a PE license. Has anyone ever tried to change last names on a PE license? Do you get issued a new number?

I've toyed with the whole "use my hubby's last name in my personal life but my maiden name officially and in professional life" thing, but I feel like that might get confusing in the future. What's the consensus on female engineers and taking a husbands last name?

Discuss.


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## snickerd3 (Jul 26, 2012)

Its a pretty simple process in IL. I did it for the EIT cert. It had to be done through the mail, not electronically like for addresses. I think I just sent a copy of the marriage certificate and that was that. They resent me a copy of license with the new name. Probably the same across most states.

Whatever your legal name is should be used on the license...so if you changed your drivers license et al, then change the PE.


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## csb (Jul 26, 2012)

I use my maiden name at work, but my stamp is my legal name...which is a dual last name.


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## YMZ PE (Jul 26, 2012)

I hyphenated my last name because people kept mistaking me for a man due to my unfamiliar ethnic first name and male-sounding last name. It's annoying having to type out my entire last name, plus I use my husband's surname informally so my documentation gets confusing at times, but changing my name with CA's state board was fairly easy. I sent in a form with my marriage certificate after passing the EIT and before taking the PE. I had no problems making the switch.


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## frazil (Jul 27, 2012)

I was in college when we were married. I kept my maiden name until I finished college and then took my husband's name. I thought it was going to be a bigger deal than it was, but it was really fairly simple to change things over. I'm sure the PE board must have some process in place to handle it. Maybe the best thing would be to call them.


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Jul 27, 2012)

YMZ PE said:


> I hyphenated my last name because people kept mistaking me for a man due to my unfamiliar ethnic first name and male-sounding last name. It's annoying having to type out my entire last name, plus I use my husband's surname informally so my documentation gets confusing at times, but changing my name with CA's state board was fairly easy. I sent in a form with my marriage certificate after passing the EIT and before taking the PE. I had no problems making the switch.


The president of my old company had an ethnic name where you would never be able to tell gender from reading it. She used to sign things as Ms. Jane Doe so it was obvious.



frazil said:


> I was in college when we were married. I kept my maiden name until I finished college and then took my husband's name. I thought it was going to be a bigger deal than it was, but it was really fairly simple to change things over. I'm sure the PE board must have some process in place to handle it. Maybe the best thing would be to call them.


I've known you for years and I still have a rough time with your last name.


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## frazil (Jul 27, 2012)

VTEnviro said:


> frazil said:
> 
> 
> > I was in college when we were married. I kept my maiden name until I finished college and then took my husband's name. I thought it was going to be a bigger deal than it was, but it was really fairly simple to change things over. I'm sure the PE board must have some process in place to handle it. Maybe the best thing would be to call them.
> ...


Fairly simple for some people I guess  ...j/k I still have a hard time with it too!


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## YMZ PE (Jul 27, 2012)

I think(?) I know how to pronounce fraz's last name, but don't ask me to spell it.


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## envirotex (Jul 27, 2012)

My maiden name is German and hard to spell, my married name is not (well, for most people)...I picked that because it was easier, but I also got married in college so I didn't have to worry about switching. When I changed my name, I didn't do the hyphen thing; I just made my maiden name my middle name. That way it's still there if it comes up on legal stuff...


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