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Probate court offers help for new driver license, ID card requirements

KEITH ARNOLD
Special to the Legal News

Published: November 26, 2019

Prompted by a marked rise in the number of name changes filed in Franklin County Probate Court, the court has developed a resource for county residents confused by the requirements of the state's new federally approved driver license and state ID card.
Probate Judge Robert Montgomery last week introduced an information card for residents who require additional documentation for the new Ohio driver's license.
The info card specifically addresses the circumstance of an individual whose current name does not match the name on the individual's birth certificate.
The first three requirements of the new driver license and ID card are full legal name, date of birth and proof of legal U.S. presence - each of which can be proven by a birth certificate as long as an individual's name currently matches the birth document or the proper court filing documenting a name change.
Other acceptable documents are U.S. passport and passport cards, a consular report of birth abroad, certificates of naturalization and citizenship or a permanent resident card, according to the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles
Similar to the birth certificate, the names on any of these federally issued documents must reflect the name currently used by the presenting individual.
"Through the first week of November, there have been more name change cases opened in Franklin County in 2019 than all of 2018," Montgomery said in a prepared statement. "If residents need a name change to get a new license for a trip, the time to do it is now."
The new TSA-friendly license meets the federal government's standards for all U.S. air travel beginning Oct. 1. Additionally, the new federally compliant license and ID will allow access federal buildings, including military bases.
Standard, non-compliant Ohio driver license and ID cards that require no legal proof of residence are available for those who opt out, the BMV website detailed.
Court officials said the information resource is for residents who have a name different from what is on their birth certificate.
The cards are to be made available at the Franklin County Probate Court, on the court's website - probate.franklincountyohio.gov - and at all BMV Deputy Registrar locations throughout the county.
The card provides information on three common scenarios: If an individual's name changed due to a marriage, the name an individual currently uses does not match the name on his birth certificate, or the name on the birth certificate is unknown.
For marriage-related name changes, the court has instructed that individuals obtain a certified marriage abstract.
An abstract for a Franklin County marriage license may be obtained via the court's marriage department page on its website, court officials said in a press release.
For residents who obtained a marriage license outside Franklin County, Montgomery recommended they contact the jurisdiction where the license was purchased.
"Many of these counties do not have internet purchase capability for this," the judge noted. "You will have to work through U.S. Mail.
"This process could take several days (and) I would encourage residents to contact that jurisdiction sooner rather than later."
In the event an individual's name doesn't match the name his birth certificate, the individual must apply for a name change in the local probate court.
The individual must be a resident of the county for at least a year, however.
For details on the process, the court refers the public to its name change department at probate.franklincountyohio.gov/departments/name-change.
"The process for a name change can take up to three or four months," Montgomery advised.
The court encouraged individuals unclear whether the name they use matches their birth certificate or they don't know what name is listed to order a certified copy their Ohio birth certificate from the Ohio Department of Vital Statistics.
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