What is the SAVE Act?

The SAVE Act is federal legislation that requires voters to present documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote. The accepted documents must show a legal name, creating a burden for married women whose ID reflects a married name not matching their birth certificate.

How much does it cost to change your name for the SAVE Act?

The cost varies by state but typically includes court filing fees ($50-$450), newspaper publication fees where required, certified copies of the court decree, a new birth certificate, and a DMV name update. Total costs typically range from $100 to over $500 depending on the state.

Do married women have to change their name to vote under the SAVE Act?

Under the SAVE Act, voters must present documents where the name matches. Married women who use a married name on their ID but whose birth certificate shows a different name may face challenges. The calculator at donimath.org helps estimate the cost of resolving this discrepancy.

Department of Nominal Independence · donimath.org
Established 2026 by Act of Congress · E Pluribus Burocratum

Department of Nominal Independence

The SAVE Act is the most pro-feminist legislation in a generation. No previous administration has so actively encouraged married women to retain their birth names. We're here to help you take advantage of this historic opportunity.

We checked the math. Congress did not.
This is satire. The math isn't.

Congratulations. You Have Homework.

The SAVE Act requires you to prove your citizenship every time you register to vote, including when you move, change your address, or update your party registration. For the 69 million American women whose birth certificates don't match their current legal name, that means assembling a paper trail of every marriage, divorce, and name change in your life. In person. Every time.

Cartoon bride looking coyly over her shoulder

For decades, feminists encouraged women to keep their maiden names. It took a MAGA administration to finally make it the financially rational choice.

Their Math. Your Problem.

Turns out, legislation is easy to pass when you haven't done the math. We did.

Before you spend weeks tracking down paperwork from three states and two ex-husbands, find out what your options actually cost. One of them might surprise you.

Do the Math They Didn't

30 seconds. Find out how much the SAVE Act will cost you.

You'll also get your super duper official certificate, personally stamped by the eagle.

Calculate My Costs ↓

Verified Reviews

Americans respond to their new homework assignment.

★★★★★

"I spent three weeks tracking down my divorce decree from 2009 only to discover my ex-husband had legally renamed himself 'Patriot McFreedom' and the county had sealed the file. Five stars, very streamlined."

Sandra K.

Verified Voter, Ohio

★

"My fiancee said yes to my name before she said yes to me. Now she has used this calculator and is asking questions I do not have answers to. The invitations have been ordered. They are not refundable."

Blake T.

Verified Fiance, Georgia

★★★★★

"The DMV told me my name didn't match my birth certificate. My birth certificate says 'Baby Girl Kowalski.' I am 61 years old. This has never come up before. Outstanding legislation."

Deborah W.

Verified Voter, Pennsylvania

★★★★★

Bald eagle with combover saying 'I have the best math. Tremendous math.'

Stable Genius Math

★

"My wife homeschools our six children. She has not had personal income in fourteen years. According to this website that qualifies her for a fee waiver to legally abandon my name. I need to sit down."

Pastor Dave W.

Verified Husband, Tennessee

★★★★★

"My mother changed her name when she married in 1974. Her courthouse burned down in 1987. The county clerk suggested I 'try Ancestry dot com.' I did. Ancestry dot com also does not have this information. Very helpful overall."

Christine M.

Verified Voter, Kentucky

★

"My wife took my name when we married. That is how it should be. Now the government is making it cheaper for her to take it back. This is not the patriarchy I was promised."

Chad B.

Verified Husband, Texas

★★★★★

"I changed my name twice. Once when I got married, once when I got divorced, once when I got remarried, and once when that husband died and I hyphenated as a tribute. That is four times. I counted. Phenomenal system."

Margaret T.

Verified Voter, Texas

★

"This is not what I voted for. I voted for election integrity. I do not understand how that includes my wife informing me over dinner that keeping her name is, quote, the financially responsible decision. Someone in Washington has some explaining to do."

Craig S.

Verified Husband, Ohio

★★★★★

Bald eagle with combover saying 'the windmills did this'

Master Windmiller

★★★★★

"I ordered a certified copy of my birth certificate. It arrived with my middle name misspelled. It has always been misspelled. I have voted for 40 years with this name. I am now legally a different person. Very exciting at my age."

Ruth Ann P.

Verified Voter, Iowa

★

"My wife took my name before God, our pastor, and two hundred guests. The federal government has now made it cheaper for her to undo that than to prove she did it."

Dale H.

Verified Husband, Mississippi

★★★★★

"The notary at my UPS Store told me I was the fourth woman that week to come in for this reason. She said she's considering raising her rates. This is creating jobs. Tremendous economic stimulus."

Kimberly F.

Verified Voter, Arizona

★

"I make good money. I pay my taxes. I vote every election. My wife has my name, my kids have my name, we go to church every Sunday. The government is now charging her $312 to prove she belongs to this family. No."

Scott B.

Verified Husband, Georgia

★★★★★

Bald eagle with combover saying 'covfefe'

Master Winner

★★★★★

"I asked my county clerk how many women had called about this. She laughed for so long she had to put me on hold. When she came back she was still laughing. She said 'honey you have no idea.' Very professional office."

Linda H.

Verified Voter, Georgia

★

"My fiancee was going to take my name. Then she ran this calculator. Now she says keeping her name is 'the rational choice.' I blame Congress."

Austin M.

Verified Fiance, Florida

★★★★★

"I called the SSA to update my name. The hold time was four hours. At hour two, they played 'My Way' by Frank Sinatra. At hour three, they played it again. I have not heard that song since but I think about it every day. Congress did this."

Patricia G.

Verified Voter, Florida

★

"I am a libertarian. I do not believe in government interference in the family. I would like someone to explain to me what the hell this is then."

Randy P.

Verified Libertarian, Montana

★

"I googled 'poll tax' after using this calculator. I need everyone to know that I googled 'poll tax.'"

Kevin R.

Verified Voter, Texas

"I voted for this. I am not going to say anything else."

Name withheld

Verified Voter, Florida

★★★★★

Bald eagle with combover saying 'best poll tax ever'

Math in Chief

* All reviews are from real Americans who are totally fine and definitely not furious. The Department of Nominal Independence neither solicited nor verified these reviews, as that would require certified documentation.

The Math Congress Didn't Do

All estimates. Fees vary by county. We're just doing math.

Step 1

⚠️ PATH A: THE FINE PRINT Under the SAVE Act, you must present your documents in person every time you move, change your address, or update your registration. This is not a one-time cost. This is every election cycle, by law, by design, forever.

PATH A

Gather Documents

Do this process again? Yes. Every time you move or update registration.

Documents needed: Full chain. Every time.

PATH B

Get a Passport

Do this process again? Only if it expires or your name changes again.

Documents needed: Just your passport.

PATH C

Change Name Back

Do this process again? No. Never again.

Documents needed: Birth cert + DL. That's it. Forever.

The Math Congress Didn't Do

All estimates. Fees vary by county. We're just doing math.

E Pluribus Burocratum

DONImath.org

📋 Find Your State's Filing Instructions ↓

The Unintended Consequence

Congress accidentally created a financial incentive to reclaim your birth name. The math is below.

Cartoon groom holding stacks of money, grinning

$0. Filing fee if you qualify for a fee waiver.

Fee waivers are available to anyone receiving public benefits or below your state's income threshold. If you're a stay-at-home spouse with no personal income, you almost certainly qualify.

Changing your name requires a court petition. Filing fees range from $0 to $450 depending on your personal income, which means changing your name back to your birth name may be cheaper than certifying all the documents required to vote.

When it's done, your birth certificate and your driver's license match. You never have to do this again.

Not because of feminism. Not because of divorce. Because the United States Congress made it the most rational financial decision available to you.

All costs are estimates. Fees vary by county.

Find Your Local Bureaucracy

Pick a state. Any state. They all have paperwork.

Estimated fees and filing instructions for name change petitions. Select your state below.

Select a state above to see your paperwork.