Question: I am a flight instructor and I have just taken on a client who is soon to be married and is concerned about the legal ramifications of taking her spouse’s last name and her aviation career.
How big of a hassle is it for her to change her name on her pilot certificate? Can she still fly with her old (maiden name) ID, or does she have to get a new one to be legal?
Answer: This is a popular topic of discussion among women who hold pilot certificates. Many opt to keep their maiden name and use their spouses name socially. But if she opts to take the spouse’s name, here is what to expect.
According to the FAA, the agency requires the name on a pilot certificate to match the name on the person’s government-issued identification, such as a driver’s license, passport, or military ID. To obtain a new pilot certificate that reflects a legal name change, a pilot must appear at an FAA Flight Standards District Office (FSDO) for positive identification and provide specific documents.
Required documents include a valid government-issued photo ID, current airman certificate, a marriage license, court order, or divorce decree verifying the name change.
The applicant needs to fill out an 8710-1 form and appear in person at the FSDO so that an FAA inspector can review the documents, then issue a FAA form 8060-4/Temporary Airman Certificate.
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