October 9, 2012. AP. Columbia, S.C. The leader of the South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles says an employee made a mistake by refusing to let a man change his name to his wife's name unless he had a court order.

DMV Executive Director Kevin Shwedo said Tuesday that the agency has had a policy for years that treats a man taking his new wife's name the same as a woman taking her new husband's name.

The American Civil Liberties Union wrote a letter to the DMV last week after a Travelers Rest man said he was told to get a court order last month when he sought a new license after taking his wife's name.

The DMV only requires a marriage license to change a name on a driver's license