My son is 18 and has a hyphnated last name. He has always used my last name and never his father's last name. This has never been an issue not even in school until now. He went to the DMV and they said he would have to use his name how it is written on the birth-certificate. How do we go about dropping his father's name?

A legal name change is required. This is an international site. Where do you live?

This used to not be a problem, but since drivers licenses are used as official ID in many cases, it has to show his legal name.

However, since he is 18, he does not need anyone's permission to legally change his name. How just needs to go to your local family court, fill out the forms and have a judge issue the order.

Unless he is in one of about three states in which the age of majority is other than 18.