ID Document Change

California Courts: Gender Change Resource Page

Links to form and instructions for changing your gender with the California Department of Motor Vehicles

**Please note as of January 2011 the U.S. Passport regulations have changed. Under the new policy, a transgender person can obtain a passport reflecting his or her current gender by submitting a certification from their attending physician (formerly this letter must have been from a gynecologist, endocrinologist, psychiatrist, or urologist) confirming that he or she has had appropriate clinical treatment for gender transition.We will be updating ID Please in the near future, however until then please refer to NCTE’s Passport Publication for detailed information about the gender change policy.

Links to Online forms for California Change of Name and/or Gender

Hundreds, if not thousands, of transgender people petition California courts each year for an order recognizing their change of name and/or gender. TLC helps a good number of them fill out the appropriate paperwork and understand the filing process.Below, you will find links to the forms currently available through the California Judicial Council website. If you have any questions about how to fill out these forms or any questions about the requirements for getting an order that recognizes your change of name and/or gender, please contact TLC at info@transgenderlawcenter.org or (415) 865-0176.In addition to the Change of Name & the Change of Name and Gender forms, the state has just released forms for changing only gender. These forms are for anyone who is not changing their name or has already secured a court order change of name. It is unclear currently if these forms require a publication in a newspaper so please contact us at the email address or phone number above for clarification.Three quick notes before you begin:All of these forms require that you have some version of Adobe Acrobat to read them. The “fillable” forms require more recent versions of the software.”Fillable” means you can fill in the boxes on-line and print them out. “Printable” means you print them out blank and fill them in by hand

Regardless of whether you are petitioning for a change of name, a change of name and gender, or a change of gender, you will need to fill out a “Civil Case Cover Sheet” (instructions for filing this out properly are included at the bottom of this page) and may, if you qualify, receive a “Fee Waiver.”

Finally, if you are completing a NC-210 or NC-310, you can either have your physician/surgeon complete their declaration directly on the form or submit it as a separate letter (in which case you should write in “please see attached declaration” on the form).

Name Change:

Printable:
- Civil Case Cover Sheet
- Petition for Change of Name
- Petitioner’s Information
- Order to Show Cause for Change of Name
- Decree Changing Name

Fillable:
- Civil Case Cover Sheet
- Petition for Change of Name
- Petitioner’s Information
- Order to Show Cause for Change of Name
- Decree Changing Name

Name and Gender Change:

Printable:
- Civil Case Cover Sheet
- Petition for Change of Name and Gender
- Petitioner’s Information
- Declaration of Physician
- OSC for Change of Name
- Decree Changing Name and Gender

Fillable:
- Civil Case Cover Sheet
- Petition for Change of Name and Gender
- Petitioner’s Information
- Declaration of Physician
- OSC for Change of Name
- Decree Changing Name and Gender

Gender Change:

Printable:
- Civil Case Cover Sheet
- Petition for Change of Gender and Issuance of New Birth Certificate
- Declaration of Physician
- Notice of Petition
- Order for Change of Gender

Fillable:
- Civil Case Cover Sheet
- Petition for Change of Gender and Issuance of New Birth Certificate
- Declaration of Physician
- Notice of Petition
- Order for Change of Gender

Fee Waiver Forms and Instructions:

Information Sheet On Waiver of Court Fees and Costs (instructions)
Application for Waiver of Court Fees and Costs (printable)
Application for Waiver of Court Fees and Costs (fillable)
Order On Application for Waiver of Court Fees and Costs (printable)
Order On Application for Waiver of Court Fees and Costs (fillable)

Directions for completing the Civil Case Cover Sheet:

Just check:
Unlimited in the box on the top left
Question #1 “Other petition” (it’s the last option in the bottom right corner)
Question #2 “is not”
Question #3 b. nonmonetary
Question #4 1 cause of action
Question #5 “is not”

Change of Gender -DMV form (DL 329)

NEW PROCEDURE FOR OBTAINING A NAME AND GENDER MARKER CHANGE ON YOUR CALIFORNIA DRIVER’S LICENSE

Effective May 11, 2009, the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) changed the process for changing your name and gender marker on your California Driver’s License. There is no longer a single form that you can use to simultaneously change both your name and your gender. From now on, you must submit a form DL 329 to change you gender, and a form DL 44 to change your name.

To change your gender on your California driver’s license:

1. Obtain the DMV Medical Certification and Authorization (Gender Change) Form DL 329 available athttp://www.dmv.ca.gov/forms/dl/dl329.pdf
2. The DL 329 must be completed by a licensed U.S. physician or psychologist.
3. The physician or psychologist must designate whether your “gender identification” and “demeanor” are male or female.
4. The physician or psychologist must also designate whether your gender identification is “complete” or “transitional.” However, only a licensed U.S. physician (and not a psychologist) can certify that your gender identification is “complete.”
5. If your physician or psychologist indicates on the DL 329 that your gender identification is “transitional,” you must submit a new form DL 329 every 5 years. If a new form DL 329 is not submitted, your original gender marker will be restored.
6. If your physician or psychologist indicates on the DL 329 that
your gender identification is “complete,” you will not be required to submit new information about your gender to obtain a new or renewed license.

** Please note that you still do not need to have SRS to change your gender marker on your driver’s license!

To change your name on your California driver’s license:

1. Obtain and complete the Driver License or Identification Card Application form DL 44. The Form DL 44 is available only at your local DMV office. Note that you may need to provide additional documentation to ensure that the name provided on the application is your true full name.

2. The most common and acceptable form of additional documentation is a court-ordered name change.

3. Other types of acceptable additional documentation include a birth certificate, passport, military ID card, U.S. naturalization certificate, American Indian card, or U.S. citizenship card. Birth and identity documents from other countries may also qualify. HOWEVER, this additional form of identification must state your current true name as you want it to appear on your driver’s license. It cannot be your birth or other former name.

4. Other types of acceptable information include official judicial decrees such as: an adoption decree; a marriage certificate; a dissolution of marriage certificate; a domestic partnership registration certificate or declaration; or a dissolution of domestic partnership certificate of judgment. Again, this additional form of identification must state your current true name as you want it to appear on your driver’s license. It cannot be your birth or other former name.

To change both your name and your gender on your California driver’s license:

1. Complete both form DL 329 and form DL 44 as well as attach additional proof of identity to form DL 44 such as a court-ordered name change. If you have any questions, or if you need assistance, TLC will continue to offer assistance obtaining court-ordered name and gender changes.