To change your gender marker in California, you self-attest on a state form: no doctor’s letter, therapist’s note, or court order required. The Gender Recognition Act (SB 179) lets you update your driver’s license, ID card, and California birth certificate by declaring under penalty of perjury that the change reflects your gender identity and is not fraudulent. You can choose Female (F), Male (M), or Nonbinary (X). A separate court process exists if you also want a legal name change or need a signed court order for records outside California’s system. Federal agencies, however, have tightened their own rules since early 2025, so updating your California documents does not automatically carry over to a passport or Social Security record.1California Legislative Information. SB 179 Gender Recognition Act
Driver’s License or State ID
The DMV change is the simplest piece. The standard driver’s license and ID application (DL 44) includes a gender category field where you select male, female, or nonbinary, and the DMV cannot require any documentation beyond your own selection.2California Legislative Information. SB 179 Gender Recognition Act – Vehicle Code Section 12800
Start a new DL/ID application online, then visit a DMV office to finalize it. At the office you will give a thumbprint and have a new photo taken. The gender marker is processed based solely on what you selected on the form.3California Department of Motor Vehicles. Change Gender on Drivers License or ID Card
You pay the standard replacement fee. A Class C driver’s license is $37. A standard ID card is $40, a reduced-fee ID card is $11, and ID cards for people age 62 or older are free.4California Department of Motor Vehicles. Licensing Fees Book an appointment ahead of time to avoid long waits.
California Birth Certificate
If you were born in California, the Department of Public Health (CDPH) Vital Records office handles birth certificate amendments. The form is the VS 24B, Application to Amend a Birth Record. The current version (01/2026) includes space for the self-attestation language the law requires.5California Department of Public Health. VS 24B Application to Amend a Birth Record
You have two ways to provide the sworn statement. Either attach a separate notarized affidavit, or write the self-attestation language directly in the “reason for the correction” field on the VS 24B. The statement must attest under penalty of perjury that the change conforms to your gender identity and is not made for any fraudulent purpose.6California Legislative Information. SB 179 Gender Recognition Act – Health and Safety Code Section 103426 If you went through the court process instead, include a certified copy of the court order.
Mail the completed packet to CDPH Vital Records. The fee to change the sex field is $26. Each certified copy of the amended certificate costs $31.7California Department of Public Health. Vital Records Fees Order several copies at the time of your amendment, because you will need them to update other records. CDPH creates a new birth certificate and seals the original, so the prior record is not publicly accessible, and the new certificate carries no notation that it was amended.
When You Need a Court Order Instead
A court order is not required for the DMV or birth certificate changes above. You need one in two situations: you also want a legal name change, or you need an official decree for records held by other states, certain employers, or institutions that will not accept California’s self-attestation.
Forms and Filing
The main Judicial Council form is the Petition for Recognition of Change of Gender and Sex Identifier (NC-300). You also prepare the Order Recognizing Change of Gender (NC-330), which is what the judge signs, and the Name and Information About the Person (NC-110).8California Courts. Petition for Recognition of Change of Gender and Sex Identifier, Name Change, and Issuance of New Certificates Your petition must include an affidavit attesting under penalty of perjury that the gender change conforms to your gender identity and is not fraudulent. The court is required to accept that affidavit as conclusive proof.9California Legislative Information. SB 179 Gender Recognition Act – Health and Safety Code Section 103430
File with the Superior Court in the county where you live. The filing fee ranges from $435 to $450 depending on the county.10Judicial Branch of California. File the Petition to Recognize Your Gender Change If you cannot afford it, ask the court clerk for a fee waiver application when you file.
Timing and Privacy
A gender-related name change petition is exempt from the newspaper publication requirement that applies to ordinary name changes, so your petition will not appear in a local newspaper. The court posts a six-week objection period, and if no one files a written objection showing good cause, the judge grants the order without a hearing. Objections based solely on disagreement with the petitioner’s gender identity do not count as good cause.11California Legislative Information. California Code of Civil Procedure CCP 1277.5
Expect roughly six to eight weeks from filing to a signed order. Once the judge signs, the clerk provides a certified copy of the NC-330, which is your proof of the gender change and any legal name change. Order extra certified copies at the time of issuance; fees vary by county but are generally modest.
Changes for Minors
California allows minors to change their gender marker, but the court process requires parental involvement. If both parents agree, they file a joint petition requesting recognition of the child’s gender change and, if desired, a name change. Both parents sign.12California Courts. Child Change Gender and Name Both Parents
If only one parent signs, the other parent must be formally served with notice and given a chance to object. If that parent cannot be located, the court can authorize alternative service. The six-week objection period and no-hearing procedure work the same way as for adults, and court records for a minor’s gender and name change are kept confidential.
To update a minor’s birth certificate without going to court, a parent can use the VS 24B form with the self-attestation language, following the standard CDPH process.5California Department of Public Health. VS 24B Application to Amend a Birth Record
What California Documents Will Not Do
Changing your California records does not change your federal records. This is where people are most likely to get caught off guard.
U.S. Passports
The State Department no longer issues passports with an X gender marker and will only issue passports with an M or F marker matching the applicant’s sex at birth. If you apply for a new passport or a renewal requesting a different marker, the agency will issue the passport reflecting your sex at birth based on supporting documents and prior passport records.13U.S. Department of State. Sex Marker in Passports
Passports already issued with a gender marker reflecting your identity, including those with an X marker, remain valid until they expire. Renewing or replacing that passport will trigger the current policy, and the new document will reflect sex at birth. Be cautious about any passport change right now, because even a name-only update can result in the sex marker being changed back.
Social Security
The Social Security Administration is also not currently processing gender marker changes. The physical card does not display a gender, but the underlying SSA record contains a sex designation that feeds into credit reports, financial aid records, and other federal databases. Name changes on Social Security records are still being processed with a court order. These federal restrictions are the subject of ongoing litigation, so the picture could shift. Check with a legal aid organization for the latest status before attempting any federal update.
Selective Service
Federal Selective Service registration is based on sex assigned at birth, not your current gender marker. If you were assigned male at birth, you are required to register between ages 18 and 25, even if your legal gender marker has been changed to female. If you were assigned female at birth and have changed your gender marker to male, you are not required to register.14Selective Service System. Who Must Register Chart
This matters beyond the military context. Selective Service registration is tied to federal student financial aid eligibility, federal job applications, and U.S. citizenship applications for immigrants. Failing to register when required can create problems in each of those areas, so verify your obligation regardless of your current legal gender.