Minnesota Identity Documents

Minnesota Name Change Laws

To obtain a legal name change in Minnesota, an applicant must submit a petition to the court and bring two witnesses to the court as proof of identity. There is no general publication requirement for adults, but there are publication requirements if the applicant has interest in land or is a minor. The order is filed in a judgment book and auditor’s records, however the court records can be sealed if the applicant is in the witness and victim protection program. Applicants with a felony conviction may request a name change only once. Upon petition approval, applicants with a criminal history must report the name change to Bureau of Apprehension within ten days or will be guilty of a gross misdemeanor. (Minn. Stat. Ann. §§ 259.10-259.13). 

For instructions on legal name changes for minors under 18 in Minnesota, see NCTE's Name Changes for Minors in Minnesota resource.

Minnesota Drivers License Policy & Procedures

Minnesota Driver and Vehicle Services will issue an M, F, or X on a license or state ID upon request of the individual. No documentation is required. DVS clarifies on their website that sex is self-designated.

In order to update the name on a Minnesota ID, the applicant must apply for a duplicate or renewal license and submit a court order certifying the name change. The DVS website has information about name changes.

In order to update the gender marker, the applicant must indicate the appropriate marker of M, F, or X on the application or the renewal. You can indicate the marker on their online application.

Minnesota Birth Certificate Laws

Minnesota will issue a new birth certificate upon receipt of a letter from a physician confirming appropriate clinical treatment for gender transiton or a court order for gender change. The registrar will issue a replacement birth certificate, and the prior birth certificate shall be confidential and shall not be disclosed except pursuant to court order (MN §§ 144.218).

To amend a birth certificate the applicant should submit the following:

• A Birth Certificate Application, signed in front of a notary;
• To change the gender marker, ONE of the following:
  • An original letter from a licensed physician certifying appropriate clinical treatment for gender transition. Include the applicant's name and date of birth that are on the current birth record to positively identify the record; OR
  • A certified copy of a court order that specifically directs amendment of the subject's sex on the birth record.
• To change the name, a certified copy of the court order for name change;
• Applicable fees ($40 for amendment and $26 for the new birth certificate).

The gender change process is on the Department of Health website here, and instructions on the general birth certificate amendment process are available here.