Colorado

ID Documents Center

Welcome to our one-stop hub for name and gender change information. Find out how to update your name and gender on state and federal IDs and records.

Most courts and government offices have resumed normal operations with the formal end of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency. Make sure to contact your local court or other government offices for details on their current operating hours and procedures, including if they require appointments for in-person visits.. You should keep dated copies of any materials you submit by mail or electronically.

Last updated November 2023

How friendly are the ID policies in your state?
State driver's license policy grades
State birth certificate policy comparison

Name Change, Driver's License & Birth Certificate Policies in:

Federal IDs and Records:

Colorado Name Change Laws

To file a name change in Colorodo:

Follow the instructions provided by the Colorado Judicial Branch.
Utilize the Colorado Name Change Project website, which includes a name change form generator, from to guide you through the process.

Note: according to the CO Name Change Project, forms required for Jefferson County residents are different; we recommend using the specialized JeffCo form generator from the CO Name Change Project.

Where to file:

At your county court or your district court

Do I need to publish my name change in a newspaper?

Maybe; you may submit a Motion for Exemption from the Publication Requirement, included in the Name Change Form Generator or Name Change Form Packet Download from the CO Name Change Project— such motions have been accepted in the past.

Cost:

The filing fee for a petition to change name is $88 in county court or $238 in district court.

If you cannot afford the fee, you can request to file without payment.

Name Changes for Minors Under 18:

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

Legal Overview:

To obtain a legal name change in Colorado, an applicant must submit a petition to the court for a name change order. The applicant must publish notice of the name change in a newspaper at least three times in 21 days, except with good cause. A name change will not be granted for convicted adult felons or delinquents with the equivalent of an adult felony unless there is good cause. The applicant must be fingerprinted, update their criminal history with the new name, and notify District Attorney offices where convicted. (Colo. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§ 13-15-101 & 13-15-102).

Colorado Drivers License Policy & Procedures

The Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles will issue an M, F, or X on a Colorado ID or driver's license.

If you are updating your name, you must first obtain a court ordered name change, then change your name with the Social Security Administration and wait at least 24 hours for the SSA system to update before you are able to change your name on your Colorado license or ID.

In order to update your name and/or gender on a Colorado license or ID, you must submit:

Your application document or current driver's license or identification card;
If changing your name, a court ordered name change;
If changing your gender marker, a completed "Change of Sex Designation" form, signed by the applicant, and by a parent/guardian and health care provider for a minor, affirming the applicant's gender identity; and
Renewal fee.

A new photo will be taken, and you will be issued a temporary driver license, identification card, or identification document. Your new driver license or identification card, or identification document will be mailed to you.

Colorado Birth Certificate Laws

Colorado will amend the gender marker on the birth certificate of an adult to Male, Female, Intersex, or X upon self-attestation of the individual, and will amend the birth certificate of a minor with a signature from a medical or mental health professional. See Vital Statistics Rule 5 CCR 1006-1.

To update your birth certificate submit the following documentation:

A completed Birth Certificate Correction Form
A copy of the requestor's identification
The processing fee
If changing the name, a certified copy of the court order for name change
If over 18 years old, a notarized Sex Designation Form signed by you in front of a notary (you do not need to fill out the bottom section)
If under 18 years old, a notarized Sex Designation Form, signed by the registrant in front of a notary and the bottom filled out and signed by a medical or mental health professional.

Send the documentation to this address:

Vital Records, Birth Unit
4300 Cherry Creek Drive South
Denver, Colorado 80246-1530

The CO Department of Public Health website has information about gender change.

Please note that the department will also accept a court order recognizing the registrant's gender. To get a court order for gender change in Colorado, you can use court forms JDF 76 and 77.