Maine

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.

COVID-19 disruptions: Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, many courts and government offices have made significant changes to their operating procedures. This may cause delays in the processing of your name or gender marker change requests as a result. Contact your local court or other government offices for more details. You should keep dated copies of any materials you submit by mail or electronically. We understand this is a hardship for many, and we encourage you to reach out for support if you are distressed.

Not sure where to start? Here's a quick overview.

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

Last updated February 2023

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

Federal IDs and Records:

Maine Name Change Laws

To obtain a legal name change in Maine, an applicant must submit a petition to the probate court. There is a publication requirement which can be waived if the applicant is a victim of abuse or is currently in reasonable fear for their safety. (Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 18-A, § 1-701)

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

Maine Drivers License Policy & Procedures

As of November 2019, Maine residents no longer need certification from a medical provider in order to change the gender on their driver's licenses or state ID cards. Applicants can change the gender marker to M, F, or X (non-binary). In order to update the name and/or gender on a Maine ID, the applicant must submit the following:

To update the name, a document demonstrating the legal name change, such as a court order. Applicants must notify the BMV of a legal name change within 30 days of the name change.
To update the gender marker, a Gender Designation Form requesting that the driver's license or non-driver state ID card read male (M), female (F), or non-binary (X).

The Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles addresses obtaining a driver's license here.

Maine Birth Certificate Laws

Maine will issue an amended birth certificate with a letter from a physician verifying that the surgery/treatment has been "completed".

The applicant should submit the following documents:

An Application to Correct a Vital Record (indicating that the sex must be corrected);
A Physician's Affidavit for Legal Change of Sex (signed in front of a notary public);
If changing the name, the legal name change order from the probate court and Request to Amend Name on Birth Certificate; and
A check for $60 (includes one certified copy of the new record) payable to the Treasurer of the State of Maine.

Submit the application via mail to the following address:

Data, Research, and Vital Statistics (DRVS)
220 Capitol Street
11 State House Station
Augusta, Maine 04333-0011

Please note: the updated record will include a description of the evidence submitted in support of the correction (22 M.R.S. § 2705), but the printed certificate should not show the old information.