Tennessee Identity Documents

Tennessee Name Change Laws

To obtain a legal name change in Tennessee, an applicant must submit a petition to the court. No publication is required. Individuals who have prior felony convictions must provide additional documentation, and individuals who have been convicted of first-degree murder, second-degree murder, or sex offense are not eligible to change their name. (Tenn. Code Ann. § 29-8-101 to § 29-8-105 (West))

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

Tennessee Drivers License Policy & Procedures

In order to update a Tennessee ID, the applicant must submit:

1. If updating the name, a court order certifying the name change
2. If updating the gender marker, "A statement from the attending physician that necessary medical procedures to accomplish the change in gender are complete" or a court order recognizing gender change.

See Tennessee Department of Safety Rule addressing name and gender marker changes 1340-1-13-.12 (5) and (6) here. See the Tennessee Department of Safety & Homeland Security website addresses name change here.

Tennessee Birth Certificate Laws

Tennessee specifically prohibits amending sex on a birth certificate: "The sex of an individual will not be changed on the original certificate of birth as a result of sex change surgery." Tenn. Code Ann. § 68-3-203(d).