Washington Identity Documents

Overview 

• Name Change (Adult): Yes.
• Name Change (Minor): Yes. May require parental consent. 
• Birth Certificate (Name): Yes. Requires court order. 
• Birth Certificate (Gender Marker): Yes. Does not require a court order. 
• State ID / Driver’s License (Name): Yes. A court order or birth certificate is required. 
• State ID / Driver’s License (Gender Marker): Yes. Can self-identify without a court order or medical documentation. X gender marker is available.
• Restrictions based on Criminal History: If you are currently incarcerated, on probation, on parole, or on post-prison supervision, you must provide notice to the Department of Corrections of the petition as well as the name change order.

If you’re thinking about updating your name or gender marker, congratulations! The process and information below might seem overwhelming. Take it one step at a time. There’s additional resources and organizations linked below to help you. You’ve got this!

Washington Name Changes (for Adults)

To obtain a legal name change in Washington State, you submit a petition to the court. No publication is required. You can file in any county in Washington, it doesn’t have to be where you live.  

There are 2 types of name changes in Washington. Sealed name changes and non-sealed name changes. Non-sealed name changes are filed in District Court. You get the forms for a non-sealed name change from the District Court you plan to use. Sealed name changes are filed in Superior Court. You can ask for a sealed name change if you are changing your name for gender expression or identity reasons. If you get a sealed name change, you will have to go through a special process when you update your ID with the Department of Licensing. Get the court forms you need for a sealed name change.

Both types of name change cases require a filing fee that can cost as much as $300 or more. If you can’t afford the filing fee, you can ask for a filing fee waiver. 

Individuals under the jurisdiction of the Department of Corrections must give the department a copy of the application at least five days before the order is entered. The court can deny the application except for legitimate religious, cultural, or marital reasons. (Wash. Rev. Code Ann. § 4.24.130). If you are under DOC jurisdiction, you can only ask for a non-sealed name change. Learn more about name changes for people in prison and jails in Washington. If you live in a prison in Washington, use Disability Rights Washington’s guide about name changes while incarcerated.

Washington Name Changes (for Minors)

Minors can get a name change in Washington. Both parents might have to consent to the name change. To learn about non-sealed name changes for minors under 18 in Washington, contact the District Court you plan to use. Each District Court has its own rules and requirements for minor name changes. Minors can get also sealed name change using a Superior Court. Get the court forms you need for a sealed minor name change. 

If you were born in Washington and are still under 18, you might be able to get a name change through a birth certificate change. This is a way to change your first and middle name without a court order. It is often cheaper than getting a court ordered name change. If all the parents agree, you can change the first and middle name of your minor child once through a birth certificate amendment form.

Washington Driver’s Licenses

Washington state will issue a driver's license or state ID with a gender marker of M, F, or X. No documentation from a doctor or a court is needed. 

To update the name and/or gender on a Washington state ID:

1. If changing name, a document demonstrating the name change, such as a court order or birth certificate, 
2. If changing gender, a Change of Gender Designation form indicating M, F, or X, signed by the applicant. You can also get the form in Spanish, Russian and Vietnamese. 
3. A copy of your valid WA driver license, ID card, EDL, EID, or instruction permit 
4. Payment of the driver licensing fee. 
   • If you don’t need a photo change, mail in the form and it should be free to get a replacement ID through the mail. The replacement ID should list the gender designation you chose on the form.
   • If you do need a photo change, submit your form in person at a DOL office. You’ll pay a replacement fee because of the photo change.
   • If you’re getting an ID for the first time, you’ll pay for the ID itself and can choose which gender designation for that ID. ID costs will vary depending on which type of ID you’re getting.

You can submit the form at a driver licensing office location or mail the Change of Gender Designation Request Form to the following address:

Programs and Services, Record Response 
Department of Licensing 
PO Box 9030 
Olympia WA 98507-9030

You will receive an authorization letter and then can receive your new card online or at a driver licensing office.

The Washington State Department of Licensing addresses name change here and gender change here.

Washington Birth Certificates

Washington State will change the sex designation on a birth certificate to M, F, or X upon request of the applicant. No provider documentation is required for adults over 18 or emancipated minors. 

To apply for an updated birth certificate, the applicant should submit:

• If applicant is an adult over 18 years of age or an emancipated minor, a filled out Request to Change Sex Designation on a Birth Certficate for an Adult, signed in front of a notary
• If applicant is a minor under 18 years of age, a filled out Request to Change Sex Designation on a Birth Certificate for a Minor, signed by a parent or legal guardian AND a health care/mental health care provider
• If changing the name as well, a Court Order Legal Name Change Request and a certified copy of the court ordered name change
• There is no fee to amend the record. For a certified copy of the new birth certificate, submit a Mail Order Form along with a personal check or money order of $25 for each birth certificate you are purchasing. Additional processing and shipping fees may apply.

Washington State Department of Health 
Center for Health Statistics  
PO Box 47814 
Olympia, WA 98504 

The Washington State Department of Health has instructions for a gender change on a birth certificate here. For additional help, call (360) 236-4300 or email [email protected]. 

If you live in Washington now but were born somewhere that requires a court order to change your birth certificate, you can use these court forms to get a court order to amend your birth certificate. You will file the case in a Superior Court in the county that you live in.

Additional Resources

• If you have a low income, you might be able to get a lawyer for a contested minor name change case or a birth certificate amendment court order case. If you have a low income and need help with one of those types of cases, contact Northwest Justice Project through the online intake request and say that you need help with that kind of case and what county you live in.  
• You might be able to get legal referral or other support from Q-Law Foundation of Washington. 
• If you live in Eastern Washington, you might be able to get help from the Lincoln LGBTQ+ Legal Rights Clinic at Gonzaga School of Law.  
• If you live in a prison in WA, Disability Rights Washington has information to support you.