Missouri Gender Marker Change

ID Gender Marker Change

UPDATE (Feb. 2025): Volunteer attorneys and paralegals with STL Name & Gender Marker Change Mutual Aid have been working hard behind the scenes to define a new process for people to change the gender markers on their Missouri State ID/DL.

At the same time, we are fighting at the State Capitol to block proposed laws that would ban all gender marker changes.

As of now, there is NO clear policy at Missouri DOR for changing someone's gender marker. HOWEVER, if you are seeking a legal name change, send us an email and we might be able to help you add a gender marker change order right onto that same case.

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UPDATE (Nov. 2024): Missouri Form 5532 is no longer being accepted by the DOR and, at this time, there is no alternative form for changing the gender marker on a MO State ID/DL.

Missouri residents who wish to change the gender marker on their MO State ID/DL must now obtain a Court Order from a judge finding that their sex has been "changed by surgical procedure".

Or, Missouri residents who were born in certain other states have the option of changing the gender marker on their out-of-state Birth Certificate and then taking that new Birth Certificate to a MO License Office (DMV) to request a gender marker change on their MO State ID/DL.

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UPDATE (Sept. 2024): In August 2024, a handful of unelected bureaucrats in the Missouri Department of Revenue unilaterally decided to suddenly and secretly remove Form 5532 from their website and stop accepting it at license offices. They refuse to give any details as to what process can be used in place of Form 5532 for Missourians seeking a gender marker change on their state ID/DL.
We stand with everyone who is harmed by their transphobia, and we are working to fight for our community members to once again have access to accurate government ID documents.

In the meantime, we are asking people to pressure their local elected officials to create municipal photo ID card programs with self-determined gender markers.

We suggest that trans Missourians who are seeking the safety and security of having a government photo ID with their accurate gender marker consider getting a U.S. Passport Card (or Passport booklet), which allows you to select your own gender marker without requiring any supporting evidence.
U.S. Passport gender marker options include "M", "F", and "X".

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If you are interested, you can request a gender designation change on your state issued ID when updating your ID to reflect your name change. This takes some extra steps including meeting with a Physician, Therapist/Counselor, or Social Worker that is willing to support you in the gender marker change application.

You will need to present the following to any DMV:

You MAY be asked to present

Birth Certificate Gender Change

Regardless of what state someone resides in now, if they were born in Missouri then they generally must follow Missouri's legal requirements to amend the gender marker on their Missouri birth certificate. There is a legal requirement that the person has had a "surgical procedure", but the definition of that has not been settled.

With enough knowledge and perseverance, many types of legal matters can be resolved without an attorney. However, there are some types of cases that seem to require an attorney in order to obtain a successful outcome.

We are very sorry to say that the process to change the gender marker on a Missouri birth certificate has become so legally fuzzy and so bureaucratically complex (at least in the St. Louis area courts) that we do not feel comfortable suggesting anyone attempt to do it without an attorney. 

Frankly, the St. Louis County and St. Louis City judges are transphobic and/or caving into pressure from transphobic politicians. They continue to move the goalpost concerning what kind of medical evidence they require to approve gender marker changes.
Additionally, the Missouri Bureau of Vital Records seems to be finding more and more reasons to reject gender marker amendments.

For the foreseeable future, a Missouri birth certificate gender marker change is almost always going to need a lawyer to be involved, and hiring one often costs around $1000.00.

HOWEVER, from what we have heard, many people are comfortable leaving the birth certificate gender marker so long as the gender marker on their state ID and/or passport changes (which does not need a lawyer).
That being said, we believe in mutual aid and letting people choose what is best for them. Soooooo ...