California
- ID documents
- Protective
- Care
- Protective
- Shield lawA state law that protects patients and providers of gender-affirming care from investigations, subpoenas, or extradition attempts by states that ban that care.
- Yes, protects care
California is among the most protective states for trans people.
More about California
Name changes to match gender identity need no publication or hearing, driver's licenses and birth certificates offer M, F, or X by self-attestation, Medi-Cal and regulated private insurance must cover gender-affirming care, and a shield law (SB 107) protects patients and providers from other states' bans. Federal documents (passport, Social Security) are the exception: their sex fields are currently frozen nationwide.
This state’s pages are drafts written from official sources and not yet checked by a person. What this means
Your documents, in order
Most people go in this order, because each office checks the one before it. On every document, updating your name and changing your gender marker are separate questions with separate answers.
- Legal name changeState court
- Name
- YesNo newspaper notice, no hearing
- Social SecurityFederal, same in every state
- Name
- YesAfter your legal name change
- Gender marker
- NoCannot be changed right now
- Driver's license / state IDCalifornia DMV
- Name
- YesAfter your legal name change
- Gender marker
- YesM, F, or X with your own signed form
- US passportFederal, same in every state
- Name
- YesAfter your legal name change
- Gender marker
- NoCannot be changed right now
- Birth certificateOnly if born in California
- Name
- Limited
- Gender marker
- YesM, F, or X with your own signed form
Born somewhere other than California? Your birth certificate follows the state where you were born. Choose your birth state
Gender-affirming care
- Adults
- Allowed
- Under 18
- Allowed
Local help
Statewide organizations
Transgender Law Center[3]
Oakland-based national trans legal organization; legal information helpline and California ID document guides.
Trans Lifeline[4]
Peer-support hotline run by and for trans people, 877-565-8860. Also runs microgrants for ID document fees when funding allows.
877-565-8860Languages: English, Español
Sources for this page (4)
Sources
4 sources. Numbers in the text, like [1], point here.