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Driver’s license and state ID in Maryland

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  • Page changed: MVA Fees (2026-10-05) · #137
  • Page changed: Changing Gender Designation (2026-10-05) · #136
Update your name
YesAfter your legal name change
Gender markerThe sex or gender field (M, F, or X) printed on an ID document or stored in an agency's record.
YesM, F, or X with your own signed form

You can change the sex on a Maryland driver's license, learner's permit, or ID card to M, F, or X by checking a box and certifying your choice at an MVA branch. No doctor's letter, court order, or birth certificate change is needed. It costs $30 for a corrected card, and you can do it in person only.

Main cost
$30
Apply
In person

Draft from official sources, September 24, 2026. Not yet checked by a person. How we verify

On this page
  1. How it works
  2. Steps
  3. Costs and fee waivers
  4. Requirements
  5. After you finish
  6. Tips
  7. Laws and other guides
  8. Sources

How it works

Since October 1, 2019, Maryland law lets every applicant choose female, male, or unspecified/other (X), and the MVA may not require proof of sex or deny an application because your choice does not match another document (Transportation Article § 12-305). There is no separate form: you answer "yes" when the system asks if you want to change your gender, pick M, F, or X, and certify it. You can change it again later; each change is charged as a corrected card.

Changing your name is separate: bring your certified court order (or marriage/divorce record), and update Social Security first, because the MVA checks that your name matches SSA's record.

Steps

  1. If you are changing your name, update Social Security first[3]

    Take your certified name change order and photo ID to Social Security. Wait until SSA's record shows the new name (usually a few days) before going to the MVA. Skip this step if you are only changing your gender marker.

  2. Check which documents to bring[3]

    Use the MVA's REAL ID Look Up Tool (mymva.maryland.gov) to see whether you still owe REAL ID documents. For a name change, also bring the certified court order. No documents are needed for the gender marker itself.

  3. Go to any MVA branch in person[3][4][1][2]

    Gender changes cannot be done online or at a kiosk. At the counter, answer "yes" when asked if you want to change your gender, choose M, F, or X, and certify your choice. A new photo is taken and the corrected-card fee is charged. Your expiration date does not change if you do this outside your renewal cycle. You can also do it during a regular renewal and pay only the renewal fee.

    Cost
    $30 corrected driver's license; $30 corrected photo ID card

Costs and fee waivers

No fee waiver is available for this step.[4]

No general low-income waiver. ID cards are free for people 65 and older and for people with a qualifying disability.

WhatCostNotes
Corrected driver's license[4][3]$30MVA fee table. The MVA gender page mentions $20; confirm at the branch.
Corrected photo ID card[4]$30ID cards are free if you are 65 or older or have a disability that limits a major life activity.

More detail

RequirementsAge, timeline
Age
Under 18, a parent or guardian must sign the application; if they do not sign, the card is not issued.
Other
If you have not yet shown REAL ID documents (identity, Social Security number, two proofs of Maryland address), you may need to bring them to this visit. Use the MVA's REAL ID Look Up Tool to check.
How long it takes

The change is made at a single branch visit.

After you finishWith a corrected license you can update your passport name (sex marker changes on U.S.

With a corrected license you can update your passport name (sex marker changes on U.S. passports are currently not being processed), your bank, and your employer. If you were born in Maryland, see the birth certificate guide; the MVA does not require your birth certificate to match.

Tips3 tips from people who have done this
  • You do not need to change your birth certificate first. Maryland law forbids the MVA from denying your application because your chosen marker differs from another document.
  • If you are renewing soon anyway, make the change at renewal so you pay only once.
  • An X marker may cause problems with some federal systems and in some other states; consider your travel plans.
Laws and other guides2 laws, 2 other guides

Laws and rules

Other trusted guides

Sources

4 sources. Numbers in the text, like [1], point here.Show all
  1. Transportation Article § 12-305Maryland General Assembly, Law. accessed
    “The Administration may not require an applicant for a license, an identification card, or a moped operator's permit to provide proof of the applicant's sex.”
  2. Chapter 649 (SB 196), 2019 Laws of MarylandMaryland General Assembly, Law. accessed
  3. Changing Gender DesignationMaryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration, Official page. accessed
    “No, you will only be able to change your gender in person at a MDOT MVA branch office.”
  4. MVA FeesMaryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration, Official page. accessed
    “Driver's License Corrected $30.00; Photo ID Card - Duplicate/Correction $30.00”