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Driver’s license and state ID in Michigan

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

Michigan lets you choose M, F, or X on your driver's license or state ID by signing the Secretary of State's Sex Designation Form. No doctor's letter, surgery, or court order is needed. You must go to a Secretary of State office; the fee is $9 for a license or $10 for an ID.

Main cost
$9
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. Forms
  5. Requirements
  6. After you finish
  7. Tips
  8. Laws and other guides
  9. Sources

How it works

The Michigan Department of State (Secretary of State, SOS) changes the sex designation on a license or state ID when you sign its Sex Designation Form, swearing under penalty of perjury that the change is so your ID accurately reflects your identity. You choose female (F), male (M), or nonbinary (X). The SOS says the information on the form is not shared.

Changing your name is a separate correction. It needs proof of the legal name change (such as a certified court order), and Social Security must have your new name first. You can do both at the same visit.

Steps

  1. Fill out and sign the Sex Designation Form[2][1]

    Print it at home or complete it at the office. Check F, M, or X and sign with an original signature.

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

    Optional

    The SOS verifies names against Social Security records and will deny a name change if SSA has not updated your name. Bring a certified copy of your court order to the SOS office.

  3. Visit a Secretary of State office[1][3]

    Schedule an office visit (average 20 minutes). Bring your current Michigan license or ID and the signed form, plus proof of your new legal name if the name is changing, and proof of legal presence if you also want to convert to REAL ID. A new photo is taken, and you pay the correction fee by card, cash, check, or money order.

    Cost
    $9 driver's license correction (sex designation or name); $10 state ID correction (sex designation or name)

  4. Get your new card by mail[1][4]

    You leave with a temporary paper credential. The card is printed off-site and mailed, usually within two or three weeks; contact the SOS if it has not arrived after 30 days.

    Time
    2 to 3 weeks (up to 30 days)

Costs and fee waivers

No fee waiver is available for this step.[1]

No fee waiver is listed for corrections. Michigan offers no-fee state IDs to certain groups; ask at the office whether you qualify.

WhatCostNotes
Driver's license correction (sex designation or name)[1]$9
State ID correction (sex designation or name)[1]$10

More detail

Forms1 form: Sex Designation Form

Open a form for tips on filling it out.

Sex Designation FormMichigan Secretary of State Sex Designation FormRequired

How to fill it out

  • Section A: your name, address, license or ID number, and date of birth exactly as they appear on your current card.
  • Section B: write your name as shown on the card and check Female (F), Male (M), or Non-binary (X).
  • Section C: optional voter registration questions.
  • Section D: sign and date. Only original signatures are accepted; faxes and photocopies are rejected. You can also ask for a blank form at the office.

Open Sex Designation Form[2]

RequirementsWhere you live, timeline
Where you live
For holders of (or applicants for) a Michigan driver's license or state ID.[2][1]
Other
No medical treatment, surgery, or court order is required.
How long it takes

One office visit, then about 2 to 3 weeks for the card to arrive.

After you finishIf you are registered to vote, your registration does not change because sex is not recorded on it, and poll workers are not told to check…

If you are registered to vote, your registration does not change because sex is not recorded on it, and poll workers are not told to check the sex on your ID. Be aware that, as of September 2026, the US passport and Social Security record cannot show X or a changed sex marker; your Michigan card is still valid as ID, including REAL ID if you converted it.

Tips2 tips from people who have done this
  • You can change your sex designation without changing your name, and the other way around.
  • Convert to REAL ID at the same visit by bringing proof of legal presence (for example a passport or certified birth certificate).
Laws and other guides2 other guides

Other trusted guides

Sources

4 sources. Numbers in the text, like [1], point here.Show all
  1. License or ID sex designation correctionMichigan Department of State, Official page. accessed
    “You can denote your sex on your license or ID as nonbinary (X), female (F), or male (M). ... Driver's license - $9 ID - $10”
  2. Sex Designation Form (Rev. 05/2026)Michigan Department of State, Form. accessed
    “I hereby swear, under penalty of perjury, that this request to change the sex designation ... is to ensure that my driver's license or state ID accurately reflects my identity and is not for fraudulent or other illegal purposes.”
  3. License or ID name correctionMichigan Department of State, Official page. accessed
    “If you don't inform the Social Security Administration of your name change, the Secretary of State's office can't process your name change.”
  4. I want to change the gender marker on my ID or birth certificateMichigan Legal Help, Official page. accessed
    “The SOS should send you your new ID or license within two or three weeks, but it could take up to 30 days.”