Trans Resource Navigator

Driver’s license and state ID in North Carolina

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 or F with a letter from a provider

You can change the sex on a North Carolina driver's license or ID to M or F by bringing form DL-300 signed by you and by a doctor, PA, therapist, counselor, psychologist, case worker, or social worker. No surgery is required. X is not available. A 2025 law defining sex took effect in 2026; the form is still in use, but check before you go.

Main cost
$16.75
Apply
In person
Typical wait
up to 20 business days

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

Since January 2019 NCDMV has used the Sex Designation Form (DL-300). You certify that the change is to match your gender identity, and a provider certifies your gender identity in their professional opinion. Instead of the form, you can show a valid US passport or a birth certificate with the requested sex, or a US court order granting a change of sex or gender.

2026 caution: HB 805 (S.L. 2025-84) defines "male" and "female" by sex at conception for all state rules and policies starting January 1, 2026. The law does not mention driver's licenses, and NCDMV still publishes DL-300, but advocates have said they are unsure how agencies will apply it. If an office refuses your DL-300, ask for a supervisor and contact Equality NC or the ACLU of North Carolina.

Changing your name is a separate transaction that requires a certified court order and an updated Social Security record.

Steps

  1. Get DL-300 signed by a provider[1]

    Fill in Part One and ask your doctor, therapist, counselor, case worker, or social worker to complete Part Two. Skip this if your passport or birth certificate already shows the sex you want.

    Form
    DL-300

  2. If your name is changing, update Social Security first[2]

    NCDMV checks your name against Social Security online, so update SSA at least 24 to 36 hours before your DMV visit. You have 60 days after a legal name change to get a duplicate license.

  3. Visit a driver license office[1][2][3]

    Bring your current card (you must surrender it), the signed DL-300 or other proof, and for a name change a certified copy of the court order plus the notarized DL-101. You will have a new photo taken and pay the duplicate fee. Offices take walk-ins, and you can book an appointment online.

    Cost
    $16.75 duplicate driver's license (name or sex change); Free state ID card, age 17 and up

  4. Receive your new card by mail[4]

    The new card is mailed; NCDMV says ID cards arrive within 20 business days.

    Time
    up to 20 business days

Costs and fee waivers

WhatCostNotes
Duplicate driver's license (name or sex change)[5][3]$16.75Set by G.S. 20-14. Online orders through PayIt add a $3 fee plus 1.85%, but sex changes and name changes need an in-person visit.
State ID card, age 17 and up[6][4]FreeFree for anyone 17 or older, and free for younger people who are legally blind, homeless, or have a developmental disability. $16.75 otherwise.

More detail

Forms2 forms: DL-300, DL-101

Open a form for tips on filling it out.

DL-300Sex Designation FormSometimes required: Needed unless you bring a passport or birth certificate already showing the requested…

Needed unless you bring a passport or birth certificate already showing the requested sex, or a court order.

How to fill it out

  • Part One (you): print your name, license or ID number, and address; check Male or Female; sign and date. You certify under penalty of law that the request reflects your gender identity and is not for a fraudulent purpose.
  • Part Two (provider): a physician, psychiatrist, or physician's assistant; a licensed therapist, counselor, or psychologist; or a case worker or social worker fills in their name, organization, license number, address, and phone, checks your gender identity, and signs. No surgery or hormone therapy is required, and no notary is required.

Open DL-300[1]

DL-101Name change affidavit (notarized; obtained at a DMV office)Sometimes required: Only when changing your name.

Open DL-101[2]

RequirementsWhere you live, timeline
Where you live
You must hold or be applying for a North Carolina driver's license or state ID.[1][7][8]
Other
HB 805's sex definitions (effective January 1, 2026) have not, as far as could be confirmed, changed the DL-300 process, but advocates say agency interpretation is uncertain.
How long it takes

One office visit, then up to about 20 business days for the card to arrive.

After you finishA North Carolina license or ID showing your sex is also one way to update an NC birth certificate: NC Vital Records currently accepts a…

A North Carolina license or ID showing your sex is also one way to update an NC birth certificate: NC Vital Records currently accepts a valid NC license or state ID showing the requested sex as proof. The US passport and Social Security record currently cannot show a changed sex marker; your NC card is still valid for REAL ID, TSA, and voting.

Tips2 tips from people who have done this
  • A state ID is free if you are 17 or older, which makes it a no-cost way to get an ID with your correct sex marker if you do not drive.
  • Consider doing this soon. Because of the uncertainty created by HB 805, advocates have urged people to update their license while the DL-300 process is still being used.
Laws and other guides3 laws, 2 other guides

Laws and rules

Other trusted guides

Sources

8 sources. Numbers in the text, like [1], point here.Show all
  1. Form DL-300, Sex Designation Form (Updated 01/2019)NCDMV, Form. accessed
    “Submit one of the following documents: Completed Sex Designation form. Valid U.S. passport displaying the requested sex. Birth certificate displaying the requested sex. Court order issued by a United States court granting change of sex or gender.”
  2. Name changesNCDMV, Official page. accessed
    “an individual changing their name must visit their local Social Security Administration Office at least 24-36 hours before changing their name with NCDMV”
  3. Replacement and duplicate licenseNCDMV, Official page. accessed
  4. State IDsNCDMV, Official page. accessed
    “State ID Card (age 17 & up) $0”
  5. G.S. 20-14, Duplicate licensesNorth Carolina General Assembly, Law. accessed
    “A person may obtain a duplicate of a license issued by the Division by paying a fee of sixteen dollars and seventy-five cents ($16.75)”
  6. G.S. 20-37.7, Special identification cardNorth Carolina General Assembly, Law. accessed
  7. HB 805 (2025), ratified, S.L. 2025-84North Carolina General Assembly, Law. accessed
  8. HB805 Anti-Trans Bill FAQACLU of North Carolina, Organization. accessed
    “we encourage people who have updated their birth certificates to also update their driver's licenses prior to January 1st, 2026 that have not done so yet, as we are unsure how this law will impact the possibility to do so.”