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Tennessee birth certificates

Change detected, under review. An official source this page relies on changed recently. Part of this page may be out of date until we review it.

  • Page changed: Tenn. Code Ann. § 68-3-203 (2026-10-12) · #244
  • Page changed: Tenn. Code Ann. § 1-3-105(c) (2026-10-12) · #235
  • Page changed: Applications (2026-10-05) · #182
  • Page changed: Tenn. Code Ann. § 68-3-203 (2026-09-28) · #45
  • Page changed: Tenn. Code Ann. § 1-3-105(c) (2026-09-28) · #40
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.
NoCannot be changed right now

Tennessee law does not allow changing the sex on a Tennessee birth certificate, and a federal appeals court upheld this in 2024. You can update your name on it by mailing a certified copy of your court order and $30 ($15 amendment fee plus $15 for a new copy).

Main cost
$15
Apply
By mail or in person
Typical wait
about 2 weeks

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

This applies only if you were born here. Birth certificates follow your birth state, not where you live now. Choose your birth state

In court: Gore v. Lee, No. 23-5669

The ban stays in force. There is no court order requiring Tennessee to change sex markers.[3]

About this case

Four trans women born in Tennessee argued that refusing to change the sex on their birth certificates violated equal protection and a due-process right to informational privacy. The court ruled 2 to 1 for the state on July 12, 2024 (107 F.4th 548).

US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. Last update 2024-07-12. Case page

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

Tennessee Code § 68-3-203(d) says: "The sex of an individual shall not be changed on the original certificate of birth as a result of sex change surgery." Tennessee Vital Records applies this to all gender-related requests: it corrects the sex only when the entry was a recording mistake at birth, proven with an affidavit and documentary evidence. In Gore v. Lee (2024), four trans women born in Tennessee challenged the policy; the Sixth Circuit held that it does not violate the Constitution. A court order recognizing your gender will not change the result, and 2023's definition of "sex" in state law (§ 1-3-105(c)) points the same way.

You can change the name. Under § 68-3-203(c), the state registrar must amend the certificate to show a new name when given a certified copy of a court order changing it.

This guide applies only to people born in Tennessee. If you were born in another state, that state's rules control your birth certificate, even if you live in Tennessee.

Steps

  1. Get a court order changing your name[11]

    See the name change guide. You need a certified copy of the order from the court clerk.

  2. Mail the order and fees to Vital Records[5][6][10]

    Send:

    1. An original, certified copy of the court order that changed your name.
    2. A check or money order payable to Tennessee Vital Records: $15 for the amendment (no fee if it is within 6 months of birth) plus $15 for each certified copy of the corrected certificate you want.
    3. Optionally, form PH-1186 and a photocopy of your photo ID.

    Mail to: Tennessee Vital Records, 1st Floor, Andrew Johnson Tower, 710 James Robertson Parkway, Nashville, TN 37243.

    Cost
    $15 amending a certificate (more than 6 months after birth); $15 certified copy of a birth certificate (each)

  3. Wait about two weeks[7]

    Vital Records lists 2 weeks for court-ordered name changes (as of June 23, 2026), if your record is on file. Times change with volume.

    Time
    about 2 weeks

  4. Order more copies later from any county health department[9][6]

    Optional

    Once your record is updated, any Tennessee county health department, the Nashville office (walk-in, same day), or the online vendor can issue certified copies for $15 each.

    Cost
    $15 certified copy of a birth certificate (each)

Costs and fee waivers

No fee waiver is available for this step.[6]

WhatCostNotes
Amending a certificate (more than 6 months after birth)[6]$15
Certified copy of a birth certificate (each)[6]$15

More detail

Forms2 forms: PH-1186, PH-1654

Open a form for tips on filling it out.

PH-1186Application to Amend a Tennessee Birth RecordOptional

Vital Records' general amendment form. Its name-change instructions ask only for the certified court order and fees, but including this form can help identify your record.

Open PH-1186[8][5]

PH-1654Application for a Certified Copy of a Certificate of BirthOptional

Use it to order copies of the corrected certificate, or to order copies later.

Open PH-1654Official Spanish version[8]

RequirementsWhere you live, timeline
Where you live
You must have been born in Tennessee. Where you live now does not matter.[1][2][4][5][12]
Other
The person named on the certificate (or a parent, guardian, or legal representative) may request the name amendment.
How long it takes

About 2 weeks after Vital Records receives a complete name-change request.

After you finishYour Tennessee birth certificate will show your new name and the sex recorded at birth.

Your Tennessee birth certificate will show your new name and the sex recorded at birth. For federal documents, a US passport currently cannot show a changed sex marker either (as of September 2026). If you were born in Tennessee but live in a state that issues its own records (for example, a driver's license with a self-attested marker), that state's rules apply to its own documents, but your Tennessee birth certificate stays the same.

Tips2 tips from people who have done this
  • Do not send a gender-recognition order from another state expecting Vital Records to change the sex; Vital Records will not change the sex under § 68-3-203(d).
  • If you live in Tennessee but were born elsewhere, check your birth state's rules; many states allow changes by mail.
Laws and other guides2 laws, 1 other guide

Laws and rules

Other trusted guides

Sources

12 sources. Numbers in the text, like [1], point here.Show all
  1. Tenn. Code Ann. § 68-3-203FindLaw (Tennessee Code), Law. accessed
    “The sex of an individual shall not be changed on the original certificate of birth as a result of sex change surgery.”
  2. Tenn. Code Ann. § 1-3-105(c)FindLaw (Tennessee Code), Law. accessed
  3. Gore v. Lee, No. 23-5669 (6th Cir. July 12, 2024)US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, Court. accessed
    “it treats the sex listed on a birth certificate as a historical fact unchangeable by an individual's transition to a different gender identity.”
  4. How do I correct the sex on my birth certificate?Tennessee Vital Records, Official page. accessed
    “Tennessee law does not allow for the amendment of a birth certificate due to gender reassignment surgery.”
  5. My name was legally changed. How do I get it changed on my birth certificate?Tennessee Vital Records, Official page. accessed
    “In the event of a court-ordered name change, to amend the birth certificate we require ... An original, certified copy of the court order that changed your name.”
  6. FeesTennessee Vital Records, Official page. accessed
    “Birth Certificate $15.00 ... Amending a certificate 6 months or more after the date of the event $15.00”
  7. How long will it take?Tennessee Vital Records, Official page. accessed
    “Court Ordered Name Changes and Court Orders of Paternity: 2 weeks”
  8. ApplicationsTennessee Vital Records, Official page. accessed
  9. How do I get my certificate?Tennessee Vital Records, Official page. accessed
  10. Identification RequirementsTennessee Vital Records, Official page. accessed
  11. How do I get a court order?Tennessee Vital Records, Official page. accessed
  12. I was born in a state other than Tennessee, who do I contact?Tennessee Vital Records, Official page. accessed