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Vermont birth certificates

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  • Page changed: 18 V.S.A. § 5112, Issuance of new birth certificate (2026-10-05) · #191
  • Page changed: 15 V.S.A. § 816, Amendment of birth certificate (2026-10-05) · #190
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

If you were born in Vermont, you can change the sex on your birth certificate to M, F, or X by mailing a notarized Affidavit of Gender Identity to the Health Department. No doctor's letter or court order is needed. People 16 and older sign for themselves.

Main cost
$10
Apply
By mail

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

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 July 1, 2022, Vermont law (18 V.S.A. § 5112) directs the Health Department to offer "a simple process" to change the sex marker on a birth certificate to match your gender identity, including a non-binary marker. You fill out a two-page Affidavit of Gender Identity, sign it in front of a notary, and mail it to Vital Records. Records about the change are confidential and exempt from public records requests.

To change the name on your birth certificate you need a certified copy of a court order changing your name. If you checked "YES" to the birth certificate question on your Vermont name change petition, the court process covers this; otherwise send the order yourself with the Application to Correct or Amend. Certificates amended for a court-ordered name change say "Court Amended" at the top (15 V.S.A. § 816).

This only works for people born in Vermont. If you were born in another state, follow that state's rules.

Steps

  1. Fill out the Affidavit of Gender Identity and have it notarized[3]

    Complete the form and sign it in front of a notary public. Many banks, town clerks, and libraries offer free notary service.

  2. For a name change, include your court order[5][6][2]

    Send a certified copy of your name change order with the Application to Correct or Amend (VTLawHelp says a cover letter also works). You can send it together with the gender affidavit.

  3. Order certified copies[5][6]

    Include the certified copy application, a copy of your ID, and $10 per copy if you want the updated certificate mailed to you. After the change, you can also get copies from any Vermont town clerk or online.

    Cost
    $10 certified copy of the updated birth certificate

  4. Mail everything to Vital Records[3]

    Mail to: Vermont Department of Health, Vital Records Office, 280 State Drive, Waterbury, VT 05671-8370. Questions: 802-863-7275 or 800-439-5008 (in Vermont).

Costs and fee waivers

No fee waiver is available for this step.[5]

WhatCostNotes
Certified copy of the updated birth certificate[5]$10Plus a $2 processing fee if ordered online. Noncertified copies are free. No separate fee for the amendment itself was found.

More detail

Forms3 forms

Open a form for tips on filling it out.

Affidavit of Gender Identity (Amendment of Vermont Birth Certificate to Reflect Gender Identity)Sometimes required: To change the sex marker.

How to fill it out

  • Check Self (age 16 or older), or Parent/Legal Guardian for a younger child.
  • Enter your current legal name and mailing address, then your name, date of birth, sex, and town of birth as they appear on your current certificate.
  • Check the box requesting the change, mark the sex currently shown, and choose Male, Female, or X (Non-binary) as it should appear.
  • Do not sign until you are in front of a notary. The attestation says the request affirms your gender identity; no medical information is asked for.

Open the form[3]

Application to Correct or Amend a Vermont Birth CertificateSometimes required: To change the name, with a certified copy of your court order.

Open the form[5][4][6]

Certified Copy of Birth or Death Certificate ApplicationOptional

To receive certified copies of the updated certificate. A separate application and fee are required.

Open the form[5][3]

RequirementsWhere you live, age, timeline
Where you live
You must have been born in Vermont. Where you live now does not matter.[1][3]
Age
Age 16 and older sign the affidavit themselves. For anyone under 16, a parent or legal guardian completes and signs it.
How long it takes

The Health Department does not publish a processing time. Allow several weeks.

After you finishWith an updated birth certificate you can update other records that ask for one.

With an updated birth certificate you can update other records that ask for one. Your Vermont driver's license does not need it (the DMV accepts self-designation). The US passport and Social Security currently will not change the sex marker regardless of your birth certificate; check the federal guides for current litigation.

Tips2 tips from people who have done this
  • Records about a gender amendment are confidential and exempt from Vermont's Public Records Act (18 V.S.A. § 5112(d)).
  • If Vital Records denies an amendment, you can ask the Probate Division to review it (18 V.S.A. § 5075(c)).
Laws and other guides3 laws, 2 other guides

Laws and rules

  • 18 V.S.A. § 5112: Amending the sex marker on a birth certificate to reflect gender identity, including a non-binary marker
  • 18 V.S.A. § 5075: Amended birth certificates; review by the Probate Division if denied
  • 15 V.S.A. § 816: Amending a birth certificate after a court-ordered name change

Other trusted guides

Sources

6 sources. Numbers in the text, like [1], point here.Show all
  1. 18 V.S.A. § 5112, Issuance of new birth certificateVermont General Assembly, Law. accessed
    “the State shall adopt a simple process by which an individual may amend the marker on a birth certificate to reflect the individual's gender identity, including a third non-binary marker. ... records relating to the amendment of a birth certificate pursuant to this chapter shall be confidential”
  2. 15 V.S.A. § 816, Amendment of birth certificateVermont General Assembly, Law. accessed
    “certificates amended pursuant to this section shall have the words "Court Amended" at the top”
  3. Affidavit of Gender Identity (April 2026)Vermont Department of Health, Vital Records Office, Form. accessed
    “If registrant is under 16 years of age, a parent or legal guardian must complete this form. ... Sign your name ONLY in the presence of a Notary Public.”
  4. Application to Correct or Amend a Vermont Birth Certificate (April 2026)Vermont Department of Health, Form. accessed
  5. Order Vital RecordsVermont Department of Health, Official page. accessed
    “Certified copies are printed on State engraved security paper with raised seal, costing $10 per certificate (plus a $2 processing fee if ordered online). ... Change gender marker on birth certificate: Complete the Affidavit of Gender Identify form.”
  6. Name and Gender Marker Changes in VermontVTLawHelp.org, Organization. accessed
    “No specific form is required, but we recommend that you submit an Application to Correct or Amend a Vermont Birth Certificate.”