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Driver’s license and state ID in Wisconsin

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.
LimitedM or F with a letter from a doctor

You can change the sex on a Wisconsin driver's license or ID card to M or F by bringing a physician's note or a court order to a DMV service center in person. There is no X option. A replacement license costs $14 and an ID card $16.

Main cost
$14, can be waived
Apply
In person
Typical wait
7 to 10 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

Wisconsin DMV changes the sex marker when you show a note from a physician or a court order, at a DMV customer service center. The DMV does not publish a special form or exact wording for the note; you fill out the regular application (MV3001 for a license, MV3004 for an ID card), write the corrected sex, and present the note. Surgery is not listed as a requirement. Only M and F are available.

Changing your name is a separate change that needs a certified court order (or a passport in the new name), and you must update Social Security first and wait 48 hours. You can do the name and sex change in the same visit and pay one replacement fee.

Steps

  1. Get a physician's note, or a court order[1][6]

    Ask the physician who provides your care for a signed note on letterhead stating your name, date of birth, and the sex that should appear on your license (M or F), and that this reflects your gender. DMV does not publish required wording, so keep it short and clear and include the physician's license number and contact information. A Wisconsin or other court order changing your sex also works.

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

    Present your certified court order at Social Security, then wait at least 48 hours so DMV can verify the new name electronically.

  3. Go to a DMV customer service center in person[1][2][3][4]

    Sex (and name) changes cannot be done online. Bring the completed MV3001 or MV3004, your current license or ID (you surrender it), the physician's note or court order, and, if your name is changing, a certified court order or a valid U.S. passport in the new name. If you are also upgrading to REAL ID, bring proof of identity, Social Security number, and Wisconsin residency, plus documents for each past name change unless you have a passport in your current name. You get a new photo and pay the fee.

    Cost
    $14 driver's license, duplicate (replacement with changed information); $16 iD card, duplicate

  4. Receive the new card by mail[2]

    You leave with a receipt that works as identification until the card arrives, usually within 7 to 10 business days.

    Time
    7 to 10 business days

Costs and fee waivers

Can’t afford it? You may not have to pay.[4]

There is no waiver for driver's licenses. A Wisconsin ID card is free if you need it for voting; tell the DMV staff (the application asks).

WhatCostNotes
Driver's license, duplicate (replacement with changed information)[4]$14
ID card, duplicate[4]$16ID cards requested for voting purposes are free. If your card expires within the next year, you may be offered a renewal instead of a duplicate (renewal is $42.50 for a license, $28 for an ID card).

More detail

Forms2 forms: MV3001, MV3004

Open a form for tips on filling it out.

MV3001Wisconsin Driver License (DL) ApplicationSometimes required: For a driver's license.

How to fill it out

  • Top section: your name. If your name is changing too, write the new legal name and put your old name in "Former Name," checking "Other" as the reason.
  • "Sex": write the corrected sex (M or F). Bring your physician's note or court order; staff will not change it on the form alone.
  • You can pre-fill the application with the DMV's online interactive driver licensing guide, but you must finish in person.

Open MV3001[5][2][3]

MV3004Wisconsin Identification Card (ID) ApplicationSometimes required: For a state ID card (no driving).

Open MV3004[2]

RequirementsWhere you live, age, timeline
Where you live
You must hold or be applying for a Wisconsin driver's license or ID card.[1][5]
Age
Applicants under 18 also complete the "Under age 18" section of MV3001. DMV does not publish a separate rule for minors' sex marker changes.
How long it takes

One office visit, then 7 to 10 business days for the card to arrive by mail.

After you finishYour license is the ID most places check, so update it soon after Social Security.

Your license is the ID most places check, so update it soon after Social Security. The US passport and the Social Security record currently cannot show a changed sex marker; your Wisconsin license is still valid for voting, REAL ID, and flying. Keep a copy of the physician's note in case you need to explain a mismatch.

Tips2 tips from people who have done this
  • You do not need a court order or surgery for the license, and you do not need to change your name first. Either change can be done alone.
  • If a counter clerk asks for more than a physician's note, ask for a supervisor and point to the DMV's own page, which lists "court order or physician's note." Trans Law Help Wisconsin can help if you are turned away.
Laws and other guides2 other guides

Other trusted guides

Sources

6 sources. Numbers in the text, like [1], point here.Show all
  1. Replace (get duplicate) ID, driver license or instruction permitWisconsin Department of Transportation, DMV, Official page. accessed
    “You MUST apply in person if: ... You are changing your personal identifier (e.g., weight or hair color) name (must show proof of name change) gender (must show proof by court order or physician's note)”
  2. Name change, driver license or identification cardWisconsin Department of Transportation, DMV, Official page. accessed
    “Allow 48 hours for SSA to process your name change so DMV can verify your correct name ... You will receive a receipt that is valid identification until your card arrives in the mail within 7-10 business days.”
  3. Acceptable documents for proof of name changeWisconsin Department of Transportation, DMV, Official page. accessed
    “Certified marriage certificate; Certified record of divorce; Certified court order; Valid unexpired U.S. Passport issued in your current name”
  4. DMV feesWisconsin Department of Transportation, DMV, Official page. accessed
    “Regular driver license: Renewal (8 year) $42.50, Duplicate $14. Identification cards: Renewal (8 year) $28, Duplicate $16, For purposes of voting free”
  5. MV3001, Wisconsin Driver License (DL) Application (rev. 8/2025)Wisconsin Department of Transportation, Form. accessed
  6. Wisconsin identity documentsAdvocates for Trans Equality, Organization. accessed
    “In order to update the gender marker on a Wisconsin ID, the applicant must submit: An affidavit or statement from a licensed physician certifying the gender change; or A court order for gender change.”