Name & Gender Marker Change Program

A program to assist with name changes and/or gender marker changes for trans (nonbinary, binary, agender, genderqueer +) Marylanders.

Intake for Adults (18+)
Intake for Minors

By trans folks, for trans folks.

We know having an accurate ID is essential to accessing housing, employment, and feeling confident. We also know that according to the US Trans Survey's Maryland report, 69% of trans Marylanders don't have an accurate ID. Let's get the process started together!

We can help with name changes and/or updating your gender marker on one or more documents.

All costs covered for those who cannot afford them (costs above $1000 per person may require external referral).

What happens after you submit the intake?

  1. Someone from our team will review your intake. We’ll contact you if further info is needed to complete your paperwork.

  2. Your court forms will be pre-filled for you based on your responses to the intake questions. They will be emailed to you, and you will be sent a link to schedule a phone intake.

  3. During the phone intake, we’ll review your personal situation and make a plan for your name change. Our program is designed to get you through the process as quickly as possible.

    • Each county in Maryland moves at a different speed of processing, so note that the times for a trans friend in a different county/city than you could vary.

  4. We’ll stay in touch and work with you as your process moves through the court, social security administration, and the MVA (+the birth certificate/passport update process, as applicable to you & your preferences/situation).

    • Staying in touch with us helps our team to support other trans people! For example, we’re able to understand the most up-to-date timelines, and ensure all trans Marylanders who want to change names and/or gender makers can do so as quickly & smoothly as possible.

Frequently Asked Questions
(for Maryland Residents ONLY)

  • Timelines vary heavily by county/city. We’ll tell you updated timelines for each of The Big Three (see below) during your intake phone call.

  • We call them The Big Three: Maryland Court, Social Security Administration (SSA), Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA). You must go in that order to update your name and/or gender marker with entities like your bank, your health insurance, etc.

  • No. Your documents do not need to “match” at the MVA, SSA, or for your passport application. Your court order will “tie” everything together. Becasue wait times for changes with Vital Records are very behind across the country, we do not recommend waiting to change your birth certificate before updating with SSA and MVA.

  • Yes. You can do this anytime and choose X, F, or M (learn more here).

  • Yes! Please be aware that you will need to pay the associated fee each time.

  • We’re here to help! Fill out the intake, and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.

  • We understand. We’re trans, we’ve changed our names in Maryland, we get it. We were scared too. We’re here to help.