Name and Gender Marker Change Project
Identity documents are an important part of daily life—working, voting, traveling, accessing government institutions, and proving who you are. Having an ID that reflects one’s correct name and gender identity is especially important to access resources and public spaces and reduce the risk of abuse and harassment when having to show an ID.
Because each document is overseen by a different government office, the process of updating identity documents to reflect a corrected name and gender marker after receiving a court order can be overwhelming. We have a two-part project to help folks who want to legally change their name and gender marker on their documents.
Help Obtain Court Order: Trained pro bono volunteers help clients complete necessary forms to petition the court for a name and/or gender marker change.
Identity Document Change: Trained pro bono volunteers support clients with changing up to 4 main ID documents to match their new name and gender maker: Social Security card, Birth Certificate, Driver’s License/ID, and Passport. Volunteers assist with drafting forms, remotely scheduling appointments, identifying required supporting documentation, and explaining the next steps.
Name and Gender Marker Change Application
If you want free help getting a legal name and/or gender marker change and you are a resident of Santa Clara County, please complete this online intake form. Once we receive your information, we will do our best to assign a pro bono volunteer through the Law Foundation who can work with you for free to draft the necessary court forms, help you submit them, and provide information on how to then use your court order to update your identity documents. Please allow approximately 1-2 weeks for us to contact you. In the meantime, if you have any questions, please contact us at probono.info@lawfoundation.org.