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Change the registered sex on your birth certificate

To change the sex marker on your birth certificate, you must complete a statutory declaration and apply to Births, Deaths and Marriages.

New self-identification process

On 15 June 2023, a new self-identification process replaced the Family Court process. Under the new process, applications are received directly by Births, Deaths, and Marriages.

The Family Court process has been discontinued. If your application was already under consideration when the change happened, you can finish the process through the Family Court.

Learn more about self-identification

Who can apply

You can update the sex marker on your birth certificate if your birth was registered in New Zealand.

You can apply if:

  • you’re aged 18 or older, or
  • aged 16 or 17 and have your guardian’s consent or a letter of support from a third party.

If you're a parent or guardian of a child aged 15 or under who wants to update the sex marker on their birth certificate, you can apply on their behalf.

If you were born overseas

Births, Deaths and Marriages can only make changes to New Zealand birth certificates.

If your birth was registered outside New Zealand and you want to make changes to your overseas birth certificate, you need to seek advice from your country of birth.

There are separate processes to change the gender on your New Zealand citizenship record and other identity documents.

Choose the gender on your citizenship record

If you live overseas

If your birth was registered in New Zealand and you currently live overseas, you can still apply using this process. You must complete a statutory declaration with an authorised person in your country, and send the completed application to your nearest Department of Internal Affairs office.

See the application form for a list of people who can authorise your statutory declaration.

Sex marker options

In your application you can select either:

  • female
  • male
  • non-binary.

Indeterminate

The law allows the sex on a birth certificate to be recorded as 'indeterminate'.

'Indeterminate' can be used when a medical professional cannot determine a child’s sex to be male or female when they are born.

You can change the sex recorded on your birth certificate to 'indeterminate' if your sex was incorrectly registered as male or female when you were born.

This may be the case for some people who are intersex. Intersex is a term used to describe people born with a variation of sex characteristics – such as sexual anatomy, reproductive organs, hormonal and/or chromosome patterns.

Intersex conditions are sometimes known as differences in sex development (DSD).

If you're intersex and want to change the sex recorded on your birth certificate to 'indeterminate', use the process for correcting errors in birth registration.

Contact Births, Deaths and Marriages for more information.

How to apply

You must:

  • complete an application form
  • make a statutory declaration – a written statement signed in front of an authorised person and declared to be true
  • provide a certified copy of an acceptable photo identification (ID).

If you do not have an acceptable photo ID, you must complete an identity referee declaration form.

You must show your photo ID or completed identity referee declaration to the same person who is authorising your statutory declaration. Sign the identity referee declaration in front of them. They can certify this document at the same time.

If you also want to change your name

You can update your sex marker and change your name on the same form.

If you already have a name change application in progress, do not apply to update your sex marker until this has been registered by Births, Deaths and Marriages.

Forms and supporting documents

Forms

Adults aged 18 and over

If you're aged 18 or over and only want to update your sex marker:

If you're aged 18 or over and also want to change your name:

Children aged 16 and 17

If you are 16 or 17 and are married, in a civil union or de facto relationship, you must complete an adult form.

If you're 16 or 17 and only want to update your sex marker:

If you're 16 or 17, want to change your name, and have your legal guardian's consent to change your name:

Children aged 15 or under

If your child is 15 or under and wants to update the sex marker on their birth certificate:

If your child is 15 or under, wants to update the sex marker on their birth certificate, and wants to change their name:

Supporting documents

Statutory declaration

You must sign a statutory declaration before a person authorised under the Oaths and Declarations Act. You need to do this in person and show them either your photo ID or an identity referee declaration. They'll also sign your application form.

Identity referee declaration – if you do not have photo ID

If you do not have an acceptable photo ID, you must also complete a identity referee declaration. You must choose a referee we can contact to confirm your identity.

To update a sex marker

If you're aged 16 or over

You must provide a certified copy of your photo ID or a identity referee declaration form to confirm your identity.

If you're a guardian applying on behalf of a child

You must provide a certified copy of your own photo ID or an identity referee declaration form to confirm your identity.

If you're applying alone or you're an additional guardian appointed by the Family Court, you may also need to provide evidence of your guardianship status. There's more information about this on the application form.

To update a sex marker and change a name

If you want to update a sex marker and also change a name, you must provide proof of your identity in the community.

You must include copies of 2 different documents that show your current name. These do not need to be certified or authorised.

Accepted documents include:

  • bank statement
  • utility bill (for example, gas, electricity, mobile phone)
  • lease or tenancy agreement
  • motor vehicle registration
  • rates notice
  • IRD tax statement
  • SuperGold Card
  • student or tertiary identity card
  • educational certificate or school report
  • trade certificate
  • electoral roll record
  • certificate of approval or licence issued by the Private Security Personnel Licensing Authority
  • Steps to Freedom grant confirmation letter.
If you're a guardian applying on behalf of a child

You must provide a certified copy of your own photo ID or an identity referee declaration form to confirm your identity.

If you're applying alone or an additional guardian appointed by the Family Court, you may also need to provide evidence of your guardianship status. There's more information about this on the application form.

Your new birth certificate details

Your previous name and registered sex will not be displayed on the new birth certificate. Your certificate will have a new registration number, but this number will still contain your original year of registration as the first 4 digits.

Access to information about your previous registered sex and name can only be provided under specific circumstances under section 107 of the Births, Deaths, Marriages, and Relationships Registration Act 2021 (BDMRRA), and approved by the Registrar-General of Births, Deaths and Marriages.

If you change your name again in the future, your new name and the name you provided in the process of changing registered sex will both be displayed on the birth certificate.

Timeframes

Application processing times vary. Check this page for regularly updated timeframes:

Service timeframes

If you have also requested a certificate with your new information, this will be sent to you by post or courier after the application is processed.

Cost

It costs:

  • $55 to update the sex marker on your birth certificate
  • an additional fee of $170 if you also want to change your name
  • $33 or $35 to order a birth certificate with your new sex marker or name, or both, depending on the certificate design you select.

Find out more

If you have questions about updating the sex marker on your birth certificate, contact the Births, Deaths and Marriages team:

crs@dia.govt.nz

0800 22 52 52

About the legislation

The Births, Deaths, Marriages, and Relationships Registration Act 2021 (BDMRRA) is the legislation that lets the Registrar-General of Births, Deaths and Marriages oversee changes to birth registrations and certificates.

If you're an adult, your application falls under Section 24 of the BDMRRA.

If you apply on behalf of a child aged 15 or under, your application falls under Section 25 of the BDMRRA.

Support and information about gender-affirming healthcare

Visit the Ministry of Health website for support and information:

Transgender New Zealanders

Utility links and page information

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