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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

If you live overseas

Sex marker options

In your application you can select either:

  • female
  • male
  • non-binary.

Indeterminate

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

Children aged 16 and 17

Children aged 15 or under

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

To update a sex marker and change a name

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

Support and information about gender-affirming healthcare

Who to contact for more help

If you need more help or have questions about the information or services on this page, contact the following agency.

Utility links and page information

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