Identity 650 is a free tool by SixFifty that generates all the paperwork required for a name change, gender marker change, or both, streamlining a complicated and ever-changing process. Identity 650 will ask you questions about yourself to customize legal documents to your unique situation. We incorporate your answers to generate the documents that you need to file for your name or gender marker change. We’ll then email your documents to you along with instructions on how and where to file them.
Here are some tips and general instructions on taking control of your own identity and legally changing your name or gender marker.
Request Department of Corrections certification
This certification is needed only if you are petitioning to change your name. If you are petitioning to correct your gender marker only, you do not need to complete this step.
The first step in the name change process is to request a certification from the Utah Department of Corrections Offender Registration Program showing whether you are on the Sex and Kidnap Offender Registry or the Child Abuse Offender Registry.
- If you are on the Child Abuse Offender Registry you cannot change your name.
- If you are on the Sex and Kidnap Offender Registry you must convince the court that it is not against the public interest for you to change your name.
Complete your documents and file your paperwork
After completing the Identity 650 questionnaire to generate your paperwork, print the documents that SixFifty emailed you. Even if you plan to file your petition by email, it’s a good idea to print the documents for your records. Review the documents and make sure all of your answers are correct to the best of your knowledge.
To change your name, file these documents with the court:
- Department of Corrections Certification Regarding Sex and Kidnap Offender Registry and Child Abuse Offender Registry
- Cover Sheet for Probate Actions
- Petition for Name or Sex Change
- Order on Petition for Name or Sex Change
To correct your gender marker, file these documents with the court:
- Cover Sheet for Probate Actions
- Petition for Name or Sex Change
- Order on Petition for Name or Sex Change
- Evidence of Appropriate Clinical Care
- Department of Corrections Certification (if you’re changing your name too)
If you are petitioning to correct your gender marker, contact your doctor and ask them to complete your Evidence of Appropriate Clinical Care letter. If your doctor prefers to write the letter themselves, they can use the letter from SixFifty as a guide.
You’ll only need to use the Notice of Hearing if there’s someone who should be notified of your name or gender marker change, like a spouse or military commanding officer.
If you can, place the documents you’re filing in a manilla folder. If you don’t have a folder, try to keep them together with a paperclip. The court will accept your paperwork without a folder or paperclip, but they prefer that you use them.
“Filing” sounds complicated, but it just means giving documents to the court. You can deliver your papers to the court in person, by mail, or by email. Not all courts allow for email filing, and the courts that do may stop at any time. If possible, file in person. It will be helpful when you attend your hearing later.
Filing by email may be more convenient for some people, but it can also be complicated. If you’re not comfortable using Microsoft Word, attaching files to emails, etc, file in person or by mail instead. If you have any trouble filing your documents, please email probono@sixfifty.com.
If you’re required to file a Notice of Hearing because you are on the Sex and Kidnap Offender Registry, you should work with an attorney on your petition.
Fee waivers
Filing your petition includes a $375 court fee. If you can’t afford to pay the fee, Identity 650 can generate “Fee Waiver” documents. You can learn more about fee waivers here.
SixFifty created a comprehensive guide to fee waivers. Find that free guide here.
Attend your hearing
After you file your documents, the court will schedule a hearing, which you must attend. At the hearing, the judge may ask you questions about your name or gender marker change request.
You don’t have to work with an attorney, but if you’d like an attorney to help you file your documents, or to join you at your hearing, these are organizations who can offer affordable help.
By default, an “amendment history” will appear on records like your birth certificate. This means that your old name and/or gender marker and your new name and/or gender marker will both appear on your birth certificate, unless requested otherwise in your documents and at your hearing. If you indicated that you don’t want your old name or gender marker to appear on your birth certificate along with your new name or gender marker, then SixFifty has added that to your court order document. However, you must also verbally request this during your hearing—and ultimately this decision must be made by the judge.
This is a request to seal your court record. It costs $40 to seal records, which you’ll pay when you get your new birth certificate.
After your hearing, you’ll receive a court order for your name and/or gender marker change. You’ll need at least 3 certified copies of your court order to change your most important identification documents—Driver License/State ID, Birth Certificate, and Social Security Card. The court may charge a fee of $4 per copy. Ask the court clerk for these certified copies.
Change your IDs and celebrate with your friends
Once you have your new name or gender marker, you should update your most important identification documents—Driver License/State ID, Social Security Card, and Birth Certificate.
Consider contacting the people and institutions in your life about your name or gender marker change: friends and family, employers, school, post office, health care providers, utility companies, financial institutions, and any other agency with which you have regular contact.
Congratulations on your new name or gender marker! Email probono@sixfifty.com to let us know about your experience, and we’ll send you a special gift to help you celebrate the occasion.
SixFifty can help
Identity 650 is a free tool that was created by SixFifty to help improve people’s access to the justice system. For thoroughly detailed instructions on the name change or gender marker correction process in Utah, click here:
SixFifty devotes part of our time and resources to creating free legal tools for people who can’t afford attorneys. Our free tools include legal document generators to help people avoid eviction and to help people from Ukraine apply for asylum or Temporary Protected Status.
Like public parks and libraries, the law belongs to all of us.