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How Do I Change My Gender / Sex Designation On Identity Documents In Ontario?
August 12th, 2019
Changing your name and updating your identification documents is an important step for those who wish to legally change their gender or sex designation in Ontario. Some of the forms you require may need to be witnessed or commissioned by a Commissioner of Oaths or Notary Public.
Changing Your Birth Registration
Anyone born in Ontario can apply to change the sex designation on their birth registration. To do so, you must either provide a letter from a medical professional confirming the decision, or you need to provide proof that you have undergone gender-confirming surgery (GCS) or sex reassignment surgery (SRS).
There are a number of forms to fill out, including a document entitled “Statutory Declaration for a Change of Sex Designation on a Birth Registration of an Adult”. This document must be signed before a Commissioner of Oaths or Notary Public. Instructions and forms can be found at the Service Ontario website at the link found at the end of the article.
Changing Your Name
Anyone who has lived in Ontario for more than one year can apply to have their name changed. To do so, you need to complete and submit a package of forms and information available online at the Ontario Government website entitled “Application to Change an Adult’s Name”. Included as part of this package of information, in Part 6, is a Statutory Declaration form that you must sign in front of a Commissioner of Oaths or Notary Public.
Certified Criminal Record Check
Some individuals applying for a name change in Ontario will also be required to submit a Certified Criminal Record check from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. This generally requires having your fingerprints taken electronically at an RCMP-accredited agency or Police Service. Check our fingerprinting page for helpful tips and details. You will require 2 pieces of Government issued ID at least one of which has a photo. Note that SIN Cards cannot be used, nor can Health Cards from Ontario, Manitoba, or PEI.
Changing Your Driver’s Licence or Ontario Photo ID Card
Individuals wishing to change their gender/sex designation on their driver’s license can do so by attending in person at a Service Ontario location with their birth certificate showing the new sex designation or by providing medical documentation and a letter signed by them regarding the change in designation. Check the Service Ontario website for specific information on this process. The link to this information is below.
Changing Your Ontario Health Card
New Ontario Health Cards no longer specify a designated sex. If you still have one of the older health cards with an incorrect gender/sex designation, you can attend in person at Service Ontario to order the new Ontario Health card without a sex designation.
How Red Seal Notary Can Help
The knowledgeable notaries at Red Seal Notary can assist you with commissioning or notarizing any statutory declaration or affidavit that you may require. You just need to bring in valid photo identification along with the completed form and sign the form in front of the notary. Red Seal Notary is also accredited by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) to take fingerprints and submit them to the police to assist in obtaining Certified Criminal Record Checks for those who may need them for their Name Change application.
Helpful Links
Ontario Government FAQ page about changing your sex designation
Information on Changing Your Name in Ontario
Link to the Ontario Adult Name Change Forms
Information on changing your birth registration in Ontario
Link to the Statutory Declaration to Change your Birth Registration
How to Change the Sex Designation on your Ontario Driver’s Licence
Can I apply for a name
change( given name)
and sex designation
eventhough I am still a
permanent resident
and not yet a Canadian
Citizen?
I still got a Philippine
Passport and I
currently transitioning
from female to male
accredited by a legit
gender therapist. I got
a pending consultation
for Top surgery on
June and hopefully
have the actual top
surgery this year.
Kindly advise me. Can I
get my name change
as early as now or
should I wait till I get
top surgery and
Canadian Citizenship
first?
Dear Melanie,
Thank you for your comment and for your interest in our website.
Unfortunately we are not a law firm and cannot provide advice specific to your situation. You may wish to consult an Immigration lawyer or a lawyer familiar with transgender issues to best navigate the bureaucracy involved in these applications. As these will involve both Federal and Provincial Government offices, and possibly the jurisdiction that issued your birth certificate, there may be complications that arise depending on the order in which you make the applications. A lawyer will be able to research the different applications and help you to decide what is best for you in the circumstances.
I hope this is of some assistance.
My transgender daughter (mtf) and I are looking into the information of how to change her name. Online forms
seem to be quite simple, what my question is can we get the legal documents of her birth certificate and passport to
state female now, even though she has not had any surgery?
Dear Stephanie,
Thank you for your comment and for your interest in our website.
According to the links in the article, you require a doctor’s letter in support of the change meeting the requirements set out in the application form to change the sex designation on the birth registration. Presumably you will need to do this before changing other id.
That said, you may wish to consider that it may be easier (and cheaper) to change the name and sex designation on the birth certificate first, then apply to change both at the same time on other id documents.
I hope this information is of some assistance.