Archive Website of the UK government

Applying for a Gender Recognition Certificate

To apply for a Gender Recognition Certificate, visit the Gender Recognition Panel website, which contains details of how and when you can apply, and application forms.

• Gender Recognition Panel Opens new window

What happens next?

Once you have applied and received your Gender Recognition Certificate, your new gender will be recognised in law, allowing you to enjoy all the rights appropriate to your gender, including getting a new birth certificate.

The Gender Recognition Panel notifies the General Register Office (GRO) for England and Wales of your new certificate:

• you will be asked to check and confirm all personal details before your birth record is registered showing your new name and recognised gender
• a confidential link between the original and new details is maintained by the GRO - this is not open to public inspection
• the new record will show you if you were adopted or your birth was registered overseas

Applying for a new birth certificate

Once a new record is made, both full and short birth certificates are available. There will be nothing on the birth certificate to indicate it was compiled from information in the Gender Recognition Register.

A short certificate, showing only the name, sex, date of birth, district and sub-district of birth, is issued free of charge.

You receive details of how to apply for birth certificates and the cost with the draft of the information recorded in the Gender Recognition Register.

Further information

If you have questions about how the registration process works in England and Wales contact:

Gender Recognition Team
General Register Office
Room C202
Smedley Hydro
Trafalgar Road
Southport
PR8 2HH

For events registered in Scotland or Northern Ireland

You can contact the relevant General Register Office using the links below.

• General Register Office for Scotland Opens new window

• General Register Office for Northern Ireland Opens new window