Legal Name & Gender Marker Change in North Carolina — Day 1
Exactly 3 months to the day that I started testosterone, I began the process of legally changing my name and gender markers. Now…the process itself isn’t necessarily hard, but it’s a lot of tasks…and money…and waiting — combined with frustration and stress.
So, I thought, “Why not provide some help to others in NC who might be trying to figure out what to do.” Though the information is online, there is a bit of navigating and ensuring that you have a clear understanding — b/c if you mess up even one step of the process, it could definitely add more time to an already frustrating journey.
Here are some resources that I found helpful:
A few key things to note:
- First and foremost — In NC, you have to visit your county courthouse and submit the Notice of Intent to File Name Change form, which must be posted for 10 calendar days.
- During this time, I also sent my therapist the NCDMV Sex Designation Form to sign and return to me (for when I go to change the gender on my NCDL).
- I went to my local post office (which I found on the FBI’s website, paid $50.00, and my fingerprints were done and sent electronically in less than 15 minutes. Less than 2 hours later, I had already received the results from the FBI (probably b/c I had no criminal history).
- I went to the local police department to get my fingerprints done for the SBI, b/c they require: 1. fingerprinting to be done by a law enforcement agency, 2. the form to be manually completed by you, 3. a cashier’s check or money order for $14.00, and 4. the fingerprints, form and payment to be sent to them via “snail mail”. Yes, I’m serious. No idea why they can’t do it electronically — since the FBI does.
- Anyway, the local police department wasn’t even open to the public (due to COVID-19). So I called and the person who answered the phone stated that all fingerprinting had to be done by the CCBI. So I contacted the CCBI, only to hear a recording that they were closed. Checking their website further confirmed that they would not reopen until July — by appointment only.
- Thankfully my wife found out that I could get my fingerprints done at my local sheriff’s office (for a small additional fee). So I’ll be going tomorrow, June 24th to get that done, so I can mail everything to the SBI. I’m not sure how long the process takes once they receive the fingerprints.
That’s my journey so far with this ridiculous process. Now I have to gather my:
- Birth certificate
- FBI and SBI criminal background check results (when I have both)
- Completed and signed NCDMV Sex Designation Form
- Two Affidavits of Character from two people in my county (notarized)
- Fee for filing
- Letter from doctor (cannot be an RN, PA, or NP) to submit when I request the changes on my passport and social security card.
There you have it. I do hope this blog and video will help others like me — who live in NC — have an easier time with this somewhat ridiculous process.
❤ Liam ❤
