Name + Gender Change (King County)

Information current as of 6/21/2025.

Live outside of King County and trying to change your name/gender? Check out this guide from TransEquality.org

Steps in order:

1. Court ordered Name Change
2. Update with Social Security
3. Update documentation
   1. Update license/state ID
   2. Update birth certificate (optional, but useful)
   3. Update passport / immigration documents
4. Update with various other places (contact them directly for guidance)
   1. Bank, credit cards
   2. Health insurance
   3. Employment records (important for taxes – talk to your boss / HR)
   4. School records
   5. Car registration
   6. Car insurance
   7. Voter registration

Name Changes

If you are trans, you likely want a sealed name change. This means that the record (and your deadname) is not publicly accessible. Most states only permit these for victims of stalking or domestic abuse; WA is one of the few that allow it for anyone transgender. Sealed name changes are filed in the Superior Court rather than the District Court.

• King County (Seattle area)
• King County has a guide to a sealed name changes here
• The name change process normally costs ~$240. If you are low income or struggle to meet expenses, you can apply to waive the fees associated. Info available here.

Alternatively, if you are located in or able to travel to Everett and want to rush your name change, they can be processed same-day in Snohomish superior court.

It’s a good idea to get some extra certified copies of the court order for your name change. In King County, these are available in the courthouse where you have your hearing for $5 each.

Social Security

The next step is updating your name with the Social Security Administration (SSA). The form is here. This step is free!

You will need both your birth certificate and driver’s license (or just your passport), plus the court order for your name change. Extra copies of your court order can be purchased

Your best option may be to fill out the paperwork online, then make an appointment. Otherwise, pick a day when you have several hours to burn and go in person to an SSA office. You’ll wait for ages, and then sit down with a person for like 4 minutes if you’ve got all the stuff — it’s super quick and easy.

It used to also be super straightforward to update your gender marker at the same time as your name with SSA; however, now it may not be possible.

Also, if you are >25 years old, you do not need to file anything with the Selective Service System (the draft). If you’re 25 or under, you may need to do more paperwork if changing your gender marker with SSA.

Gender Change

Unlike some other states, Washington does not have a process for a court-ordered gender change. This is intended to be trans-friendly: WA drivers licenses’ gender markers are based on self-ID, and those born here can update their birth certificates with just a signed and notarized form attesting you wish to change it. However, some other states’ birth certificate update procedures ask for a court order of gender change; be aware you will not be able to get that here, though using other options like an updated ID may be available to you.

Drivers License / State ID:

• After updating your name, you can update your Washington Drivers License via self-ID by mail or in person. Follow the directions at bit.ly/DL-gender
• If your driver’s license is still issued by your previous state, you can make an appointment to get an updated WA one issued.
• You will need proof of residency to get a WA license – if you don’t have a permanent address yet, you can get a mailing address at the Compass Center, or if you have one but don’t have proof, you can register to vote (in person or by mail) and use that as proof of residency.

Birth Certificate:

You should also update your Birth Certificate name and sex ASAP. Some states have been trying to pass more restrictions around this since the 2020 election, so doing it quickly is likely a good idea.
If you were born in Washington, you can find the form and submission info at https://doh.wa.gov/licenses-permits-and-certificates/vital-records/sex-designation-change-birth-certificate.

Otherwise, your options for this will vary widely based on where you were born and what documents you have updated; a peer navigator can help you figure out exactly what you need to do based on your specific situation.

Passports:

You will always be able to get your name updated; however, gender changes are restricted. The new administration is rapidly changing the situation around trans passports. If you have an updated birth certificate, you may be able to get one; particularly if you’ve never had a passport before. Please reach out for up-to-date info.

Immigration Documents:

Guide here. Please note that some of this may have changed since Trump took office. https://www.thestranger.com/queer/2024/12/30/79845003/trans-immigrants-how-to-change-your-name-and-gender-markers

Quick Start to E-Filing Online - King County

1. Begin filling out forms! There are 2-3 forms to start with.
   The first two are the Petition and the Court Order, shown here with WashingtonLawHelp’s guide. Here is their website.
   For filling out and printing, here are the two forms on their own.

   This guide will instruct on a method of submitting all necessary paperwork for getting a court date completely online with no mailing, calling, or traveling required. Using software to fill out the forms enables a completely digital approach, however if you print and fill these, you can still submit them online by scanning the filled-out forms. I used Camscanner because I had a smartphone but no printer– there may be better software available for signing, writing, and drawing on documents, and it may apply watermarks. But, if you are a student with a .edu email address, you get some premium features for free.

   There are explicit instructions for how to fill these out shown here.
   The places you must write something have filler text in red. The places you must check something are pointed to with red arrows– some are conjoined arrows, indicating that you must check one of these boxes.
   Save your documents and every version of them in organized folders.

2. Submitting to the Superior Court’s Website (E-Filing)

   Go to the King County Superior Court Clerk’s Office website, linked here.
   Scroll down to find the button labeled E-File. Upon clicking they have you make an account before you can file a new case.
   Once you are logged in, follow the instructions to file your paperwork online!’