State eases process to change gender classification on birth certificate

A recent change will allow Nevadans to alter the gender on their birth certificates through affidavits, a shift from a previous policy that required applicants to seek court orders.

The state’s Office of Vital Records worked with advocacy groups to implement the new rule, bringing the process to request a gender change on birth records in line with the processes for similar requests related to birth and death certificate alterations, the office said in a news release.

“The division collaborated with many advocacy groups throughout the regulation process to gain a better understanding of what changes would be most helpful to the public when requesting such changes to a certificate,” according to the release.

In the past, Nevadans seeking gender classification changes were required to go through the courts or had to prove there were errors on the documents.

Now an applicant can submit an affidavit and either a supplementary affidavit or other verifiable evidence to change the gender stated on a birth certificate, the release said.

Contact Pashtana Usufzy at pusufzy@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-4563. Follow @pashtana_u on Twitter.