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Paperwork helper · ACT

Australian Capital Territory: name and gender marker paperwork

Easy Read

• If you are 18 or older, you can change your name in the ACT.
• Changing your sex does not cost anything in the ACT.
• You can change your name and your sex at the same time online.
• You need proof of who you are.
• This is general information, not legal advice. Check the official page before you apply.

General information, not legal advice. Rules can change, so always follow the official page. Each fact below comes from the linked government source. Last checked 14 Nov 2026.

This page is for people whose birth is registered in Australian Capital Territory. If you were born in another Australian state or territory, use that state’s page instead. If you were born overseas, the rules for people living in ACT are noted where the official pages cover them.

1. Change your registered name

• If you’re 18 or older, you can change your given names, your surname, or both.
• You need acceptable identification and proof of residency documents.
• You can change your sex and name at the same time online. See Name changes and change of sex.

Source: Access Canberra: Change your name as an adult. Last checked 14 Nov 2026.

2. Update your sex or gender marker

• From 1 July 2026, the ACT Government removed fees for updating your registered sex. It also waives fees for changing your name or other details for gender affirmation, including reissued certificates (Access Canberra: forms and fees).
• People born in the ACT get a new birth certificate. People born elsewhere who live in the ACT get a recognised details certificate.
• For adults, Access Canberra lists only proof of identity (and proof of ACT residency if you were born outside the ACT) as what you need to provide. It doesn’t list a doctor’s or psychologist’s statement.
• Access Canberra accepts a wide range of sex descriptors. You can choose whether your new certificate shows your sex before and after the change, after the change only, or no sex identifier.
• You can apply online, by email, by post or in person.

Source: Access Canberra: Recording or recognising a change of sex. Last checked 14 Nov 2026.

No doctor’s letter in the current law: the current ACT Act (republication 40, in force from 5 September 2026) doesn’t list a doctor’s or psychologist’s statement for adults (sections 24 and 25), and Access Canberra lists only proof of identity, plus proof of ACT residency if you were born elsewhere. Some older forms and community guides still mention a statement. They’re out of date, so use the current Access Canberra form. Sources: ACT Legislation Register: Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Act 1997 · Access Canberra. Last checked 14 Nov 2026.

3. Update your other documents

There’s no official order for updating your other documents. This is one suggested order, not a rule. Check each agency’s page for what it needs.

1. Your registry: name and/or sex or gender marker

   Get your change of name certificate and/or new birth certificate (or recognised details certificate) first. Other agencies may ask to see them. See the two sections above.

2. Driver licence or photo card (ACT)

   Updated photo ID can make later steps easier. Access Canberra: Renew or replace your driver licence.

3. Medicare

   Name: call the Medicare program line and have a supporting document ready (for example a change of name certificate or reissued birth certificate). Gender: you can update it online in myGov (Medicare > My details > Edit), or by phone, in person or in writing, and Services Australia says you don’t need supporting documents. It notes this may affect cancer screening reminders. Services Australia: Medicare details.

4. Centrelink

   Legal name: bring your Births, Deaths and Marriages documents to a service centre. You can update your preferred name online in myGov if your Centrelink online account is linked. Centrelink may still use your legal name when it writes to you. Gender: update it in myGov (Centrelink > My details). Documents are only needed in some cases, such as Child Support records. Centrelink: update your name · Centrelink: update your gender.

5. Australian Taxation Office (ATO)

   Update your name in myGov (ATO > My profile). You’ll need to verify an identity document such as a change of name certificate or birth certificate. ATO: Update your name.

6. Passport

   If you change your name for reasons other than marriage or relationship status, the Passport Office says to stop using your current passport and apply for a new one. Passports show M, F or X. To change it, you provide one of the following:

   • a registry gender recognition certificate
   • a revised birth certificate
   • a recognised details certificate
   • a South Australian identity acknowledgement certificate
   • a statement from a registered doctor or psychologist on form B14.

   Not all countries recognise X. Check before you travel. Australian Passport Office: Change of name or gender.

7. Electoral roll (AEC)

   Update your enrolment details online. You’ll need a driver licence number, passport number, Medicare card details or citizenship number, or someone who is enrolled to confirm your identity. AEC: Update my details.

8. Banks, super, insurance and utilities

   There’s no single official process. Contact each provider directly and ask what they need. Usually it’s your new certificate and updated photo ID.

About this order: it’s a common, practical sequence, not an official rule. Federal agencies follow the Australian Government Guidelines on the Recognition of Sex and Gender, but each one has its own steps. Last checked 14 Nov 2026.

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