General information
Recent changes in Washington make it easier to request a name change and update gender markers on ID. The National Center for Transgender Equality has a helpful flowchart and checklist for name and gender marker changes:
Name change
In Washington State, court-ordered name changes are primarily governed by RCW 4.24.130. The process will vary depending on your situation.
The most common ways to change your name in Washington state are asking for a court order or doing this as part of a marriage, divorce, or adoption process. This page covers court-ordered name changes.
There are two kinds of name change court processes in Washington--regular "non-sealed" (or "public") and "sealed." Each type of name change has its requirements, forms, and specific court you will use.
Forms and instructions
Regular non-sealed name change petitions are filed in District Court and this process applies to most name changes. Forms are available from the District Court website or their administration office on the ground floor of the courthouse:
- Name change information and forms from District Court
- Name Change Guide from Washington LawHelp - this has helpful information about regular non-sealed name changes, but use the District Court forms rather than the forms in this packet
Sealed name change petitions are filed in Superior Court. Your request must be due to one of these situations in order to use this procedure:
- Your experience of or reasonable fear of domestic violence, stalking, unlawful harassment, or coercive control
- Gender expression or identity
- Emancipated minors
- Asylum, refugee, or special immigrant juvenile status
Washington LawHelp has information about different types of name changes and forms and instructions for a sealed name change:
Additional resources
Washington LawHelp has information about:
Gender marker change
The Washington State Department of Health adopted a regulation (WAC 246-490-075) providing for a streamlined process to change a gender marker on Washington birth certificates to M, F, or X:
Washington residents also have the option of using a non-binary gender designation on their driver’s licenses, identification cards, and instruction permits. Washingtonians can now select M, F, or X when they apply for a new license. Washington Department of Licensing has information to change existing license/ID/permit:
Washington LawHelp has more information about changing the gender marker on various identification documents:
Additional resources
For information about changing documents such as birth certificates issued by another state, Advocates for Trans Equality collects state-by-state information and requirements: