Applying for a Gender Recognition Certificate

Do you want to apply for a Gender Recognition Certificate to legally change your gender, but need help to access and use the online form?

Our digital support service is here to help.

Call 03300 160 051
Image of an individual with pink hair pointing to a piece of paper

Who is the service for?

You may be eligible to use this free service if you:

  • Don't have regular access to a device or the internet

  • Don't feel confident completing online forms 

Having a certificate means you can:

By having a Gender Recognition Certificate, your affirmed gender will be legally recognised in the UK.

This means that you will be able to:

  • Update your birth or adoption certificate, if it was registered in the UK
  • Get married or form a civil partnership in your affirmed gender
  • Update your marriage or civil partnership certificate, if it was registered in the UK
  • Have your affirmed gender on your death certificate when you die.

It will not change your legal status as a father or mother of a child.

Useful Information

1. What if I am currently married, or in a civil partnership?

When applying for a certificate, if you want to stay married or in a civil partnership, your partner will need to sign a document to agree to this. You can still apply even if your partner refuses to sign the document, or if you want to end your marriage or civil partnership.

If your application is successful:
  • You will get what is called an ‘interim certificate’ which you can only use to end your marriage or civil partnership.
  • Once you have received this, you will have 6 months to apply for an annulment, divorce or dissolution.
  • You can get a full certificate once you’re no longer married or in a civil partnership. You can also get a divorce or end your civil partnership before you apply.

2. Are there fees?

Yes. There is a fee to apply for a Gender Recognition Certificate. For more information on how much this fee is please visit the Gov.uk website.

You might be able to get help paying this fee if you receive benefits or are on a low income. 

3. What documents do I need to apply?

To apply you’ll need to provide documents based on your personal circumstances.

A document checker is available here.

Contact us to receive free support:

If you do not have access to the internet or do not feel confident using it, contact us:

Call us 03300 160 051

Text “FORM” to 60777

Email us support@wearegroup.com

Please be aware this service does not provide legal advice or technical support for issues encountered when filling in an online form (such as error messages and frozen pages).