Tennessee Identity Documents
Tennessee Name Change Laws
To obtain a legal name change in Tennessee, an applicant must submit a petition to the court. No publication is required. Individuals who have prior felony convictions must provide additional documentation, and individuals who have been convicted of first-degree murder, second-degree murder, or sex offense are not eligible to change their name. (Tenn. Code Ann. § 29-8-101 to § 29-8-105 (West))
For instructions on legal name changes for minors under 18 in Tennessee, see NCTE's Name Changes for Minors in Tennessee resource.
Tennessee Drivers License Policy & Procedures
In order to update a Tennessee ID, the applicant must submit:
- If updating the name, a court order certifying the name change
- If updating the gender marker, "A statement from the attending physician that necessary medical procedures to accomplish the change in gender are complete" or a court order recognizing gender change.
See Tennessee Department of Safety Rule addressing name and gender marker changes 1340-1-13-.12 (5) and (6) here. See the Tennessee Department of Safety & Homeland Security website addresses name change here.
Tennessee Birth Certificate Laws
Tennessee specifically prohibits amending sex on a birth certificate: "The sex of an individual will not be changed on the original certificate of birth as a result of sex change surgery." Tenn. Code Ann. § 68-3-203(d).
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