File a petition to recognize your child’s gender change

Once you complete your forms, you need to file them with the court and pay a filing fee. If you can’t afford the fee, you can ask the court to waive it.

How to file forms with the court

  • Take your forms to the court clerk

    File the forms in any superior court in California. If you live in California, it can be the court in the county where you or your child live but doesn't have to be. Find a court where civil cases are filed.

    At the courthouse, file the forms you filled out by giving the original and the copies to the clerk.

    The clerk will stamp the forms, keep the original and return the copies to you.

    The Order to Show CauseRecognition of Minor’s Change of Gender and Issuance of New Birth Certificate (form NC-520) is the form that orders anyone who does not agree to your request to file an objection within 6 weeks of the date the clerk stamped on the form. The objection has to be for good cause, which means that there has to be a valid legal reason to disagree with your request. 

    Yes, you can file by mail. Mail the original and 2 copies to the clerk. You need to include the filing fee (or your request for a fee waiver) and a self-addressed stamped envelope so the clerk can mail your copies back to you. Make sure to include enough postage. If you do not include a self-addressed stamped envelope, you will have to go to the courthouse to pick up your copies.

    Some courts allow online filing (called e-filing). You can find out if your court has online filing on your court's website.

     

  • Pay a filing fee

    You’ll need to pay a fee of $435-$450 to the clerk when you file your forms.

    If you can’t afford the fee, you can ask the clerk for a fee waiver.  You may qualify for a fee waiver if:

    • You receive public benefits
    • Your income is less than a set amount
    • You can’t afford the fee and meet your basic needs

Child's gender change recognition

What's next?

Once you’ve filed your forms, you must let the other parent know by having a copy of the forms delivered to them (serve the other parent).

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