File a petition to get a court order recognizing your gender and changing your name

1. If you live in California, go to the superior court in the county where you live
   If there are different locations, check your court’s website, talk to your self-help center, or find the closest court (link opens in a new tab) to you where civil cases are filed.
   • If you live out of state, you file in the county that issued the birth certificate you are changing or where the marriage was entered, if you're changing a marriage certificate. Get more information about where to file if you live out of state.
2. Give the court clerk your forms
   At the courthouse, give the court clerk the original and the copies of your forms. The clerk will stamp the forms, keep the original and return the copies to you.
3. Pay special attention to the Order to Show Cause—Change of Name to Conform to Gender Identity (form NC-125) (link opens in a new tab)
   • This is the form that orders anyone who does not agree to your request to file an objection within 6 weeks of the date the form is filed with the court (the date stamped on the upper right-hand corner).
   • The objection has to be for good cause, which means that there has to be a valid legal reason to disagree with your request.

• The clerk will give the filed forms to a judge who will make a decision after a 6 week waiting period.
• Ask the clerk how you can pick up a signed name change order.

⚠️ In some cases, you may have one more step before a judge can make a decision

If you asked to change your bride or groom designation and your spouse (if still alive and able to sign) did not sign form NC-312:

• The judge will sign an Order to Show Cause (form NC-325) that tells your spouse about your request and that they can file a written objection within 6 weeks of the date the form is filed with the court (the date stamped on the upper right-hand corner). 
• You must have a copy of that Order to Show Cause (form NC-325) and the Petition (form NC-300) delivered to your spouse so they get a chance to respond. This is called serving court papers.
• Get step-by-step instructions on how to serve your spouse.

If you're in jail, prison, or on parole, you will have to give a copy of your Petition (form NC-300), form NC-100 and the NC-110 attachment to:

• If you are in state prison, have the warden notified. Ask the warden's office how.
• If you are in county jail, have the county sheriff’s department notified. Ask the sheriff’s office how.
• If you are on parole, notify the regional parole administrator of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR). Ask the administrator’s office how.

Get step-by-step instructions on how to notify the jail, prison, or CDCR.