Reassignment of sex
If you have undergone sexual reassignment surgery and your birth or adoption was registered in Queensland, you can apply to have your new sex noted on your birth or adoption registration.
You must be 18 years or older and not married at the time of your application. In the case of a child, the child’s parents, or in certain circumstances one parent or the child’s guardian can apply.
The requirements of noting a reassignment of sex are complex. We suggest you contact us if you have any questions regarding the completion of your application.
Applying to note a reassignment of sex
To note a reassignment of sex, you must:
- complete the Application to note a reassignment of sex in the birth register or the adopted children register form
- supply supporting statutory declarations from two doctors verifying that sexual reassignment surgery has been undergone
- provide proof of your identity
- pay the scheduled fee.
A new birth certificate will not include a statement indicating that the sex has been changed. However, it will note that the birth has been re-registered. Laws restrict the issue of a birth certificate showing that the sex at birth has been changed and only certain people are entitled to obtain one.
A replacement birth certificate in the new sex will be issued free of charge on return of the original birth certificate.
Change of name
If you have changed your name or your child’s name as part of the reassignment of sex process, the change can also be noted on the birth or adoption registration. If you have not changed your name or your child’s name and now wish to do so, contact us for further information. Additional fees apply to these processes.
Lodging your form
You can lodge your form by post or in person at our Brisbane Registry.
Applications can not be faxed or emailed.
Payment options
If you are lodging your form in person, you may pay by cash, cheque, credit card (Visa or MasterCard only) or money order.
If you are posting your form, you may pay by cheque, credit card (Visa or MasterCard only) or money order.
Make cheques or money orders payable to the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages.
Proving your identity
Before a certificate, information or source document is released, an applicant’s entitlement to the document must be established and proof of identity produced in accordance with the eligibility criteria.
Photocopies must be certified by a qualified witness as being "a correct copy of the document".
Applicants are required to provide:
- One form of identification from each list (at least one containing a signature); or
- Two forms of identification from List 2 and one form of identification from List 3 (at least one containing a signature), if unable to provide identification from List 1.
| List 1: Linkage between identity and person | List 2: Evidence of identity operating in the community | List 3: Evidence of residential address |
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Proof of identity documents are to be in the English language, otherwise these must be translated by an accredited translator. The official translation document is to accompany the original documents.
The Registrar-General's discretion in deciding acceptable proof of identity documents is not exhausted by the above lists. Decisions may be made by the Registrar-General on any unusual case that may fall outside the requirements of the above table.
Certification of photocopies of proof of identity documents
As part of establishing proof of identity, copies of documents submitted to the Registry in support of an application must be certified as a true and correct copy by a qualified witness.
The following persons are considered to be qualified witnesses and are able to certify photocopies of documents as being “a correct copy of the document”:
- Justice of the Peace
- Commissioner for Declarations
- Barrister/Solicitor
- Notary Public.
If you are submitting your application at the Brisbane Registry, a Magistrates Court or a Queensland Government Agent Program (QGAP) office, client service officers are able to sight original proof of identity documents submitted in support of your application. Contact us for further information on certification.
Contacting us about your application
If you need to contact us, please make sure you have:
- copies of any previous correspondence
- any file or reference numbers you have been given
- the date you forwarded your application to us
- how you paid (cheque, money order, credit card or cash).