This guide covers changing your legal name and gender marker (sometimes referred to as a “sex designation”) on government-related documentation that contains those records. It aims to cover most situations for Manitoba residents, but may not be exhaustive.

The order in which you will need to change your documents varies depending on whether you want to change your name and/or your gender marker. A comprehensive list of places where you may need to change one or both can be found further below.

📄 Changing Both Your Name and Gender Marker

Start at the Manitoba Vital Statistics Branch by applying for your change of sex designation, which will require a letter from a healthcare practitioner, and your change of name.

Once you have received your documentation from Vital Statistics, use it within 15 days to obtain your new Manitoba driver’s licence/Identification Card, which will be your first piece of photo ID.

While you wait, you can apply to change your Manitoba Health Card, which will only require your new documentation from Vital Statistics.

Applying for most other documents will require, or will be made easier, by having at least one piece of photo ID. Your driver’s licence/identification card can be used for this.

🏷️ Changing Only Your Name

Start by applying for a change of name through the Manitoba Vital Statistics Branch.

Once you have received your new documentation from Vital Statistics, use it within 15 days to obtain your new Manitoba driver’s licence/Identification Card, which will be your first piece of photo ID.

While you wait, you can apply to change your Manitoba Health Card, which will only require your new documentation from Vital Statistics.

Applying for most other documents will require, or will be made easier, by having at least one piece of photo ID. Your driver’s licence/identification card can be used for this.

⚧️ Changing Only Your Gender Marker

Your driver’s licence/ID card and passport do not need any prior documentation to change your gender marker.

Apply for a change of sex designation, which will require a letter from a healthcare practitioner, through the Manitoba Vital Statistics Branch. Once you have your new documentation, you can use it to apply to change your Manitoba Health Card.

Not all documents, services or places keep gender markers on file. This goes especially for documents not related to healthcare or issued by a government agency.

✅ Where to Change Your Name/Gender Marker

This is a list of places where you may have to change your name/gender marker. Most only keep your name, and not your gender marker, on file. If there is anything that is not on this list that should be, please let us know!