What does HB 2673 do?
Effective January 1st, 2018, an individual’s attestation will be accepted to change the name and/or sex designation on an Oregon birth certificate if the change is requested to support the registrant’s gender identity and the gender of the individual does not match the sex reported on their birth certificate. Previously, this required a court order.
When does HB 2673 go into effect?
HB 2673 becomes effective January 1st, 2018. Applications and instructions will be available before this date but we can only accept forms signed and dated on or after January 1, 2018. Forms signed prior to HB 2673 becoming effective will not be accepted. Please note that even though HB 2673 becomes effective on January 1st, the state vital records office is closed on January 1st for the holiday.
Who is eligible to change their name and/or sex with HB 2673?
Anyone who was born in Oregon and who needs to change their name or sex designation on their birth certificate to reflect their gender identity is eligible. Individuals who previously changed their name but have not changed their sex will be eligible to change their sex designation on their birth record under the new law.
You have to be 18 years or older, or an emancipated minor, to change your own birth certificate. If you are a minor, your parent or legal guardian may request the change. Legal representatives of the person on the record, a parent, or a legal guardian may request the change with documentation of their authorization to act on behalf of the applicant.
What do I need to do to change my name and/or sex designation using this administrative process?
You need to:
You can come to our office or submit your application by mail.
Our office is located at 800 NE Oregon Street, Suite 225, Portland, OR, 97232. Our hours are 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, Monday through Friday, excluding state holidays.
Our mailing address is:
Oregon Vital Records
PO Box 14050
Portland, OR 97293-0050
If you are completing this process by mail you will also need an order form and a photocopy of your ID.
Prior to submitting your request, we recommend reviewing your current birth certificate. This is important because the “full name as it appears on the birth record” is required on the application and must match your current birth record exactly.
If you need to order your Oregon birth record, please see www.healthoregon.org/chs for more information. We can replace one certified copy of a birth record without charge for up to one year from the date that it was issued after an amendment, so this should not be an additional cost if a certified copy is needed with the new name and/or sex. You would simply return the birth record with your application and amendment fee, and we would issue your updated record without charging you again for the certificate fee.
How much does this process cost?
Amending the record requires a $35 amendment fee. This does not include the cost of a birth certificate. Birth certificates cost $25 each for a short form certificate and $30 each for a long form certificate. If you order in the office, there is an additional $3 fee to complete the identity authentication quiz that our kiosks use to help verify your identity. If you need the process expedited, there is an optional expedite fee of $30.
How long does it take before I receive a new birth certificate?
After we receive a completed Application to Change the Name and/or Sex on a Record of Live Birth to Support Gender Identity, order form, ID, fees, and any other necessary documents, the birth record will typically be amended within seven to ten working days. An expedite option is available for an additional $30 which would expedite the processing time to three business days. We are unable to offer same-day corrections.
Where is your office located? What are your hours?
Our office is located at 800 NE Oregon Street, Suite 225, Portland, OR, 97232. Our hours are 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, Monday through Friday, excluding state holidays.
What documentation will I receive as proof of the change?
Upon approval of your request to make an administrative change of name and/or sex to support gender identity, the applicant will receive documentation that includes: a new certified copy of the record of live birth for the registrant (if ordered), a copy of the application form requesting the change, and correspondence from the State Registrar on the final decision.
What information do I need to put on the Oregon Birth Record order form?
This form needs to be completed and the fees paid so you can get a certified copy of the new birth certificate. The birth record order form must include the information on your birth certificate prior to the name or sex designation change. We need the information to find your current birth certificate so we can change it. You can find the order form at www.healthoregon.org/chs.
After the changes are completed, any future orders for your birth certificate must include the new name and/or sex designation.
Will other agencies accept this new birth record?
This is a new process and we are unsure if other agencies, such as a federal Passport Agency, will accept these amended certificates to change information already on file with the agency. For records with an amended sex designation, nothing on the certificate will indicate an amendment occurred. This will make it difficult to connect the current record with any previous name on documentation at other agencies. In some cases, agencies might require a court order to recognize the new name and/or sex. We will work with applicants that ask us to explain the process to another agency, but we do not control the rules or procedures of other agencies and cannot speak for them. If you do not have an existing file with an agency (such as never before having a passport), there should be no reason for the agency to question the record.
Back to top