Gender Recognition Process

What is the Gender Recognition process?

The Gender Recognition process allows trans people to be legally recognised as their chosen gender.
Under the Gender Recognition Act of 2004 a trans person may submit an application to the Gender
Recognition Panel. If successful applicants will be issued a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC).
They will then acquire all the rights as a person of their chosen gender.

Requirements

You must be 18 or over to apply. You must also have been living in your chosen gender for 2 years or
more (and intend to live in your chosen gender permanently) and have been treated in relation to your
gender identity. Surgery is not a requirement.

How to apply

You will need to complete an application form and send it to the Gender Recognition Panel with the
required evidence.

This website will guide you through the application process:

http://www.grp.gov.uk/formsguidanceagrapplication.htm

The application form can be found here:

http://www.grp.gov.uk/documents/forms/applicationforGRC.pdf

Guidance provided for filling out the application form can be found here:
http://www.grp.gov.uk/documents/guidance/GRP_GuidanceSept2007.pdf

Guidance provided for medical practitioners and chartered psychologists should they require it can
be found here: http://www.grp.gov.uk/documents/forms/GuideMedPractStandard_Jan09.pdf

The basic fee is £140 dependent on circumstances. (Additional information can be found here
regarding fees: http://www.grp.gov.uk/documents/guidance/FeesforapplyingtoGRPanel.pdf )

Evidence

Evidence that you have been living in your chosen gender for at least 2 years comes in a number of
forms. These include (dated to longer than 2 years ago) but are not limited to:
 Utility bills
 Letters from official, professional or business organisations
 Official documentation such as driving license (both parts) or passport
 Deed poll
 Academic documentation
 Letter from your employer

They will require sight of two forms of evidence, originals, that will be returned to you.

In order to prove that you have been treated in relation to your gender identity you must also send two
pieces of evidence from doctors or chartered psychologists. Specific details of what these reports
should contain can be found on page 14 of this document:
http://www.grp.gov.uk/documents/guidance/GRP_GuidanceSept2007.pdf

Uses
The GRC changes your legal gender where concerned with marriage/civil partnership. If your birth
was registered in the UK you will also be able to obtain a new birth certificate.

Once you are issued with a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC) the DWP and HMRC are informed
and will make the appropriate changes to your records i.e. you will no longer be considered as your
birth sex in regards to national insurance/tax records.

It does not affect the status of the person as mother or father or a child. Nor does it affect the disposal
or devolution of property under a will or other instrument made before that date.

Interim GRCs

If you are married or in a civil partnership you will be issued an interim GRC. Evidence of annulment
must be provided within 6 months in order to obtain a full GRC.

Sight of GRC Requests

You may find that someone requests sight of a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC) from you when
you request a change of legal gender with them. The GRC exists only to inform the Registrar of Births
to make a new register entry from which a new birth certificate is generated for you. Recording sight
of a GRC would lead to a breach of Section 22 of the Gender Recognition Act since sight of the
record by any other person would constitute unlawful disclosure of your protected information. Do not
be afraid to state this to those who request it! (http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/your-
rights/transgender/trans-people-your-right-to-change-your-name/)

Sport

Even with a GRC sporting bodies may prohibit or restrict participation in gender-restricted sporting events if
necessary to ensure fair competition or the safety of competitors. (Section 19 of the Gender Recognition Act of
2004.)

Gender specific offenses

If an offense could only be committed if a person were not their acquired gender the issuance of a
GRC does not prevent the offense being committed/attempted. (Section 20 of the Gender Recognition
Act of 2004.)