Texas Quietly Issued A Policy To Stop Trans People From Updating Their Driver’s Licenses

Transgender Texans are no longer able to update the sex marker listed on their state driver’s licenses, even if they have officially updated their birth certificates or other legal documents, according to an internal policy issued by Texas’ Department of Public Safety this week.

“Effective immediately, August 20, 2024, the Department will not accept court orders or amended birth certificates issued that change the sex when it differs from documentation already on file,” Sheri Gipson, the chief of Texas’ Driver License Division, wrote in an email reviewed by HuffPost. The Texas Newsroom, Austin’s NPR affiliate, first reported the policy change on Wednesday.

“For current DL/ID holders, the sex established at the time of original application and listed in the driver record will not be changed unless there was a clerical error,” the policy stated. Texans who have already changed their gender marker will still be able to renew their driver’s licenses and IDs.

In an email with the subject line “Court Order Notice to Employees,” Gipson also wrote that all documentation about requests for court-ordered sex marker changes will be scanned and sent to the department via an internal email address, along with the customer’s name and driver’s license number.

“This email address is for internal reporting only and should not be shared with customers,” Gipson’s email stated.

Until Tuesday, the Texas Department of Public Safety had a “gender change” policy that allowed residents to update their sex marker with a court order or updated birth certificate. That policy is no longer available on the state’s website.

The new guidance creates a new set of barriers for trans Texans who need correct IDs to participate in areas of public life