[theoddz]

Originally Posted by Sam

Im not sure NY will ammend my BC, but i will just be happy with my DL changed

Hey Sam, take a look at this link. New York is one of the more "enlightened" states and they will change your BC to reflect both name changes and gender marker. Usually you can get your gender marker changed on your DL with just your surgeon's letter. Your state's DMV web site should have instructions on how to do that.

http://www.drbecky.com/birthcert.html

The BC becomes important when it comes to getting a passport and having all documentation in order to get legally married. I am a Federal employee, as well as a medically retired/Disabled Veteran who has military benefits that would make my legal wife eligible for Federal and military benefits like health care, a military ID card, death benefits, stipends, etc. It is important for me to have all the changes legally made, but it may not be so for someone else who isn't in a similar situation to mine.

Everything I saw on the web about Florida was kinda dated, so I called the FL Bureau of Vital Statistics' amendment section. They told me that, for $20, they would change both my legal name and my gender marker. I needed to have a copy of my driver's license/legal identification, my surgeon's letter and the original (with the court seal stamp imprint) court order for legal name change. There was an application to fill out, too. I wrote a cover letter telling them specifically what I wanted done and requesting that they send my original documentation (court order and surgeon's letter) back to me. For the $20, I get the changes specified and 2 certified BC's. I ordered 2 more certified BC's (one each for my parents) for $4 each. THEN, for $10 more, they would put a "Rush" on the order. The whole thing......$38.

I think most every state will require, along with an application, the original court stamped legal order for name change. You should get this when you file for a legal name change, after the judge approves it. If not, you need to ASK for it, especially if you're doing your filing and paperwork yourself. I had an attorney process my legal name change. I wanted to make sure that everything went right the first time and that I wouldn't get hassled. Really, it didn't cost that much...$600 for my attorney. As Mother has always said, "There are things you spend money on and things you do yourself." This was one thing I would decide to spend money on.

Speaking of Mother.....She used to have (probably still has) a collection of "shady" books from G-dknowswhere and one of them said "if you have no family or attachments to your name, and you need to get out of your bills really quick, go to Nevada, change your name and disappear." When I went through this and changed my name, the Nevada paperwork was FULL of places where you had to sign, over and over again, that you weren't doing this for the purpose of evading your bills!!! I still think that's funny.

Good luck to you, Sam, and good luck to you other fellows who are doing this or anticipating doing it. Really, it is easier than you think.

~Theo~