How to change your gender on formal documents in Western Australia

Acknowledgement document 

If you were born overseas and have been living in Western Australia for 12 continuous months, you can apply for an acknowledgement document, which acknowledges your gender identity and can help you update your gender on other documents.   

Registering ‘change of sex’ in WA / applying for an acknowledgement document 

How to apply if you are over 18  

1. Complete the application form.  
   • If you were born in WA (or your birth was registered in WA), use the ‘Application for a change of registration of sex or gender for an adult (18 years or older) born in Western Australia‘ form.  
   • If you were born overseas but have lived in WA for the past 12 months, you can use the ‘Application to the Registrar for a document acknowledging sex or gender of an adult (18 years or older) born overseas‘ form.  
   • The sex/gender options you can choose from are: 
     • ‘male’; 
     • ‘female’; 
     • ‘non-binary’; or 
     • ‘other (please specify)’, in which case you can describe your sex/gender. 
2. Prepare your supporting information. You must provide a statement from a doctor or psychologist certifying that you have received appropriate clinical treatment. 
3. Prepare your identity documents. You must provide at least three current identity documents with your application, from certain lists as explained on page 3 of the form. Any overseas documents must be translated into English by an accredited NAATI translator located in Australia. 
   • If you were born in WA (or your birth was registered in WA), you must also return your original Western Australian birth certificate with your application. This will be replaced for free when your updated sex or gender is registered.  
   • If you were born overseas but have lived in WA for the past 12 months, you must also provide: 
     • two documents that show you have been living in WA continuously for the 12 months before you apply (see page 4 of the application for further details); and   
     • your original birth certificate from your country of birth. If this is not in English, it must be translated into English by an accredited NAATI translator located in Australia; and  
     • your passport. If this is not in English, it must be translated into English by an accredited NAATI translator located in Australia.  
4. Submit your application. This includes completing and signing the declaration in Part 6 of the form. You can submit it either:  
   • in person at: 
     Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages 
     Level 10, 141 St Georges Terrace 
     Perth WA 6000 
     If you apply in person, you must provide original documents. 
   • by post to:  
     Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages 
     PO Box 7720 
     Cloisters Square 
     Perth WA 6850 
     
     If you apply by post, you must provide clear and legible copies of each identity document. 
5. Pay the application fees. You must pay the application fee when you submit the form.  
   As noted above, if you are born in WA (or your birth was registered in WA) you must return your birth certificate with the application. It will be replaced for free. Otherwise, a separate fee will apply for a new birth certificate.  
   If you are applying for an acknowledgement document, you will need to pay both the application fee and an additional fee for a certified copy of the acknowledgement document. 
   Fees can change. Current application fees are published at: https://www.wa.gov.au/service/justice/civil-law/change-of-sex-or-gender.   

How to apply if you are aged 12 to 17 years

If you are between 12 and 17, your parent(s) and guardian(s) must apply on your behalf. They can only apply if you have not registered a change of sex or gender anywhere in Australia in the last 12 months.  

1. Complete the application form.  
   • If you were born in WA (or your birth was registered in WA), your parent(s) or guardian(s) must use the ‘Application for a change of registration of sex or gender for a child (12 to 17 years) born in Western Australia‘ form.  
   • If you were born overseas but have lived in WA for the past 12 months, your parent(s) or guardian(s) must use the ‘Application for a change of registration of sex or gender for a child (12 to 17 years) born overseas‘ form. 
     
     You must also complete the statement of consent in front of a witness (see Part 8 of the form).    
   • The sex/gender options you can choose from are: 
     • ‘male’; 
     • ‘female’; 
     • ‘non-binary’; or 
     • ‘other (please specify)’, in which case you can describe your sex/gender. 
2. Get your supporting information. You must provide a statement from a doctor or psychologist certifying that you have received appropriate clinical treatment. 
3. Get identity documents. You parent(s) or guardian(s) must:  
   • each provide at least three current identity documents with your application, from certain lists as explained on page 3 of the form. If documents are not in English, they must be translated into English by an accredited NAATI translator located in Australia; and  
   • provide a current photo ID document of you (the child). If they can’t provide this, they can provide two recent passport photos of you, signed on the back by a guarantor (see page 8 of the form). 
   • If you were born in WA (or your birth was registered in WA), you must also return your original Western Australian birth certificate with your application. This will be replaced for free when your updated sex or gender is registered.  
   • If you were born overseas but have lived in WA for the past 12 months, you must also provide: 
     • two documents that show you (the child) have been living in WA continuously for the 12 months before you apply (see page 4 of the form); and  
     • your original birth certificate from your country of birth. If this is not in English, this must be translated into English by an accredited NAATI translator located in Australia. 
4. Submit your application. This includes getting your parent(s) or guardian(s) to each complete and sign the declaration in Part 9 of the form. You can submit it either:  
   • in person at: 
     Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages 
     Level 10, 141 St Georges Terrace 
     Perth WA 6000 
     If you apply in person, you must provide original documents. 
   • by post to:  
     Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages PO Box 7720 
     Cloisters Square 
     Perth WA 6850 
     If you apply by post, you must provide clear and legible copies of each identity document.  
5. Pay the application fees. You must pay the application fee when you submit the form.  
   • As noted above, if you are born in WA (or your birth was registered in WA) you must return your birth certificate with the application. It will be replaced for free. Otherwise, a separate fee will apply for a new birth certificate.  
   • If you are applying for an acknowledgement document, you will need to pay both the application fee and an additional fee for a certified copy of the acknowledgement document. 
   • Fees can change. Current application fees are published at https://www.wa.gov.au/service/justice/civil-law/change-of-sex-or-gender. 

How to apply if you are under 12 years of age  

If you are under 12, any person can apply on your behalf, but an order from the Family Court must be included with your application. 

1. Complete the application form.  
   • If you were born in WA (or your birth was registered in WA), any person can apply on your behalf using the ‘Application for a change of registration of a sex or gender for a child (under 12 years) born in Western Australia‘ form.  
   • If you were born overseas but have lived in WA for the past 12 months, any person can apply can using the ‘Application for a change of registration of a sex or gender for a child (under 12 years) born overseas‘ form.  
   • The sex/gender options you can choose from are: 
     • ‘male’; 
     • ‘female’; or 
     • ‘non-binary’. 
2. Get identity documents. The person making the application on your behalf must provide at least three current identity documents with your application, as explained on page 3 of the form.  
   
   If you were born in WA (or your birth was registered in WA), you must also return your original Western Australian birth certificate with your application. This will be replaced for free when your updated sex or gender is registered.  
3. Submit your application. You must also provide the Family Court Order which approves the change to your sex/gender along with your application. You can submit the application and relevant documents either:
   • in person at:  
     Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages
     Level 10, 141 St Georges Terrace 
     Perth WA 6000 
     
     If you apply in person, you must provide original documents. 
   • by post to:  
     Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages 
     PO Box 7720 
     Cloisters Square 
     Perth WA 6850 
     
     If you apply by post, you must provide clear and legible copies of each identity document. 
4. Pay the application fees. You must pay the application fee when you submit the form. 
   As noted above, if you are born in WA (or your birth was registered in WA) you must return your birth certificate with the application. It will be replaced for free. Otherwise, a separate fee will apply for a new birth certificate.  
   If you are applying for an acknowledgement document, you will need to pay both the application fee and an additional fee for a certified copy of the acknowledgement document. 
   Fees can change. Current application fees are published at: https://www.wa.gov.au/service/justice/civil-law/change-of-sex-or-gender.  

Document	Department	What you need to do
Your Medicare card	Services Australia	If your Medicare online account is linked to myGov, you can update your gender online by signing into myGov or the myGov app.  If you don’t have a myGov account or Medicare online account, you can call the Medicare program line, visit a service centre or send a letter via post.   You won’t need to provide any supporting documents when you make a request this way.  The Medicare contact details are available here.   If you update your gender on your Medicare card, this may change the reminders you receive for cancer screening under Medicare.
Your Centrelink file	Services Australia	If your Medicare online account is linked to myGov, you can update your gender online by signing into myGov or the myGov app.  If you don’t have a myGov account or Medicare online account, you can call the Medicare program line, visit a service centre or send a letter via post.   You won’t need to provide any supporting documents when you make a request this way.  The Medicare contact details are available here.   If you update your gender on your Medicare card, this may change the reminders you receive for cancer screening under Medicare.   If your Centrelink online account is linked to myGov, you can update your gender online by singing into myGov, or the myGov app.  If you don’t have a myGov account, or a Centrelink online account, you’ll need to create these accounts or call Centrelink.  You will only be required to provide supporting documents to update your gender if you are either:   – updating your gender in your Child Support personal record; or   – verifying your identity under an international agreement with Centrelink.   If you are required to provide supporting documents, you can provide one of the documents outlined in the Australian Government Guidelines.
Your passport	Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade	For both a new passport and/or to change your gender on an existing passport, you need to start the application process online and then print it for lodgement.  For this application, you must also provide one of the documents outlined in the Australian Government Guidelines. If you are providing a statement from a registered medical practitioner or registered psychologist, they must complete DFAT’s Form B-14.   If you are in the process of transitioning, you can provide a statement from a registered medical practitioner or psychologist that you have had or are receiving appropriate clinical treatment for gender transition. This should be provided on DFAT’s ‘Declaration: sex/gender of passport applicant form’ (Form B14).

What happens when there is inconsistent gender information in my supporting documents? 

If you identify as intersex, or are in the process of affirming your gender, your supporting documents may not be the same and may refer to different genders or gender markers. If this is the case, departments may ask you for more information and supporting documents to confirm your gender identity. 

Under the Australian Government Guidelines, departments will prioritise either your passport or the supporting document that is the most recent. The Australian Government recognises that there may be legitimate reasons for holding conflicting documents, for example people who identify as non-binary or intersex may want to hold a passport with a particular binary gender marker to ensure their safety while travelling overseas.  

Will every application and outcome be the same?

No. The different departments may have different application forms and therefore varied outcomes around changing your gender identification.  

What’s an example?

Services Australia can update your gender as male, female or non-binary for their personal records system.  You can also tell them you prefer not to use a courtesy title such as Miss, Mr or Ms.  

Whereas…

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade can record your gender as M (male), F (female), or X (indeterminate/intersex/unspecified) on your passport. However, the Department notes that those travelling with a passport showing ‘X’ may encounter difficulties when crossing borders due to its infrequent use. In more conservative countries or areas you may become the focus of unwanted attention.