Apply for a Gender Recognition Certificate / Revised Birth Certificate

The Gender Recognition Act 2015 provides that a person can apply for a Gender Recognition Certificate in order to have their preferred gender recognised by the State.

Once a Gender Recognition Certificate is issued, the gender of the person named on the certificate becomes for all purposes the preferred gender from that date forward.

Accordingly, if the preferred gender is the male gender the person’s sex becomes that of a man, and if it is the female gender the person’s sex becomes that of a woman.

The effect of the legal recognition is not retrospective. All rights, responsibilities and consequences of actions by you prior to the date of recognition of your preferred gender remain unaffected.

You can apply for a Gender Recognition Certificate if you are at least 18 years of age and you are:

• registered in the register of births OR
• registered in the adopted children register OR
• registered in the register of intercountry adoptions OR
• recorded in a foreign births entry book or in the foreign births register

You can also apply if you were born outside the State but are ordinarily resident in the State. Evidence of your birth is required.

Children

An application can be made on behalf of a child aged 16 years or over if a court order is obtained that exempts the child from meeting the age requirement.

Foreign gender recognition

If you have changed gender under the law of another state, you can apply for a Gender Recognition Certificate.

You will have to provide a copy of the relevant decision, order or certificate.

To apply, complete the application form GRC1 at the bottom of this page.

The form includes a Statutory Declaration which must be witnessed by one of the following:

• Peace Commissioner
• Notary Public
• Commissioner for Oaths
• Solicitor

Attach the following documents with your application:

• birth certificate or adoption certificate
• proof of residency in Ireland, if you were not born in Ireland
• if you have had your preferred gender recognised in another jurisdiction and wish to have that recognition validated here, a copy of the relevant decision, order or certificate

Send the completed application form and supporting documents to:

If you are issued with a Gender Recognition Certificate, your gender (and name - if changed) will be updated on the record associated with your Personal Public Service (PPS) Number on the department’s central records database.

If you require an amendment to a Gender Recognition Certificate please use form GRC2 (below) or to Revoke an existing Gender Recognition Certificate, please use form GRC3 (below).

Apply for a revised Birth Certificate

If you are registered in the register of births, the adopted children register, the register of intercountry adoptions or the foreign births register, when you receive your Gender Recognition Certificate you can apply to the appropriate authority to have your details relating to your gender entered in the appropriate gender recognition register.

You apply to:

• the General Register Office (GRO) to be entered in the register of gender recognition if you are registered in the register of births or the adopted children register. Your details will already have been sent to the General Registrar. You apply to the GRO for a certified copy of your entry in the register of gender recognition using the Application for entry in the Register of Gender RecognitionApplication for entry in the Register of Gender Recognition. ]A certified copy of an entry costs €20.
• the Adoption Authority of Ireland to be entered in the register of gender recognition of intercountry adoptions if you are registered in the register of intercountry adoptions. Your details will already have been sent to the Adoption Authority
• the Department of Foreign Affairs to be entered in the register of gender recognition of foreign births if you are recorded in a foreign births entry book or in the foreign births register

Birth certificate

A certified copy of an entry in one of the above gender recognition registers can be used if you have to provide a birth certificate.

The following people can apply for a copy of your entry in the register:

• yourself
• your surviving spouse or civil partner
• your child if there is no surviving spouse or civil partner
• your parent if there is no surviving spouse, civil partner or child
• your brother or sister if there is no surviving spouse, civil partner, child or parent

• Gender Recognition
• Gender Recognition - Annual Reports
• Review (under section 7) of the Gender Recognition Act 2015

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