Changing the registration of gender on official documents

Do you want to change the registration of your gender designation on your official documents? If so, it must first be changed on your birth certificate. For people born in the Netherlands, this is done in the municipality where you were born. If you want a gender-neutral birth certificate, you can send a request to the district court. After the registration of your gender has been changed on your birth certificate, you can apply for a new passport, identity card or driving licence.

The Government of the Netherlands uses 2 genders: ‘man’ (male) and ‘vrouw’ (female). For people born in the Netherlands, changing the registration of your gender from ‘man’ to ‘vrouw’, and vice versa, can be done at the municipality where you were born.

It is not possible to choose gender-neutral registration at the municipality. Do you want to change the registration of your gender to gender-neutral? If so, send a request to the district court.

There are rules for changing the registration of your gender on official documents.

Medical certificate needed to change the registration of your gender

To change the registration of your gender, you will need a certificate from an expert. This may be a doctor, psychologist or psychotherapist. The certificate is a statement containing the designation ‘deskundige transgenders’ (transgender expert) (in Dutch). You do not need to have undergone an operation, hormone treatment or sterilisation.

Change to registration of gender designation for children under 16 years of age

It is not currently possible for children under 16 years of age to have the registration of their gender changed.

Gender registration change and citizenship

To change the registration of your gender in the Netherlands, you must:

hold Dutch citizenship; or
have resided in the Netherlands for at least 1 year, if you do not hold Dutch citizenship.

Do you want to have the registration of your gender changed by the municipality in the Netherlands where you were born? If so, you can also specify your new forename(s). The municipality where you were born will then put those names on your birth certificate.

You can have the registration of your gender changed in the municipality where you were born. That municipality will amend your birth certificate. The municipality where you were born will notify the municipality where you live of the change. The municipality where you live will then amend your data in the Personal Records Database (Basisregistratie Personen – BRP).

Were you born outside the Netherlands? If so, you can submit a request to the municipality of Den Haag (The Hague).

Applying for a new passport, identity card or driving licence after changing the registration of your gender

Is your new gender registration entered in the BRP? If so, you can apply for a new passport, identity card or driving licence. You can do this with the municipality where you live. Old documents are no longer valid, and you must return them.

This is how it works for you

Your (future) place of residence falls under:

Municipality of Bernheze

Here is some information from your municipality.

Notification of change in registration of gender (transgender)

Please note: you can only change the registration of your gender if you live in the Netherlands and are registered with a municipality.

You can have your gender and possibly your first names changed at the municipality of Bernheze if you were born in Bernheze. Make an appointment (in Dutch) to do so. The declaration can be made from the age of 16. You declare to the Registrar that you are of the opposite sex.
When you were not born in the Netherlands you can request this change in gender at the Registry Office of the municipality of The Hague

A statement by an expert. The statement should affirm that you have declared to this expert that you have the permanent conviction that you belong to another gender than stated on your birth certificate. And that you understand the repercussions of your decision to change your gender identification. This statement may not be older than 6 months at the time of your application. Go to the website of the Dutch government for information about the experts who can issue a statement.
A certified copy of your foreign birth certificate, if required legalised and with a certified translation (unless your birth certificate is registered with the Registry Office of the Municipality of The Hague).
Proof of Dutch citizenship. This can be (a copy of) a Dutch identity card (both sides), Dutch passport or a Dutch nationality certificate.
If you have a different nationality: a copy of your passport and both sides of your valid residence permit.

You must apply for the change in registration of gender on your birth certificate in person. It is not possible to ask someone else to do it for you. To apply, make an appointment with the municipality.

Online appointment (in Dutch)

You can also make an appointment with the municipality of Bernheze by calling +31 (0)412 45 88 88.

Important information for after the change in registration

Once your birth certificate has been changed, the municipality will update the Basisregistratie Personen – BRP (Personal Records Database). Public organisations whose systems are connected to the BRP will receive the changes automatically. Those organisations include:

the Belastingdienst (Tax and Customs Administration)
Pension funds
The Rijksdienst voor het wegverkeer – RDW (Netherlands Vehicle Authority)
The Sociale Verzekeringsbank – SVB (social insurance bank)
Health insurers

You must inform other organisations yourself that the registration of your gender and, if applicable, your first names have changed.

All of your identity documents will lose their legal validity after the gender change.

Amendment of the registration your gender on your birth certificate is free of charge. However, you do have to pay for a new identity document (passport, identity card, driving licence).

It takes approximately one week for the details on your birth certificate to be changed.

More information