Welcome to our one-stop hub for name and gender change information. Find out how to update your name and gender on state and federal IDs and records.
Most courts and government offices have resumed normal operations with the formal end of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency. Make sure to contact your local court or other government offices for details on their current operating hours and procedures, including if they require appointments for in-person visits.. You should keep dated copies of any materials you submit by mail or electronically.
Last updated November 2023
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To obtain a legal name change in South Dakota, an applicant must submit a petition to the court. The applicant must publish notice of the hearing and petition details in a legal newspaper once a week for four weeks. (S.D. Codified Laws §§ 21-37-1 to 21-37-10)
For instructions on legal name changes for minors under 18 in South Dakota, see NCTE's Name Changes for Minors in South Dakota resource.
In order to update name and/or gender on a South Dakota ID, the applicant must submit in person (1) a document demonstrating the name change, such as a birth certificate, passport, or court order (if applicable) and/or (2a) a court order certifying the gender change or (2b) a signed affidavit from a licensed physician certifying that the applicant’s gender has been medically altered. The South Dakota Department of Public Safety addresses name change here.
South Dakota does not have a specific gender correction provision, but the general statute governing amendments to birth certificates is S.D. Admin. R. 44:09:05:02.
To apply for an amended birth certificate the applicant should submit:
Applications should be sent to:
Vital Records
207 E Missouri Ave, Ste 1A
Pierre, SD 57501
