Birth Certificate
How to update your legal name and/or gender marker on your birth certificate.
In Rhode Island, changes to birth certificates are handled by the Office of Vital Records* within the RI Department of Health. Updating your legal name and gender marker on your birth certificate can be done at the same time, but this guide lists the processes separately.
On your birth certificate, the gender marker (listed as “sex field”) can be changed to M, F, or X. As of March 2021, no medical documentation is required to update the gender marker on your birth certificate.
Names on RI birth certificates will be marked as amended if changed. However, gender markers will not indicate that they were amended.
If you currently live in Rhode Island but were born in another state, you will need to consult resources specific to the state of your birth.
Updating Name
Step 1
Step 2
Updating Gender Marker
STEP 1
Step 2
Updating Name on ri birth certificate
STEP 1
Gather the required documents
To update the name on your Rhode Island birth certificate, you will need to submit an Application for a Certified Copy of a Birth Record, a certified copy of your name change court order, and a photocopy of an accepted form of ID. This can be done at the same time as updating the gender marker on your RI birth certificate.
You will need to submit the following documents to the Office of Vital Records:
Application for a Certified Copy of a Birth Record
Download the Application for a Certified Copy of a Birth Record here or from the website of the Rhode Island Department of Health.
Box 1: Fill in all requested information. After “New name if change in court”, fill in with your current legal name.
Box 2: Indicate that you are requesting your own birth certificate.
Box 3 asks “Why do you need this record?”. Check the “other use” box and specify you are seeking to have the name on your birth certificate updated to match your court ordered name change.
Name change court order (certified copy)
This is the official name change order you received from your local probate court.
You must provide the Office of Vital Records with a certified copy, not a photocopy. This document will eventually be mailed back to you after your request is processed.
Photocopy of a form of photo ID
Accepted form of photo IDs can include your driver’s license, state ID, US passport, military ID, certificate of naturalization, or alien registration form.
Payment ($35.00):
$10.00 to process the change to your birth certificate
$25.00 to mail you an updated version of your birth certificate
Payment can be made by check or money order, payable to “General Treasurer of RI”.
Contact information for the person at the Office of Vital Records handling updates to birth certificates:
Mellissa Wilson
mellissa.wilson@health.ri.gov
(401) 222-5339
STEP 2
Submit notarized affidavit with required documents to the Office of Vital Records
The completed form, name change court order, photocopy of ID, and payment can be submitted to the Office of Vital Records by mail or by in-person drop-off through a lock box at the RI Department of Health.
Please note: the Center for Vital Records is closed to the public due to COVID-19
By mail
Send the completed form, name change court order, photocopy of ID, and payment to the following address:
Rhode Island Department of Health - Office of Vital Records
6 Harrington Road
Cranston, Rhode Island 02920
By drop-off in-person
Place the completed form, name change court order, photocopy of ID, and payment in an enveloped clearly marked “Vital Records, Room 101”.
Drop off envelope in a secured lock box at the main entrance of the Rhode Island Department - Center for Vital Records located at this address:
6 Harrington Road
Cranston, Rhode Island 02920
Updating Gender Marker on ri birth certificate
STEP 1
Contact the Office of Vital Records to prepare an affidavit
To update the gender marker on your Rhode Island birth certificate to M, F, or X, you will need to contact the Office of Vital Records to prepare an affidavit. This can be done at the same time as updating the name on your RI birth certificate.
As of March 2021, medical documentation is no longer required to update the gender marker on your RI birth certificate.
Contact the Office of Vital Records by phone or by email. At this time, the correct person to contact is Mellissa Wilson. Her information is provided below:
By phone: (401) 222-5339
By email: mellissa.wilson@health.ri.gov
Inform the Office of Vital Records you are seeking to change the gender marker on your RI birth certificate and that you are requesting an affidavit.
Tell them the gender marker currently on your birth certificate and the gender marker you are seeking to change to.
Give them key biographical information, including name at birth, updated legal name, date of birth, and place of birth.
A sample script for email or phone call is provided below:
Hello,
I am seeking to change the gender marker in the sex field on my Rhode Island birth certificate from (M/F) to (M/F/X). I am writing to request that your office prepare an affidavit for me to sign to initiate this process.
My key biographical information is:
Legal Name:
Name at Birth:
Date of Birth:
Place of Birth:Please contact me at (phone number) or (email address) with any questions.
Thank you.
After this request, the Office of Vital Records will prepare a formal affidavit for you. They will send you a copy via email or mail.
Step 2
Apply by mail to complete process
Because the Office of Vital Records remains closed to visitors due to COVID-19, applying by mail is the only option currently available to update the gender marker on your RI birth certificate
To complete this process, you will need to mail an Application for a Certified Copy of a Birth Record, a certified copy of your name change court order, and a photocopy of an accepted form of ID.
Sign and notarize affidavit
In the presence of a notary, sign the affidavit and have them notarize it.
Additional guidance on finding a notary in your community is available here.
Send documents to the Office of Vital Records
Send the signed and notarized affidavit, Application for a Certified Copy of a Birth Record, photocopy of a photo ID, and payment of $35.00 by check or money order (payable to “General Treasurer of RI”) to the following address:
Rhode Island Department of Health - Office of Vital Records
6 Harrington Road
Cranston, Rhode Island 02920
