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Correcting a
Vital Record

Frequently Asked Questions

As of February 1, 2019, the sex designation on New Jersey birth certificates can be amended to reflect the named individual's gender identity.

The Department of Health has prepared a list of frequently asked questions (FAQ) for public review.

Read the FAQ

Amend Sex Designation to Reflect Gender Identity on a Birth Certificate

In July 2018, Governor Phil Murphy signed legislation to allow individuals who were born in New Jersey to amend their birth certificates to reflect their gender identity.  

The 2018 landmark legislation, known as the Babs Siperstein Law, removed a decades-old requirement that a person must submit documentation of gender reassignment surgery in order to change sex designation on NJ vital records.

The new law allows individuals (or parents/ guardians in the case of minors) to document gender identity using self-attestation instead of surgery. Sex designation on birth certificates can now more easily be changed to conform to individual gender identities.