Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles bans trans folk from changing gender on ID
Trans people will not be able to change their gender on their ID (LysenkoAlexander/Getty Images)
The Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles will no longer accept court orders or medical documentations recognising transgender residents’ gender changes, effectively banning trans people from changing their gender markers on state ID.
The change was announced in a small post on the BMV’s website on 9 February and went into effect on 12 February, meaning people had just three days to act.
In a statement released on 9 February, LGBTQ+ advocacy group Indiana Youth Group said: “Denying people the ability to update the gender marker on their identification is not only discriminatory; it is dangerous. In an increasingly hostile climate, mismatched identification can expose individuals to harassment, threats, and violence. It can also create serious barriers to employment, housing, and access to essential services.”
It continued: “For many LGBTQ+ young people – like those served by IYG – affirming identification is more than paperwork. It is a matter of safety, dignity, and basic recognition by their state.”
The change had been proposed twice before in July and November 2025, but both times it was criticised by the people of Indiana.
“The people of Indiana spoke clearly and repeatedly against this policy, and the BMV chose to ignore them,” said IYG CEO Chris Paulsen.
“Quietly implementing a rule that puts transgender Hoosiers at risk – while offering no transparency or meaningful notice – is not governance. It’s cruelty,” they continued. “Our young people deserve a state that protects their safety and dignity, not one that deliberately puts them in harm’s way.”
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