How long after HRT did you decide to change your name legally?

[Jessica_Rose]

I changed my name about 10 months after starting HRT, and 10 days before going full-time. My first day at work after having my name changed, I was greeted with 'good morning (dead name)'. I knew I could not put up with that for long, so I arranged my coming-out announcement as soon as possible.

Love always -- Jessica Rose

[Devlyn]

I'm the opposite, I went full time, then changed my name, then started HRT about six months later.

Hugs, Devlyn

[Donica]

I changed my name and gender roughly 14 months after starting HRT. I had already been full time 2 months prior to my name change.

[Jessica_K]

In the UK there is no legal name, you can call yourself whatever you want and for quite a while I did that. And that was how I came out to everyone as Jessica and started my version of full time. Then a month or so after I started HRT. Where possible I changed names or created a new identity.

But a number of documents such as bank details, driving licence, etc could not be changed without a simple declaration, a deed poll. I piece of paper saying that I will be using this new name from now on and the other is dead. With that paper and old ID I could just change everything apart from birth certificate (name and gender) or HMRC (tax man, gender) This I did when I got married. I could then change gender on my driving licence, titles and name at banks, insurances, local tax etc. And change gender at the NHS (doctors etc)

Passports are a little more awkward and I have not changed that yet as it requires proof of gender change from a doctor and I am in the process of doing that.

The last change is quite hard to do. To change name and gender on my birth certificate requires a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC) to get one you have to provide lots of documents that show you have been using your name for 2 years, and two doctors letters proving that you are undertaking gender re-assignment and if that is not including surgery why or when it will happen. And lastly you if married you have to get divorced or get permission from your spouse for it to continue else you will not get one. Then a panel decides how trans you are. Needless to say very few actually goes through this

So it starts very simple and ends so so complex.

And if you go through all this the government can still insist that you are your so called biological gender that means you would be (as a female) send to a male prison and a male ward in a NHS hospital.

Hugs
Jessica xxx

[Sarah B]

One of the most fundamental things that I ever did and the foundation of my success, to being able to live my life the way I wanted without any obstacles being placed in my way, was changing my name legally at the birth, deaths and marriages within the first couple of days when I arrived in Sydney in Feb 1989. 

Thinking about it I remember very clearly being in the office filling in the form, paying my $57 Australian.  HRT soon followed within a week or two weeks.  Identity documentation, like drivers license, medicare and education certificates were changed in due course and as fast as I could, to the correct legal name.

Even I, still to this day cannot comprehend how fast I did everything.  It was a case of one step at a time and then move on to the next step.  I did not even really give it much thought on what I had to do next, I just did it.  Peace and contentment in my life ensued after changing my name.

Kindest regards to one and all
Sarah B

[EllenW]

I started to transition socially years before starting HRT. I went full time at work at the same time I started HRT. I waited another year to legally change my name. I waited that long as California changed the law making it easier to change gender maker but it did not go into effect immediately so I waited.

Ellen

[TXSara]

I started HRT in October 2021. 

I petitioned the state for my name change in November 2022, socially transitioned in December 2022, and finally received the court order for the name change in February 2023.

I tried to time it so that my social transition and legal name change coincided, but I still had a couple months of overlap where I was legally "Brian".  Luckily, I DID have a credit card in my chosen name during that time.  It made things a little easier for me.

~Sara

[Gina P]

I waited 15 months after starting HRT. I would have done it sooner but had some legal proceedings in the courts and didn't want to go through the hassle of changing my name on all the documents. Feb 1 I will have a hearing with  judge for official name change. Then I can start changing all my docs. NJ allows birth certificate change which will be nice. I am so looking forward to having Gina on my credit cards,  drivers license, and more important my insurance. Very embarrassing to go to the pharmacy to pick up my Estradiol and they say "Greg" and I have to respond yes.
Gina

[KathyLauren]

I went full-time three months after starting HRT.  I don't recall exactly when I applied for my name change, but it would have been around the same time.  The certificate came through another three months after that, so six months after starting HRT, it was a done deal.

Due to incompatible regulations in different jurisdictions, it took some lobbying and another two years before I could officially change my gender and yet another year before I had an updated birth certificate.

[ChrissyRyan]

I have not legally changed my name.  However I use my chosen name on store loyalty programs.  Not the same but a step that pleased me each time I did that.

Chrissy

[LauraE]

one year and change. I submitted the paperwork shortly after going full time.

Laura May

[Gwendoline]

I changed my name for my surroundings just after beginning counseling. Legacy change was in my time only possible after counseling, RLE, HRT and GRS. After that I received a letter from the hospital which said I had done all. That letter you had to take to a lawyer who sent it with a request to court. With the courts outcome I could legally change my birthcertificate.
Since June 2014 this is easier with only the recommendation of a councilor.