Hi all,

I'm going to a name and gender change legal session at the local LGBT clinic tomorrow night, and I'm trying to get all of my documents in order so it moves smoothly. They've provided a really nifty guide online to changing all of my documents in my home state, but I'm still left with one question: how many *certified* copies of the name change court order do I actually need?

I made a list of everything I'd need to change my name on, but I'm not sure which ones require certified copies and which will accept a regular photocopy. So far the only ones I know for sure that need to be certified are my driver's license, passport, and social security card. Does anyone know if these types of things require certified court orders?

- Health insurance
- Car insurance
- Credit cards
- Student loans
- Car loans

Is it niftier than our guide? https://www.susans.org/wiki/Category:Documentation_changes 

Keep in mind, the Wiki Staff know where you live! 

Hugs, Devlyn

Quote from: Devlyn Marie on March 09, 2015, 05:12:51 PM
Is it niftier than our guide? https://www.susans.org/wiki/Category:Documentation_changes 

Keep in mind, the Wiki Staff know where you live! 

Hugs, Devlyn

Haha, they're both nifty! Theirs is very hand-holdy and is almost like a flow chart, which I find helpful.

http://www.whitman-walker.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/VA-Name-and-Gender-Change-Guide-July-2014.pdf

I had 7 made and have 2 left.  Once you change your birth certificate that trumps name change any day.

I only got one copy of my final name change. That allowed me to get my social security changed to the new name and gender, a drivers license and health insurance. It never hurts to have two though just in case you lose one.

I'm going backwards in order. I was adopted and my parents were not give a birth certificate, so I had to go through getting all the other things changed, and now, I have to use those changes to get my birth certificate changed.

sam1234

I got 3 certified copies ( more were $5/each). They told me only DMV and Social Security needed cert copies, and "chances are they'll return them."

They did return mine, sometimes they don't, according other people. All other places were happy with a standard photocopy.

Oh neat if you are going there tomorrow you will likely find me there too lol.

I'm not planning to get my birth certificate changed. Once I update my passport, I'm planning to use that for anything that I would otherwise need the birth certificate for.

Quote from: Beth Andrea on March 09, 2015, 06:45:48 PM
I got 3 certified copies ( more were $5/each). They told me only DMV and Social Security needed cert copies, and "chances are they'll return them."

They did return mine, sometimes they don't, according other people. All other places were happy with a standard photocopy.

Oh yay! Yes, I believe I get at least 2 free certified copies. It's good that places *maybe* return them. After I put together the list of everything I needed to update, it came out to be like 20 copies that I'd need. Really, really hoping I don't need to pay for that many!

Quote from: Hikari on March 09, 2015, 06:46:53 PM
Oh neat if you are going there tomorrow you will likely find me there too lol.

Come find me! We can make up a Susan's secret handshake.

I have three credit card companies that wanted certified copies.   I visited everyone l could to reduce the number needed as each copy is $30.00 here in MN. 

Three for banks, one for MN, one for health insurance,  one for birth certificate, one for another county where I own land, one for work, plus a couple spares....

Jen

I plan on getting 15 copies, since they are really cheap here in my county in Florida ($3) and I have a lot of things that I need to change out of state that require an actual certified copy without getting it back.  I was going to get 10, but since they are so cheap, I might as well grab 5 more in case I forgot some things or I need them later.

Quote from: ftmax on March 09, 2015, 05:06:52 PM
... I'm still left with one question: how many *certified* copies of the name change court order do I actually need? ...

For me, the answer so far has been "just one". After I spent the money for several certified copies of my name change court order and birth certificate, it turns out that all the agencies just scan the originals and give them back.

I only needed two. A lot of places let me scan it and email it.  The ones that required me to show up in person made a copy of it and gave the original back.  The only one that kept it mailed it back to me a couple weeks later so I am sitting on all 5 certified copies I paid for.

I got 5 (at $25 apiece) and so far only one failed to come back at the dmv. I've pretty much done everything except for my passport at this point. Credit agencies..... hmmm..... I probably need to contact them and see what they will need pretty soon to get all of my credit history switched over. Didn't think of doing that.

I got 5, needed 4.

Thanks for the replies everyone! I think I'm going to order 5 for sure. I might call some of the places on my list of entities to update and see what they require so I don't spend too much. They aren't expensive here, but I'd rather not spend the money if I don't have to.

I got 5 extra certified copies in addition to the original of my Statutory Declaration here in the UK at £1-50 each. So it's not expensive. So far I've not lost a single one but then I have made it very very clear when sending them that they  MUST be returned. I think most places just copy it  and put their own stamp on the copy, thats what my bank did when I was there in person.

Quote from: mrs izzy on March 09, 2015, 06:02:20 PM
I had 7 made and have 2 left.  Once you change your birth certificate that trumps name change any day.

Does this apply to naturalization certificates as well? My birth certificate is foreign.

Kind of an old thread, just adding in on it because I've noticed a lot of people from different states commenting.

I'm in Oregon, and made 2 copies, but never ended up "using them up"
I still have both.
Everything I needed, I could walk in and do. I got my SSN changed, then ID, then birth certificate, and everything from there was mostly a matter of showing them my new ID and birth certificate, but there are times I needed to show my SSN as well to confirm identity. My insurance allowed a faxed copy instead of an "official" one.

It depends on where you're at, and if you cannot walk in and get stuff. Generally they won't keep your paperwork if you just walk in to get something done. If you mail it, they won't mail it back.

Quote from: Devlyn Marie on March 09, 2015, 05:12:51 PM
Is it niftier than our guide? https://www.susans.org/wiki/Category:Documentation_changes 

Keep in mind, the Wiki Staff know where you live! 

Hugs, Devlyn

The section on name change in the UK is outdated and actually completely inaccurate!
And as for UK passports non existant (unless I've missed it?)
I'd be happy to update the name change and write a passport one if you would like?

I got a dozen (first 2 free and the rest were $2 so why not) and I still have four left, though one of those I carried in my purse for years b/c weird situations kept cropping up where I needed to at least show it (like the library?!!). So basically I gave away 8 and actually ever used 9.

But it's not a bad idea to have a spare copy or two kept somewhere safe forever, like any other crucial document (marriage license, birth cert., etc.).