Right to change legal gender

You can change your legal gender in 56 countries, but 24 require surgery.

DATE

Right to change legal gender

Legal recognition of a change in gender by permitting a change on an individual's legal documentation.

Summary

32
Legal
32 regions (16%)
Legal
45
Somewhere in between
45 regions (23%)
Somewhere in between
106
Illegal
106 regions (54%)
Illegal
15
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
15 regions (8%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
Europe
34%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
17 regions (34%)
Somewhere in between
23 regions (46%)
Illegal
8 regions (16%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
2 regions (4%)
Oceania
7%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
1 regions (7%)
Somewhere in between
regions (0%)
Illegal
12 regions (86%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
1 regions (7%)
South America
58%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
7 regions (58%)
Somewhere in between
1 regions (8%)
Illegal
3 regions (25%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
1 regions (8%)
North America
13%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
3 regions (13%)
Somewhere in between
1 regions (4%)
Illegal
16 regions (70%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
3 regions (13%)
Africa
2%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
1 regions (2%)
Somewhere in between
5 regions (9%)
Illegal
44 regions (82%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
4 regions (7%)
Asia
7%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
3 regions (7%)
Somewhere in between
15 regions (34%)
Illegal
23 regions (52%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
3 regions (7%)

Timeline of right to change legal gender

Number of countries to allow changing legal gender over the past 34 years.

Recent Changes

Right to change legal gender by Country

Legal, no restrictions

Right to change legal gender is legal, no restrictions in 32 regions.

  1. Asia (3)
  2. Nepal 2024
  3. Pakistan 2023
  4. South Korea 2020
  5. Europe (17)
  6. Andorra 2023
  7. Belgium 2018
  8. Cyprus 2022
  9. Denmark 2014
  10. Finland 2023
  11. France 2018
  12. Germany 2024
  13. Greece 2017
  14. Iceland 2019
  15. Ireland 2015
  16. Luxembourg 2018
  17. Malta 2015
  18. Norway 2016
  19. Portugal 2018
  20. Spain 2022
  21. Sweden 2025
  22. Switzerland 2022
  23. North America (3)
  24. Canada 2017
  25. Costa Rica 2018
  26. Cuba 2025
  27. Africa (1)
  28. Botswana 2017
  29. Oceania (1)
  30. New Zealand 2023
  31. South America (7)
  32. Argentina 2012
  33. Bolivia 2016
  34. Brazil 2018
  35. Chile 2019
  36. Colombia 2015
  37. Ecuador 2016
  38. Uruguay 2009

Legal, but requires medical diagnosis

Right to change legal gender is legal, but requires medical diagnosis in 21 regions.

  1. Asia (4)
  2. Bhutan 2019
  3. Israel 2014
  4. Sri Lanka 2016
  5. Uzbekistan 1998
  6. Europe (14)
  7. Austria 2009
  8. Belarus 2010
  9. Croatia 2014
  10. Czechia 2025
  11. Estonia 1999
  12. Italy 2015
  13. Lithuania 2022
  14. Moldova 2001
  15. Netherlands 2013
  16. Poland 2025
  17. Serbia 2019
  18. Slovenia 2005
  19. Ukraine 2016
  20. United Kingdom 2005
  21. Africa (3)
  22. Eswatini 1984
  23. Lesotho 1975
  24. South Africa 2004

Legal, but requires surgery

Right to change legal gender is legal, but requires surgery in 24 regions.

  1. Asia (11)
  2. China 1986
  3. India 2019
  4. Indonesia 1973
  5. Iran 1987
  6. Japan 2022
  7. Kazakhstan 2011
  8. Lebanon 2016
  9. Mongolia 2009
  10. Singapore 1973
  11. Taiwan 2008
  12. Tajikistan 1972
  13. North America (1)
  14. Panama 2006
  15. Africa (2)
  16. Namibia 1974
  17. Tunisia 2018
  18. South America (1)
  19. Suriname 2017

Varied, unclear, or unknown laws

Data on right to change legal gender is unclear, not applicable, or missing in 15 regions.

  1. Asia (3)
  2. Bahrain Ambiguous
  3. Bangladesh Ambiguous
  4. Vietnam Ambiguous
  5. Europe (2)
  6. Liechtenstein Ambiguous
  7. Monaco Ambiguous
  8. North America (3)
  9. El Salvador Ambiguous
  10. Mexico Varies by Region
  11. United States Varies by Region
  12. Africa (4)
  13. Côte d’Ivoire Ambiguous
  14. Kenya Ambiguous
  15. Mozambique Ambiguous
  16. Uganda Ambiguous
  17. Oceania (1)
  18. Australia Varies by Region
  19. South America (1)
  20. Peru Ambiguous
  21. Antarctica (1)
  22. Antarctica N/A

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