Legal recognition of non-binary gender
15 countries legally recognize non-binary or third gender identities.
Legal recognition of non-binary gender
Most countries around the world only legally recognize male and female on official documents such as passports, licenses, birth certificates, and other official identification documents. However, in recent years, some countries, provinces, and states have begun offering the ability for non-binary and intersex individuals to request a change to official documents.
Usually, official documents will be marked with an "X" gender marker (rather than "M" or "F" for male or female).
Summary
Timeline of legal recognition of non-binary gender
Recent & Upcoming Changes
Upcoming Changes
2025
2024
- GermanyRecognizedNovember 1
- Baja California SurRecognizedJuly 4
- IdahoNot legally recognizedJuly 1
- Baja CaliforniaRecognizedJune 28
- West VirginiaNot legally recognizedJune 25
- QueenslandRecognizedJune 24
- ItalyNot legally recognizedJune 18
- CearáRecognizedMay 22
- ArkansasNot legally recognizedMarch 12
2023
- Rio Grande do SulIntersex onlyDecember 19
- PakistanRecognizedDecember 13
- Rio Grande do NorteRecognizedOctober 6
- GoiásRecognizedAugust 28
- Distrito FederalRecognizedAugust 21
- IllinoisRecognizedJuly 1
- Minas GeraisRecognizedJune 7
- PakistanNot legally recognizedMay 19
- ParanáRecognizedFebruary 22
- PernambucoRecognizedFebruary 16
- TocantinsRecognizedJanuary 31
- ParaíbaRecognizedJanuary 27
Legal recognition of non-binary gender by Country
Recognized
Legal recognition of non-binary gender is recognized in 15 regions.
- Oceania (1)
- New Zealand 2012
Intersex only
Legal recognition of non-binary gender is intersex only in 3 regions.
- Europe (1)
- Austria 2018
Not legally recognized
Legal recognition of non-binary gender is not legally recognized in 174 regions.
- Asia (40)
- Afghanistan
- Bahrain
- Bhutan
- Brunei
- Cambodia
- China
- Indonesia
- Iran
- Iraq
- Israel
- Japan
- Jordan
- Kazakhstan
- Kuwait
- Kyrgyzstan
- Laos
- Lebanon
- Malaysia
- Maldives
- Mongolia
- Myanmar
- North Korea
- Oman
- Palestine
- Philippines
- Qatar
- Saudi Arabia
- Singapore
- South Korea
- Sri Lanka
- Syria
- Taiwan
- Tajikistan
- Thailand
- Timor-Leste
- Turkmenistan
- United Arab Emirates
- Uzbekistan
- Vietnam
- Yemen
- Europe (43)
- Albania
- Andorra
- Armenia
- Azerbaijan
- Belarus
- Belgium
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czechia
- Estonia
- Finland
- France 2016
- Georgia
- Greece
- Hungary
- Ireland
- Italy 2024
- Kosovo
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Moldova
- Monaco
- Montenegro
- North Macedonia
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania
- Russia
- San Marino
- Serbia
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Turkey
- Ukraine
- United Kingdom
- Vatican City
- North America (19)
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Bahamas
- Barbados
- Belize
- Cuba
- Dominica
- Dominican Republic
- El Salvador
- Grenada
- Guatemala
- Haiti
- Honduras
- Jamaica
- Nicaragua
- Panama
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Saint Lucia
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Africa (52)
- Algeria
- Angola
- Benin
- Botswana
- Burkina Faso
- Burundi
- Cameroon
- Cape Verde
- Central African Republic
- Chad
- Comoros
- Côte d’Ivoire
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Djibouti
- Egypt
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Eswatini
- Ethiopia
- Gabon
- Gambia
- Ghana
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Lesotho
- Liberia
- Libya
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Mali
- Mauritania
- Morocco
- Mozambique
- Namibia
- Niger
- Nigeria
- Republic of the Congo
- Rwanda
- Sao Tome and Principe
- Senegal
- Seychelles
- Sierra Leone
- Somalia
- South Africa
- South Sudan
- Sudan
- Tanzania
- Togo
- Tunisia
- Uganda
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
Data on legal recognition of non-binary gender is unclear, not applicable, or missing in 6 regions.
- Europe (1)
- Spain Varies by Region
- Oceania (1)
- Australia Varies by Region
- South America (1)
- Brazil Varies by Region
- Antarctica (1)
- Antarctica N/A
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