Name Change to Match Gender Identity in South Dakota: Steps, Cost & Forms

Verified against South Dakota Circuit Court (Unified Judicial System) and .gov sources · Last verified July 16, 2026.

Quick answer

A name change to match gender identity in South Dakota is filed in the South Dakota Circuit Court (Civil), costs about $70, and requires a newspaper notice. Most cases finish in 6–12 weeks. You'll need the forms below and certified copies of the signed order to update your IDs.

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What it costs

Filing fee

$70

South Dakota has no separate gender-identity name-change track; the standard adult name-change petition and its statewide clerk filing fee apply. Confirm the exact amount with your county clerk.

Court

South Dakota Circuit Court (Civil)

Circuit Court in the county where you have resided for at least six months

Timeline

6–12 weeks

Step by step

1
Change your legal name using the standard adult petition process — Form UJS-025 (Verified Petition for Adult Name Change) filed in Circuit Court; South Dakota has no confidential or waived-publication gender-identity track.
2
Publish notice for four successive weeks per SDCL 21-37-4 and attend the hearing to obtain Form UJS-027 (Order for Adult Name Change).
3
Use the certified order to update the name (and, where permitted, the gender marker) on your Social Security record, driver's license, and US passport.
4
Note that as of the March 5, 2026 South Dakota Supreme Court ruling, the sex marker on a South Dakota birth certificate cannot be amended to reflect gender identity.

Official forms

Every link goes to the official court or government host — never a paid re-host.

Form	Code	Official link
Verified Petition for Adult Name Change	UJS-025	Open ↗
Order for Adult Name Change	UJS-027	Open ↗

Newspaper publication: Required — South Dakota does NOT provide a publication waiver for gender-identity name changes; the SDCL 21-37-4 four-week newspaper publication applies unless you qualify for the domestic-abuse or human-trafficking safety exception.

Background check: No background check

Good to know in South Dakota:

• South Dakota offers no sealed-record or publication-waiver option specifically for gender-identity name changes; the same public four-week publication applies as for any adult petition.
• On March 5, 2026 the South Dakota Supreme Court held that a birth certificate's sex designation cannot be changed to reflect gender identity, and HB 1184 (signed March 20, 2026) codified a fixed statutory definition of sex — driver's-license and passport gender-marker policies are handled separately by the respective agencies.

Then update your IDs

Once you have the signed order, update Social Security first, then your South Dakota license, then your passport and accounts.

Who to notify →Build my checklist →See my timeline →

Gender identity name change in nearby states

Delaware →North Dakota →Rhode Island →Alaska →

Name Change to Match Gender Identity in South Dakota: FAQ

How much does a name change to match gender identity cost in South Dakota?

About $70, filed in the South Dakota Circuit Court (Civil). South Dakota has no separate gender-identity name-change track; the standard adult name-change petition and its statewide clerk filing fee apply. Confirm the exact amount with your county clerk..

Do I have to publish a notice in a newspaper in South Dakota?

Yes. South Dakota does NOT provide a publication waiver for gender-identity name changes; the SDCL 21-37-4 four-week newspaper publication applies unless you qualify for the domestic-abuse or human-trafficking safety exception.

Is a gender-identity name change private in South Dakota?

South Dakota does NOT provide a publication waiver for gender-identity name changes; the SDCL 21-37-4 four-week newspaper publication applies unless you qualify for the domestic-abuse or human-trafficking safety exception.

How long does it take in South Dakota?

Typically 6–12 weeks from filing to a signed order, then Social Security (7–10 business days), the DMV, and your passport (4–6 weeks).

What do I do after the judge signs my order in South Dakota?

Order certified copies, then update Social Security first, the DMV next, then your passport, banks, and employer. Our Who-To-Notify Checklist builds the full ordered list.

Sources

Every fee, court, rule, and form on this page traces to an official government source:

See our verification methodology and themaster source list.

Last verified July 16, 2026Reviewed by the Name Change Atlas Editorial Team against official court and .gov sources.

We're re-confirming some fee details for this state against the county court. Always confirm the exact current fee with your court clerk before you file.