Indiana BMV Ends Gender Marker Changes on State IDs
Beginning Thursday, the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles will no longer allow customers to change the gender marker on their state-issued identification, even if they present a court order or a physician’s statement.
The update follows an administrative rulemaking process that included two public hearings and was posted quietly on the BMV’s website over the weekend.
IYG, an organization that supports LGBTQ+ youth and young adults, said in a news release that the decision came despite hours of testimony opposing the change during both hearings.
“Yet over the weekend, the BMV quietly posted a notice on a single page of its website informing ‘customers’ that gender markers can no longer be updated, even with court orders or previously accepted medical documentation. This change takes effect Thursday, February 12, giving impacted individuals only days to act—an almost impossible timeline,” the group said.
The organization added that “denying people the ability to update the gender marker on their identification is not only discriminatory; it is dangerous. In an increasingly hostile climate, mismatched identification can expose individuals to harassment, threats, and violence. It can also create serious barriers to employment, housing, and access to essential services.”
A BMV spokesperson said the agency was notified on Jan. 13 that the rule had been received for publication, giving the bureau 30 days to make any necessary changes to ensure the rule could be implemented properly. According to the agency, a notice about the rule change was posted on the BMV’s website on Feb. 3.
“The BMV considered all of the public comments submitted on this matter and made the most appropriate decision in order to execute Governor Braun’s Executive Order 25-36 properly,” said Greg Dunn, executive director of communications for the BMV.
Chris Paulsen, CEO of IYG, said the agency ignored clear opposition from Hoosiers who spoke out against the policy.
“Quietly implementing a rule that puts transgender Hoosiers at risk—while offering no transparency or meaningful notice—is not governance. It’s cruelty. Our young people deserve a state that protects their safety and dignity, not one that deliberately puts them in harm’s way.”
The policy change follows an executive order issued in March by Gov. Mike Braun directing state agencies to prohibit what he described as “modern gender ideology.”
