Indiana BMV to stop allowing gender marker changes on licenses

The new rule takes effect Thursday, ending a previous policy that allowed court orders and physician statements to make gender marker changes.

Published on Feb. 9, 2026

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The Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles will no longer allow customers to change their gender markers on their driver's licenses or state-issued IDs later this week. The rule change takes effect on Thursday, February 12th, ending a previous policy that permitted gender marker changes through court orders or physician statements.

Why it matters

This policy change is seen as discriminatory and potentially dangerous for LGBTQ+ individuals, as mismatched identification can expose them to harassment, threats, and violence, as well as create barriers to employment, housing, and access to essential services.

The details

According to the BMV's website, the new rule will be implemented on Thursday, February 12th. Previously, Indiana residents were allowed to change their gender by using a court-ordered gender change or a physician's statement. IYG, an Indianapolis-based LGBTQ+ center, has criticized the BMV's rule change, stating that 'denying people the ability to update the gender marker on their identification is not only discriminatory; it is dangerous'.

  • The new rule takes effect on Thursday, February 12, 2026.
  • The previous policy allowed gender marker changes through court orders or physician statements.

The players

Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles

The state agency responsible for issuing driver's licenses and state-issued IDs in Indiana.

IYG

An Indianapolis-based LGBTQ+ center that has criticized the BMV's rule change as discriminatory and dangerous.

Mike Braun

The Governor of Indiana, who signed an executive order 'rejecting extreme gender ideology in favor of the scientific reality of biological sex'.

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What they’re saying

“Denying people the ability to update the gender marker on their identification is not only discriminatory; it is dangerous.”

— IYG, LGBTQ+ center (IYG statement)

What’s next

The new rule takes effect on Thursday, February 12, 2026, giving impacted individuals only days to act before the previous policy allowing gender marker changes is no longer in effect.

The takeaway

This policy change by the Indiana BMV is seen as a discriminatory and potentially dangerous move for LGBTQ+ individuals, as it can expose them to harassment, threats, and violence, as well as create barriers to essential services. The timing of the rule change has also been criticized for not giving enough time for those affected to respond.