April 2020
To change your name and/or gender marker on a government document
(like your Social Security card or a passport) you need to get a court order
by filing a Name-Sex Change Petition with a county court.
TIP: You don’t need a court order if you want to change ONLY your gender marker on an
Oregon driver’s license (you can go straight to the DMV), but if you’ll also be changing
your name and/or gender marker on other government documents, it’s cheaper to do it
all by getting a court order.
STEP ONE: Can You File Your Petition in Linn County?
Whether you can file your Name-Sex Change Petition in Linn County depends on
(1) where you live and (2) if you want to change only your gender marker, or if
you want to change both your name and your gender marker.
➢ If you want to change only your gender marker, you can file your petition in Linn
County even if you live in a different county.
➢ If you want to change both your name and your gender marker, you can file your
petition in Linn County only if you live in Linn County.
STEP TWO: Should You File Online or at the Courthouse?
You can file your petition online or in person at the courthouse, depending on
your age and whether you can afford the filing fee.
➢ Only adults and emancipated minors who can pay the fee by debit or credit card
can file online. The filing fee was $124.00 in January 2020 (call the court at 541-
967-3845 (press 2, then 3) to see if it’s changed).
➢ If you can’t afford the filing fee you can apply for a fee waiver, which generally is
for people who earn less than $12,490 a year. For more info and a form go to:
https://www.courts.oregon.gov/forms/Documents/EntirePacket10.pdf. If you’re
applying for a fee waiver, you must file your Name-Sex Change Petition in person
at the courthouse at the same time you file your fee waiver application.
How to Change Your Name and/or Gender Marker in:
LINN COUNTY
April 2020
FILING ONLINE
FILING IN PERSON
AT THE COURTHOUSE
Who can file online?
Only adults and emancipated minors who
can pay the filing fee by debit or credit
card.
Who can file in person?
Anyone
Where’s the form?
https://oregon.tylerhost.net/srl
Click “Start Your Legal Process,” then click
“Name-Sex Change Petition”
Where’s the form?
➢ Adults or emancipated minors can
print the form after filling it out
online:
https://oregon.tylerhost.net/srl
Click “Start Your Legal Process,” then
click “Name-Sex Change Petition”
➢ Minors (under 18) can find a blank
petition at:
https://www.courts.oregon.gov/forms
/Documents/Name-Sex%20Change-
PACKET-Minor.pdf
➢ You can also buy blank forms at the
courthouse for 25 cents/page
Can I change my name and gender
marker at the same time?
Yes, just check both boxes on the form.
Can I change my name and gender
marker at the same time?
Yes, just check both boxes on the form.
How do I file the form?
Follow the online prompts until you finish
the petition, then pay the filing fee with a
debit or credit card.
How do I file the form?
Bring it to Room 107 on the main floor of
the courthouse (general courthouse
information is on page 4).
Will I need anything else? You’ll need a
debit or credit card to pay the filing fee. If
you can’t afford the filing fee, you need to
print out the form and file it in person at
the courthouse along with a fee waiver
application.
Will I need anything else?
In addition to the completed form, bring:
❑ Filing fee payment (cash, check, or
debit/credit card) or completed fee
waiver application
❑ Government-issued photo ID
April 2020
STEP 3: What Happens After You File Your Petition?
Within a few weeks after you file your Name-Sex Change Petition, you’ll either get
a phone call from the court clerk telling you that it’s been approved, or you’ll get
a letter scheduling a hearing, which is a time for you to come back to the
courthouse to speak with a judge.
STEP 4: How Do You Find Out the Court’s Decision?
You’ll either get a phone call or letter from the court clerk within a few weeks, or
the judge will tell you at the end of the hearing.
➢ Your proof that the judge granted your petition is a document called a General
Judgment. You can pick up a copy of the General Judgment from the clerk at the
courthouse or ask the clerk to mail it to you.
➢ You may need a certified copy of the General Judgment to change certain
government documents (a certified copy is a copy of the General Judgment with
a special stamp from the court clerk). Certified copies cost $5.25.
Questions about how to find the right form?
Call the court at 541-967-3845 (press 2, then 3). The civil court clerks can give you
basic information about the forms and the process.
Questions about how to fill out the forms?
Call the Victim Rights Law Center at 503-274-5477 x 6.
If A Hearing Is Scheduled
➢ Generally, a hearing will only be scheduled if there is a question about what’s on
the forms, or if you’re a minor and one of your parents objects to your request.
➢ Call the court as soon as possible if you need to change the hearing date or time.
➢ A few days before the hearing date, fill out this form if you need an interpreter:
https://forms.nintex.com/FormHost.aspx?id=UzyoY3cjyuIWT4Vo75dMSoFPeotBiA
vmIxDW28fJ1zA96ESqHDElnxO5uuluSSJT0mjgBvJhbTw6_DmRrP6Oos7Cnn2IDII2p
xO8JBusYExnfXFwOXUu3peIU4jKKv6l&TZOffset=480&TZStdOffset=-
480&HasDST=true
➢ Plan to arrive for the hearing about 10 minutes before the start time.
➢ The hearing should take about 15 minutes.
➢ The hearing may be in a courtroom with other people and other types of cases.
April 2020
➢ Address: 300 SW Fourth Ave., Albany OR
97321
➢ Hours: 8:00 am – 5:00 pm, Monday-Friday,
except major holidays
➢ The main entrance is on 4
th
Ave.
➢ Accessible entrances are on 5
th
Ave and
also on Ferry St.
➢ There is no security screening upon entry.
➢ If you need accommodations for a
disability: Fill out the following form at
least 4 days before going to the courthouse:
https://www.courts.oregon.gov/forms/Documents/OJD-ADA-Request-for-
Accommodations-Fillable-Form.pdf
➢ If you have further questions regarding accommodations call the Court
Administrator at 541-967-3802.
Bathrooms: There are men’s and women’s restrooms as well as
single occupancy restrooms on every floor.
Courthouse Information – Linn County
Parking and Public Transportation
➢ There is free parking on the streets around the courthouse.
➢ Accessible parking spaces are on Ferry Street next to the courthouse.
➢ Accessible public transportation stops one block from the courthouse.
Remember, We Are Here to Help You
If you need legal advice, please contact the
Victim Rights Law Center:
503-274-5477 x 6
