Birth certificates may need to be corrected or updated for a variety of reasons:

• name misspellings
• name changes
• inaccuracies in the child's sex
• errors or omissions by the hospital
• adding or removing parents
• adoptions

Texas Law

Understanding the Law

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In March 2025, Attorney General Ken Paxton issued opinion KP-0489 regarding the validity of district court orders that direct state agencies to amend a person’s biological "sex" designation on state identification documents.

In 2024, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) stopped accepting court orders that change the sex of an individual or "combined" orders that issue a name change and a gender marker change in the same document. DPS is responsible for issuing driver licenses and state IDs.

Texas Law

Federal Law

Understanding the Law

Death certificates may need to be corrected or updated for a variety of reasons:

• incorrect biographical information, including:
  • misspelled name
  • date of birth or age
  • sex
  • birthplace
  • Social Security number
  • parent's name 
• incorrect funeral details
• incorrect medical information

Note that only certain people can request changes to a death certificate. Depending on the type of change, the following people are authorized to request an amendment to a death certificate, as long as they are named on the certificate:

• funeral director
• person who provided information to funeral director
• surviving spouse
• surviving parent

Texas Law

Understanding the Law

Forms

Driver licenses may need to be corrected or updated for a variety of reasons:

• new name or address
• name misspellings
• error in personal data (height, sex, date of birth, address)
• inaccurate drug or DWI conviction information
• incorrect photo
• incorrect organ donor information

Understanding the Law

If there is an error on a marriage license, the Texas Administrative Code states that "both parties are responsible for executing a notarized affidavit stating the error."

The county clerk will file the notarized affidavit "as an amendment to the marriage license." Any time a certified copy of the amended marriage license is requested, the clerk will include the affidavit with the copy.

For more information about marriage licenses, please see the Marriage Licenses page of our Marriage in Texas guide.

Texas Law

According to the Social Security Administration, a Social Security card can be updated or corrected to change:

• date of birth
• name
• citizenship status

Understanding the Law

Forms

According to the U.S. Department of State, passports can be updated or corrected for:

• name changes
• data errors (for example, errors in your name, sex, or place of birth)
• printing errors 

The U.S. Department of State says it is unnecessary to update your passport with a new address.

Understanding the Law

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