People in Vermont have access to a variety of state-issued identification documents, including driver’s privilege cards, Real ID driver’s licenses, enhanced driver’s licenses, and non-driver identification cards. Accurate IDs are necessary for many aspects of daily living, like opening a bank account, booking a hotel, purchasing alcohol, or even getting a library card. Moreover, for U.S. citizens, Real IDs or passports are now required to enter certain government buildings, fly within the U.S., or to drive or to cross the border into Canada or Mexico. That is why it is essential for everyone to have access to identity documents that accurately reflect who they are. It’s why we’re proud that Vermont has passed several laws to expand access, including:
- The ability to self-attest to your gender
- The option to select an “X” (non-binary) gender marker, instead of only “M” or “F”
- The ability to obtain a driver’s privilege card regardless of immigration status
This year, the legislature also passed S.123—a bill that allows Vermonters to renew their license or driver’s privilege card at any time prior to its expiration, for up to 4 years. No matter what happens in Washington, we should all be free to access identity documents that reflect who we really are, which is why we advocated for this legislation. And, it’s why we encourage Vermonters who wish to get or keep their accurate state ID card to consider requesting or renewing it today.
What about gender markers on passports?
On his first day back in office in January 2025, President Donald Trump issued an executive order that led the State Department to suspend its policy allowing transgender, intersex, and nonbinary people to update the sex designations on their passports. As a result, some people with pending applications had their passports withheld from them, and others received a new passport with the wrong sex designation listed. Soon after, the ACLU sued on behalf of seven transgender and nonbinary people who were impacted by the policy change.
On June 17th, the U.S. District Court of Massachusetts ordered that the State Department must allow people with a gender identity different from their sex assigned at birth to self-select the sex designation on their passport while the case proceeds. After some initial confusion, we have seen reports that the State Department is again issuing passports with folks’ chosen sex designations. However, this order is temporary and will only last until the court reaches a final decision. For now, those who do not have a passport, who have a passport with an outdated gender marker, or who have a passport with the correct gender marker which expires within a year are eligible to apply for a passport with a sex designation that differs from their sex assigned at birth. Consider applying for a new or corrected passport today.
Learn more about obtaining a passport in our FAQ
