A transgender certificate and ID card are official papers that record a person's gender identity in India. The District Magistrate (DM) of your district issues them, and you apply online through the National Portal for Transgender Persons, run by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. The process is free. Under the 2020 Rules, the DM has 30 days to issue the certificate. This guide walks through the transgender certificate and ID card process step by step, explains what the 2026 amendment changed, and lists where people in Bihar can get help.
This is general information, not legal advice. The law changed in 2026 and is being argued in the Supreme Court, so check with your DM's office before you rely on any step.
Key takeaways
- You apply in Form 1 with a sworn statement (affidavit) in Form 2. Under the 2020 Rules, there is no medical or physical examination.
- The 2020 Rules give the DM 30 days to issue the certificate (Form 3) and the ID card (Form 5) together.
- If an application is rejected, the DM must give reasons within 30 days. You can appeal within 90 days.
- The 2026 amendment says the DM must first examine the recommendation of a medical board. We found no new rules or forms published for this yet.
- The certificate is needed for SMILE scheme benefits such as scholarships, Garima Greh shelter homes and the Ayushman Bharat TG Plus health cover.
What are the transgender certificate and ID card?
The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019 lets a transgender person apply to the DM for a "certificate of identity". The Rules made under that Act, the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Rules, 2020, set out the forms and time limits. The Gazette text of the 2020 Rules is dated 25 September 2020. The department says they came into force on 29 September 2020.
There are two kinds of certificate:
- Certificate of identity as a transgender person (Form 3), with a transgender ID card (Form 5). This is issued under Section 6 of the Act.
- Revised certificate showing a change of gender to male or female (Form 4), with an ID card (Form 6). This is issued under Section 7, after medical intervention such as hormone therapy or surgery.
The National Portal for Transgender Persons was launched on 25 November 2020 so that people could apply without visiting an office. For the background to the 2019 law, see our guide to the 2019 Act.
Documents you need
The ministry's official FAQ for the portal lists these documents:
- Proof of where you live. If you have none, you can make a declaration in your affidavit instead.
- A photo identity document.
- Your signature or thumb impression.
- The affidavit in Form 2, or a medical certificate if you are applying for a change of gender.
- A recent passport-size photograph.
Form 1 also asks whether you hold other papers, such as a birth certificate, Aadhaar, PAN card, voter ID, ration card, passport, bank passbook or caste certificate. If you have them, you attach self-attested copies.
What the affidavit says
The Form 2 affidavit is a short sworn statement. The 2020 Rules say it should be on non-judicial stamp paper of ₹10 and signed before a notary. In it, you state that:
- You live at the address you give.
- You see yourself as a transgender person whose gender does not match the gender assigned at birth.
- You declare yourself as transgender.
- You are making the affidavit to get a certificate of identity from the DM.
The format can be downloaded from the department's forms page. For a minor child, a parent or guardian applies.
Step by step: applying on the National Portal
These steps are based on the 2020 Rules and the department's pages. We could not open the application screens ourselves, so names of buttons may differ.
- Register. Go to the National Portal for Transgender Persons through the department's page and choose the applicant registration option. Create a login.
- Fill in Form 1. Give your birth name, your chosen name, the name to print on the card, your gender assigned at birth and the gender you are asking for, your address and income band.
- Upload documents. Add your photograph, ID, address proof and the signed affidavit.
- Submit and note your number. Under Rule 4, the DM issues an identification number. You can quote it as proof that you applied.
- Track the application. Log in to see its status. If it is late, file a grievance from the same login.
- Download your papers. Once issued, you download and print the certificate and ID card from the portal.
The FAQ says no one should check your identity by visiting your neighbourhood. It says such checks are "a violation of the TG Act, 2019 and should not be practised". It also says a psychologist's report is not required.
The department lists two helplines: 14427 for administrative questions and a separate number for technical problems, Monday to Friday, 10 am to 5 pm. If you cannot fill the form yourself, the FAQ suggests going to the nearest Social Welfare Department office.
Time limits set by the 2020 Rules
The Rules set clear deadlines. Here they are in one place.
| Step | Time limit | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| DM issues certificate of identity and ID card | Within 30 days of a complete application with affidavit | Rule 5(2) |
| DM tells you why an application was rejected | Within 30 days of receiving it | Rule 8(1) |
| DM may review a rejection after your reply | Within 60 days of the rejection | Rule 8(2) |
| You appeal a rejection | Within 90 days of being told | Rule 9 |
| DM issues revised certificate after medical intervention | Within 15 days | Rule 7(2) |
| Other offices change your name, gender or photo in their records | Within 15 days of your request | Rules 5(6) and 7(5) |
Do these deadlines work in practice? The official dashboard suggests many applications wait much longer. When we checked, it showed 48,707 applications in total, 33,303 certificates and ID cards issued, 4,451 marked not eligible and 9,714 pending. It said 1,355 had been pending for 7 to 12 months.
One point needs care. The FAQ says people who apply in a state other than their home state must have lived there for at least 12 months. The Rules themselves only say you must live in the DM's area on the date you apply. Ask your district office which applies to you.
Did the 2026 amendment change the process?
Yes, on paper. The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Act, 2026 received assent on 30 March 2026. A gazette notice brought it into force from 25 May 2026, according to PTI. The text makes these changes to the certificate process:
- Medical board. The DM now issues the certificate "after examining the recommendation of the authority". The authority means a medical board headed by a Chief Medical Officer or Deputy Chief Medical Officer.
- Self-perceived identity removed. Section 4(2), which gave a right to self-perceived gender identity, is deleted.
- Narrower definition. The law now lists groups such as kinner, hijra, aravani and jogta, and people with intersex variations. Trans men and trans women are no longer named.
- Revised certificate. A person who has surgery to change gender now "shall" apply for a revised certificate, where the old text said "may". Hospitals must report such surgeries to the DM and the medical board.
- Name change. A certificate holder can change their first name in the birth certificate and other official documents.
Has the process changed in practice? This is where things are unclear:
- The amended Act says the details will be "prescribed". We found no new rules or forms for the medical board, and no notice about it on the department's portal page.
- The official FAQ, last updated 28 September 2026, still describes the old process based on an affidavit, without a medical examination.
- On 3 August 2026, a lawyer for the petitioners told the Supreme Court that the portal had become non-functional, as reported by PTI in Outlook. LiveLaw reported that Justice Joymalya Bagchi said orally that, the amendment being a prospective law, rights already given "are to remain". The court did not pass an order on this.
- The dashboard total of 33,303 issued certificates is the same number the government gave in August 2026. We cannot tell from this whether new certificates are being issued.
Our full explainer on what the 2026 amendment changed covers the definition, penalties and court cases in detail.
What the certificate and card let you do
Under the 2020 Rules, the certificate is the basis for changing your name, gender and photo in official documents. The Rules give an example list, including the birth certificate, Aadhaar, PAN card, voter ID, passport, driving licence, ration card, bank passbook and school certificates. The updated document should keep the same serial number as the original.
The certificate also opens central welfare schemes:
- Scholarships for students from Class IX to post-graduation, under the SMILE scheme.
- Garima Greh shelter homes. Read our guide to Garima Greh and the SMILE scheme.
- PM-DAKSH skills training.
- Ayushman Bharat TG Plus health cover.
Ayushman Bharat TG Plus: what is known
On 24 August 2022, the National Health Authority and the Social Justice Ministry signed an agreement for health cover of ₹5 lakh a year for each transgender person, The Tribune reported. Holders of a certificate from the national portal would be eligible. A PIB feature from 20 April 2026 says certificate holders get an "Ayushman Transgender Health Card", and that the cover includes hormone therapy, surgery and counselling at empanelled hospitals.
Take-up has been slow. An IndiaSpend report, republished by The News Minute in April 2025, said the TG Plus card had not yet been rolled out two and a half years after it was announced. A report in Organiser in August 2026, citing official figures, said 147 Ayushman cards had been issued to transgender persons.
Help in Bihar
If you live in Bihar, these are the places we found that can help:
- District Magistrate's office. The DM of your district decides your application.
- Social Welfare Department. The official FAQ says applicants who need help can visit the nearest Social Welfare Department office. In June 2024, the department joined a certificate camp in Khagaul, Patna, backed by UNDP India. Patna Press reported that 70 people attended and 31 applied.
- Bihar State Transgender Welfare Board. The state notified the Bihar Rajya Kinnar Kalyan Board in August 2025, ETV Bharat reported. It has 28 members, seven of them transgender, and is chaired by the Social Welfare Minister. Rule 10 of the 2020 Rules asks each state to set up such a board to help people reach welfare schemes. Read how state welfare boards work.
- Garima Greh, Patna. The official list shows a shelter home in Patna run by Dostanasafar. Its staff work with the community and may help with forms.
On jobs, the Bihar government told the Patna High Court in January 2021 that one post in every 500 police constable and sub-inspector posts was reserved for transgender persons, Madhyamam reported. PTI reported in May 2025 that 8 of 21,391 newly selected constables were transgender.
Online guides mention a state "Kinnar Kalyan Yojana". We could not find it on an official Bihar government website, so we do not describe its benefits. Our guide on why the community and the temple idea are linked gives more context on Bihar.
Common questions
How do I get a transgender certificate and ID card in India?
You apply online on the National Portal for Transgender Persons with Form 1, a notarised Form 2 affidavit, a photo, ID and address proof. The District Magistrate issues both papers. You download them from the portal. The process is free.
How long does it take to get a transgender certificate?
The 2020 Rules say the District Magistrate must issue it within 30 days of a complete application. The official dashboard shows many applications pending for months, so delays are common.
Is a medical test needed for a transgender certificate?
Under the 2020 Rules, no medical or physical examination was allowed. The 2026 amendment says the District Magistrate must examine a medical board's recommendation. We found no new rules or forms explaining how that board will work.
What can I do if my application is rejected?
The District Magistrate must give reasons within 30 days. You can reply and ask for a review, which may be done within 60 days. You can also appeal within 90 days to the appellate authority your state has named.
Sources
- Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Rules, 2020, Gazette text, via South Asian Translaw Database.
- National Portal for Transgender Persons: FAQ, Department of Social Justice and Empowerment.
- National Portal for Transgender Persons: dashboard and documents, Department of Social Justice and Empowerment.
- Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Act, 2026, Gazette text.
- SC to hear all pleas against Transgender Persons Amendment Act on August 17, Outlook (PTI), 3 August 2026.
- Transgender Amendment 2026 cannot cancel vested rights, says Supreme Court orally, LiveLaw, 3 August 2026.
- Transgender persons to get health packages under PMJAY, The Tribune, 25 August 2022.
- Ayushman Bharat's broken promise to India's transgender community, The News Minute (IndiaSpend), 19 April 2025.
- From Margins to Mainstream: How SMILE Is Transforming Lives, PIB, 20 April 2026.
- Bihar govt sets up board to protect transgender community rights, ETV Bharat, 8 August 2025.
- UNDP India supports transgender community with certificate camp in Patna, Patna Press, 14 June 2024.
Last checked on 27 October 2026. This is general information, not legal advice. Spotted a mistake? Tell us through our contact page.