This US State Orders Thousands Of Trans Drivers To Surrender Driving Licences

US driver's licences held by transgender residents of Kansas are being invalidated under a new state law that requires the identification document to reflect the sex assigned at birth. The move does not address the driver's skill, and it has nothing to do with the driver being unsafe on the road. Instead, it focuses on how gender is recorded in the government credentials.

Effective immediately, the law was implemented right after its publication in the Kansas Register. The legislation was passed after lawmakers overrode a veto from Governor Laura Kelly, a Democrat. Since the Legislature failed to add a grace period, any licences belonging to transgender drivers became invalid as soon as the law took effect.

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Making things official, the residents of Kansas received a letter officially confirming the change and warning against operations of vehicles without valid documents, which could invite penalties. The letter read, "If you have received this notice, our records indicate that, upon publication of this law in the Kansas Register on Thursday, February 26, 2026, your current Kansas credential will no longer be valid."

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"Additionally, please note that the Legislature did not include a grace period for updating credentials. This means that once the law is officially enacted, your current credential will be invalid immediately, and you may be subject to additional penalties if you are operating a vehicle without a valid credential," it added.

Image Source- Erin in The Morning

State authorities anticipate the reissuance of a minimum of 1,700 driver's licences, as well as as many as 1,800 birth certificates, according to The Washington Post. Notifications have been dispatched to the impacted residents, guiding them to return their existing credentials and acquire replacements.

Other states in the US, such as Florida, Tennessee, and Texas, also limit changes to gender markers on driver's licences. However, Kansas seems to be the first state to mandate the reversal of credentials that were previously issued instead of merely preventing future modifications.