After months of legislative impasse over transgender rights, Governor Albert Bryan Jr. on Wednesday issued Executive Order No. 543-2025, establishing the Virgin Islands’ first formal process for residents to change the gender marker on birth certificates and driver’s licenses.
The order, signed after the Legislature stalled Bill No. 35-0395 amid heated debate, directs the Department of Health’s Office of Vital Statistics and the Bureau of Motor Vehicles to amend gender designations upon request. It marks the first time Virgin Islanders will be able to obtain government-issued identification that reflects their gender identity.
Under the new policy, applicants aged 18 or older—or a parent or guardian acting on behalf of a minor—may submit a written request to the relevant agency. Each request must include either a statement from a licensed health care provider confirming that a gender designation change is appropriate or a judicial order granting a gender change. Once approved, the updated documents will use the term “gender” instead of “sex.”
Governor Bryan said the executive order provides a process where none previously existed. “Virgin Islanders have reached out to our administration seeking a way to have their documents reflect who they truly are,” he said. “This Executive Order ensures that our government recognizes and respects the lived realities of all our residents.”
The move follows a contentious November 2024 hearing before the Committee on Homeland Security, Justice and Public Safety, where senators expressed divided views on the proposed legislation. Assistant Health Commissioner Dr. Nicole Syms testified that aligning legal documents with an individual’s identity would reduce discrimination and improve access to health care. Senators Ray Fonseca, Alma Francis Heyliger and Kenneth Gittens, however, voiced concerns over the measure’s broader implications, including its impact on sports participation, public facilities and law enforcement databases.
With the legislative measure stalled, Governor Bryan’s order provides an administrative path forward. The Virgin Islands now joins more than two dozen U.S. jurisdictions that allow gender marker changes through executive or administrative action.
Residents seeking to update their records can contact the Department of Health’s Office of Vital Statistics or the Bureau of Motor Vehicles for details on submitting a request.
