Kansas issues new guidance to trans residents about surrendering driver’s licenses
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Kansas requires affected licenses surrendered by close of business March 25, 2026.
- KDOR issues temporary licenses on surrender; permanent credentials mailed in 10–14 days.
- Appeals available but do not preserve driving authority; police see real-time status.
Amidst ongoing confusion over a new state law that prohibits transgender people from having Kansas driver’s licenses that reflect their identity, the Department of Revenue has issued new guidance about when affected licenses must be surrendered.
“If you have not changed your driver’s license credentials already, you must now do so by close of business March 25, 2026. We do not anticipate any further implementation grace periods being extended in this case,” KDOR wrote on an informational page that went live Friday afternoon.
Douglas County District Court Judge James McCabria denied the American Civil Liberties Union’s motion for a temporary restraining order. Still, Attorney General Kris Kobach, who is defending the state in a civil lawsuit challenging the law’s constitutionality, previously told McCabria that no more licenses would be invalidated until March 26.
The Kansas Republican lawmakers who enacted the anti-trans bill into law over Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto included no grace period in the legislation.
That led to a chaotic rollout late last month, when people who had previously changed the gender markers on their licenses began receiving letters in the mail from KDOR on Feb. 25 informing them that their licenses would be automatically invalidated on Feb. 26.
According to the agency, 275 Kansans have been notified that they must surrender their licenses for replacement. As of Wednesday, 148 licenses had been replaced in accordance with the new law. KDOR is charging $8 for license replacements, the agency said.
The informational sheet links to another webpage that can be used to check whether a license is considered valid or invalid by the state.
“This database is updated in real-time, and the data is provided to law enforcement. The status of your license in this system is the status that law enforcement will see if you are stopped (and) your license is checked,” the agency said.
KDOR advises trans Kansans affected by the law that they must turn over their old credentials at the DMV to receive updated ones that reflect their sex assigned at birth.
“Upon surrender of your existing license, a temporary license will be issued, and the updated credential will be mailed to you,” the agency says, adding that it can take 10-14 days for permanent licenses to arrive in the mail.
It also notes that people have a right to appeal the invalidation of their licenses.
“If you believe your license has been invalidated in error, you may appeal. Appeal rights are available under K.S.A. 8-259,” the webpage says. “However, please be advised that the filing of an appeal will not preserve the validity of your current credential and associated driving authority.”
People who want to donate to help trans Kansans cover the costs associated with license replacement can contribute to the LGBTQ Foundation of Kansas’ mutual aid fund.
The temporary grace period delaying enforcement of the new law also applies to provisions restricting who can use which restrooms and other private spaces on government property. Kobach told the judge earlier this month that his office would refrain from adjudicating complaints about people using facilities other than those that align with their sex assigned at birth until March 26.
After that date, local governments, schools and public universities may face substantial fines for failing to designate restrooms, changing rooms and showers as male or female.
Anyone found to have improperly used a restroom or other private space in a government building would face a written warning for a first violation. A second violation would carry a $1,000 fine, and each subsequent violation would be a misdemeanor offense punishable by another fine and up to six months in jail.
This story was originally published March 13, 2026 at 5:22 PM.
