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In Kansas, a recently enacted state law has led to the invalidation of driver’s licenses for transgender residents, mandating that identification documents must reflect the sex assigned at birth.
Around 1,700 transgender drivers have received notifications from the Kansas Department of Revenue’s Division of Vehicles (KDOR), informing them that their licenses would be rendered invalid starting Thursday, in accordance with SB 244.
This legislation also restricts transgender individuals from using public restrooms that align with their gender identity, nullifies updated birth certificates, and permits individuals to file a lawsuit for $1,000 if they encounter transgender people in restrooms.
The KDOR letters, as reported by the Kansas City Star, stated, “Please note that the Legislature did not include a grace period for updating credentials.”
The communication further warned, “This means that once the law is officially enacted, your current credentials will be invalid immediately, and you may face additional penalties if you operate a vehicle without a valid credential.”
The law was fast-tracked through ‘gut and go,’ a process in which the text of one bill can be replaced with new provisions, bypassing committee review and speeding up voting, according to the Guardian.
The bill was vetoed by Democratic governor Laura Kelly, who argued that SB 244 was ‘poorly drafted legislation’.
However, she was overridden by the Republican supermajority in the legislature last week.
About 1,700 transgender drivers received letters from the Kansas Department of Revenue’s Division of Vehicles (KDOR) stating their licenses would become invalid on Thursday under SB 244 (Stock Image)
Transgender drivers were directed to surrender their IDs if they did not match their birth given sex
Transgender rights activists gather outside the US Supreme Court in Washington, DC, on January 13, 2026, as justices heard cases on bans affecting transgender athletes
‘It’s all happening very quickly, and my heart is broken for anyone who this is directly impacting,’ activist Jae Moyer told the Star.
A member of the Johnson County Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Coalition expressed concern that the bill was introduced rapidly and that it creates challenges for affected individuals.
Additionally, Harper Seldin, a senior staff attorney with the LGBTQ and HIV Project at the American Civil Liberties Union, told Reuters that the bill ‘puts transgender people in danger any time they interact with law enforcement or apply for a job or for housing or public benefits.’
Seldin added that transgender Kansans change the sex on their IDs to live as themselves and stay safe.
Kansas residents were permitted to change their gender on driver’s licenses and birth certificates until 2023, until they were blocked during a lawsuit by Republican state attorney general Kris Kobach, according to the outlet.
A protester holds a sign outside the Kansas Statehouse on March 31, 2023, during a rally for transgender rights marking Transgender Day of Visibility
In 2025, transgender residents were once again granted permission to make sex changes.
Another Republican, State Senate Majority Leader Chase Blasi, commented on the new bill, claiming President Trump’s 2024 election triumph shows voters are looking to return to ‘common sense.’
‘When I go home, people believe there are just two sexes, male and female,’ Blasi said. ‘It’s basic biology I learned in high school.’
Anyone whose Kansas license does not reflect their birth-given sex is directed to surrender their credentials to the Kansas Division of Vehicles, reads the letter, which The Star obtained.
‘Upon surrendering the credential, you will be issued a new credential reflecting the gender identification consistent with statutory requirements,’ it continues.
Transgender drivers will receive no funding to help replace the IDs, which usually cost $30.
However, a KDOR spokesperson said the agency is charging only $8 to reissue valid licenses, according to the Star.