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Third gender option for Hawaii driver’s licenses available starting Wednesday

Effective Wednesday, a third gender option will be available to people applying for, renewing or duplicating Hawaii state identification cards, driver’s licenses or commercial driver’s licenses in Hawaii.

In addition to the two options — “F” for female and “M” for male — already available, applicants can choose “X” or “Not Specified” as a third option in the gender category when getting a new ID.

“We appreciate the work of LGBT advocates, law makers, and the City and County of Honolulu Department of Information Technology to make this happen,” said Hawaii Department of Transportation Deputy Director Ed Sniffen said in a statement. “Thanks to the coordination and cooperation of our partners we are able to recognize transgender and other individuals while keeping our REAL ID compliant status.”

State IDs and driver’s licenses will require a “star in a gold circle” marking by Oct. 1 to be REAL ID compliant. REAL ID compliant IDs will be required by everyone traveling on commercial flights within the U.S.

No additional documentation is required to fill out “X” or “Not Specified” in the gender category.

Act 148, signed into law in 2019, allowed for the modification of the gender category.

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