Agency Report –
While making those changes was possible beforehand, the Self Determination Act passed by the previous centre-left government of chancellor Olaf Scholz has made it much easier.
The law repealed the controversial Transsexuals Act, which required those looking to officially change their gender and first name to undergo a lengthy and costly legal process involving assessment by medical experts.
In the first month after the law change took effect, a total of 7,057 people changed their entry in the registry, according to the figures by the Federal Statistical Office, which cover the period from November 2024 to July 2025.
The numbers then declined in the following months, with some 2,936 people requesting changes in December. In July, 1,244 citizens changed their official gender.
In the 10 months preceding the reform, only 596 people did so nationwide.
In order to be able to submit a declaration to the registry office, people have to make an appointment three months in advance.
