Big Change Announced For PA Driver's Licenses

PENNSYLVANIA —A big change to Pennsylvania driver's license rules is coming next year. Pennsylvania residents will soon be able to obtain gender-neutral driver's licenses, the state Department of Transportation confirmed this week.

The change, which is expected to be implemented sometime in 2020, will allow residents to select an "X" instead of female or male, PennDOT spokeswoman Erin Waters-Trasatt said.

"We have reviewed this option and plan to deploy a systematic process to make available the use of an X indicator for gender before this time next year. There are system changes that need to be made to ensure we implement a systematic process across the commonwealth," Waters-Trasatt said in an email to Patch.

PennDOT plans to implement the system changes "as quickly as possible," she said.

It is not yet clear the process involved to obtain the X indicator. "We continue to work through the full details of what may or may not be required for our staff and customers to use this option," Waters-Trasatt said.

The change comes after PennDOT officials have been monitoring what others states have been doing related to gender-neutral licenses. Several states, including Arkansas and Maine, currently offer the gender-neutral option for driver's licenses, USA Today reports.

"This has been an ask of customers," Waters-Trasatt said. "Governor Wolf has been on the forefront of diversity and inclusion policies within state government services that we provide to Pennsylvania residents."