Current High School Sports Policies for Transgender Athletes (2026)
- Chris Mosier
- 5 days ago
- 5 min read
Quick Answer
If you're wondering how transgender athlete policies currently work in U.S. high schools, here are the key numbers:
29 states currently have statewide bans on transgender students participating in school sports consistent with their gender identity (27 through legislation and 2 through regulations or agency policy).
29 states prohibit transgender girls from participating on girls' teams.
21 states plus Washington, D.C. have no statewide ban on transgender students participating according to their gender identity.
10 states require an original birth certificate or rely on an original birth certificate as the primary method to verify a student's sex for sports participation.
4 statewide bans are currently blocked from enforcement by temporary court order (Arizona, Idaho, Utah, and West Virginia). The policies in Idaho and West Virginia are currently at the Supreme Court.
For more information on how the Supreme Court decision on transgender athlete policies impacts youth sports and your team or league, join us for a webinar on July 1 or July 14, where we break down what the decision means and how you can support trans youth. For more information, visit the Take Action page.
How many states ban transgender youth athletes?
Answer: 29 states.
As of June 29, 2026:
27 states have enacted laws banning transgender students from participating in school sports consistent with their gender identity.
2 additional states (Alaska and Virginia) have adopted bans through regulations or state agency policy rather than legislation.
These policies primarily affect K-12 schools.
How many states ban transgender girls from girls' high school sports?
Answer: 29 states.
Every statewide sports ban currently in effect targets participation according to gender identity, meaning transgender girls are prohibited from participating on girls' teams.
While these laws are often described broadly as applying to "transgender students," they are almost exclusively written to prevent transgender girls from competing in girls' sports.
How many states explicitly ban transgender boys from participating on boys' sports teams?
Answer: 0 states.
No state has enacted a law specifically preventing transgender boys from participating on boys' teams, but there are still restrictions in place.
States with sports bans generally require participation based on sex assigned at birth. That means:
transgender girls are required to compete with boys, and
transgender boys are generally required to compete with girls.
Although both groups are affected, public debate and legislative efforts have overwhelmingly focused on transgender girls.
How many states do not ban transgender athletes in high school sports?
Answer: 21 states (plus Washington, D.C.).
Twenty-one states and Washington, D.C. do not have statewide laws or regulations banning transgender students from participating according to their gender identity.
In those states, statewide law does not prohibit transgender boys from competing on boys' teams. However, even though there is no statewide ban through law, individual athletic associations or school districts may have their own eligibility policies.
How do states verify a student's sex?
Most states with sports bans do not specify a verification process. Instead, many state laws define "sex" using statutory language referencing biology, genetics, or reproductive anatomy.
However, 10 states require an original birth certificate or make it the primary verification document:
Florida
Iowa
Kentucky
Louisiana
Missouri
New Hampshire
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Several other states use different approaches, including physician documentation, affidavits, or references to genetics and reproductive biology.
How many states require birth certificates to verify gender?
Answer: 10 states.
These states require an original birth certificate (or use it as the primary form of verification):
Florida
Iowa
Kentucky
Louisiana
Missouri
New Hampshire
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Other states instead rely on statutory definitions of biological sex, medical documentation, physician certification, or parental affidavits.
Which bans are currently blocked by court order?
Answer: Four statewide bans are currently blocked by temporary court order.
Those states are:
Arizona
Idaho (currently being decided by the Supreme Court)
Utah
West Virginia (currently being decided by the Supreme Court)
In each case, litigation is ongoing, and courts have temporarily prevented enforcement while legal challenges proceed.
Several other states have active lawsuits, but those lawsuits do not currently block statewide enforcement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do all states have the same policy for transgender athletes?
No. State policies for transgender high school athletes vary considerably. Some states have comprehensive statutory bans, others have no statewide restrictions, and many states rely on athletic association policies instead of state law.
Do these laws only affect high schools?
No. Many of the laws extend beyond K-12 and also apply to colleges and universities, although some are limited to particular grade levels. Currently, 25 states have laws that explicitly ban college student athletes.
Are these policies changing?
Yes. The legal landscape continues to evolve through new legislation, agency action, and ongoing litigation. Court rulings, including the upcoming Supreme Court decision, may change how these laws are enforced over time.
Key Takeaways
29 states currently prohibit transgender students from participating in school sports consistent with their gender identity.
21 states plus Washington, D.C. have no statewide sports ban.
10 states require an original birth certificate as part of sex verification.
4 statewide bans are currently blocked by temporary court order.
Because policies continue to change through legislation and litigation, athletes, families, coaches, and schools should verify the most current rules before each sports season.
How many states banned transgender athletes each year?
The wave of statewide sports bans began in 2020Â and expanded rapidly over the next several years.
Year | New states | States |
2020 | 1 | Idaho |
2021 | 9 | Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Mississippi, Montana, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, West Virginia |
2022 | 8 | Arizona, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Utah |
2023 | 7 | Alaska (regulation), Kansas, Missouri, North Carolina, North Dakota, Virginia (agency policy), Wyoming |
2024 | 2 | New Hampshire, Ohio |
2025 | 2 | Georgia, Nebraska |
How quickly did these bans spread?
2020:Â 1 state
2021:Â 10 total states
2022:Â 18 total states
2023:Â 25 total states
2024:Â 27 total states
2025:Â 29 total states
This means nearly one-third of all statewide bans were enacted during 2021 alone, with another fifteen states adopting bans over the following four years.
Do any of the sports bans expire?
Yes, but only one. Missouri's sports ban (SB 39) includes a sunset provision and is scheduled to expire on August 28, 2027, unless the Missouri legislature renews or extends it.
As of 2026, Missouri is the only state with a scheduled expiration date for its statewide transgender sports ban.
All other statewide bans remain in effect indefinitely unless they are:
repealed by the legislature,
struck down by a court,
or replaced by future legislation.
It is worth noting that several bans are currently blocked from enforcement by temporary court orders (Arizona, Idaho, Utah, and West Virginia), but those laws have not expired. The underlying statutes remain in place while litigation continues.
Is there a nationwide ban on trans athletes?
No. There is no nationwide ban on transgender high school athletes. State policies vary from state to state, and 29 states have laws banning transgender high school athletes, but there is no national policy that dictates a universal expeirence for trans youth in sports.
Where can I learn how the Supreme Court decision impacts trans athletes?
For more information on how the Supreme Court decision on transgender athlete policies impacts youth sports and your team or league, join us for our "After SCOTUS: Supporting Trans Youth Athletes" webinar, where we break down what the decision means and how you can support trans youth. For more information, visit the Take Action page.