FAQs

  • Does organ, eye and tissue donation really help people?

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    • Organ transplants are life-saving operations. People on the transplant waiting list are suffering organ failure from conditions such as heart failure and kidney disease. Without the help of a generous gift of life from an organ donor they will die.
    • Tissue transplants are life-saving and/or life-enhancing operations. They save the lives of recovering burn victims, help blind people to see and allow people to walk again.
    • Post-transplant organ, eye and tissue recipients can live healthy, active lives that weren’t possible when they were ill. Most recipients make such an amazing recovery, you would not know that they received a transplant unless they told you.
    • The number of those waiting for a transplant in the United States is currently over 105,000. Find out how many people are currently waiting for organs in the U.S. here.

  • Who can be a registered organ, eye and tissue donor?

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    • Anyone can be considered for organ, eye and tissue donation.
    • Trained and experienced medical professionals make decisions about medical suitability of organs at the time of death.
    • Everyone, regardless of age or medical history, is encouraged to sign up as a donor.
    • You must be at least 13 years of age to register online, but anyone of any age can check “YES!” at the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) when applying for or renewing their driver license or ID card. Families of registered donors under the age of 18 still must consent to donation before it can be carried out.

  • Will doctors still work hard to save a patient who is a registered donor?

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    • It is only after every attempt has been made to save a patient’s life and death has been declared that the donation process begins.
    • The doctors who work to save your life are not the same doctors involved in the recovery and transplantation of your donated organs.

  • How do I become a registered organ, eye, and tissue donor?

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    • Simply check “’YES!’ I want to be an organ and tissue donor!” when you renew or apply for your driver license or ID card through the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV); OR
    • Anyone age 13 or older can sign up online anytime or learn more about organ and tissue donation by visiting www.donateLIFEcalifornia.org. Anyone of any age can check “YES!” at the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) when applying for or renewing their driver license or ID card. Families of registered donors under the age of 18 still must consent to donation before it can be carried out.

  • Can I set limitations on the organs, eyes and tissues I would like to donate?

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    • Saying  “YES!” to donation on your driver license indicates your consent for donation of all organs, eyes and tissues for transplant and research.
    • If you would like to specify which organs and tissues you would like to donate, visit www.donateLIFEcalifornia.org.

  • What if I change my mind?

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    • You can remove your registration online at any time by visiting www.donateLIFEcalifornia.org.
    • Additionally, you can contact us by calling us at 866-797-2366, emailing us at info@donatelifecalifornia.org, or sending us a letter at
      Donate Life California
      3940 Industrial Blvd.
      West Sacramento, CA 95691

  • Am I too old (or too young) to donate?

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    • There is no age limit for organ and tissue donation. Anyone age 13 or older can register online at anytime, although the final decision is that of the legal guardian(s) until age 18. Anyone of any age can check “YES!” at the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) when applying for or renewing their driver license or ID. Conversely, no one should rule themselves out because they are “too old”. There has been a 93-year-old kidney donor and a 99-year-old cornea donor!

  • Does the donor’s family incur the cost of donation?

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    • There is no cost to the donor’s family for organ, eye and tissue donation.
    • All costs related to donation are paid by the organ procurement organization (OPO).
    • By law, expenses related to saving the individual’s life and funeral expenses remain the responsibility of the donor’s family.

  • Where does organ, eye and tissue donation happen?

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    • Donation occurs at a medical facility after death is declared and consent for donation is obtained, either from the donor registry or the deceased’s family.
    • Federally designated organ procurement organizations (OPOs) work with all hospitals throughout California.

  • What if an individual registered to be a donor, but their family is opposed to donation?

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    • If an individual 18 years or older has recorded his/her personal decision, it must be honored if medically possible.
    • State and federal laws support the donor’s right to make the decision and have it carried out.
    • Information about the individual’s decision will be communicated to family members before donation occurs, and they will be emotionally supported throughout the donation process.
    • Make sure your family is aware of your donation decision. Knowing your intentions will provide comfort to your family.
    • Most families are happy to know their loved one had made a decision and want to follow through on their final life-giving wishes.
    • Families of registered donors under the age of 18 still must consent to donation before it can be carried out.

  • Can the donor family meet the recipient(s)?

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    • Organ, eye and tissue donation is a confidential process. No pressure is placed on donor families or transplant recipients to meet or make contact with one another.
    • Shortly after donation, the donor family and recipient(s) will receive general information about one another. No identifying details are shared unless consent has been given by both parties. Organ recovery organizations and the transplant centers can arrange contact if the desire is mutual.

  • How is the organ allocation process determined?

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    • If someone needs an organ transplant, his or her name is added to the National Transplant Waiting List. The United Network of Organ Sharing (UNOS) is the organization in charge of the waiting list. UNOS works with organ procurement organizations (OPOs) to match available organs to recipients in need.
    • Through extensive testing, coordinators obtain information about blood type and genetic make-up for each transplantable organ. This information is utilized to develop a list of suitable recipients prioritized by considering factors such as medical urgency, tissue type, length of time on the waiting list, blood type, and body size.
    • Geographic location is also considered in placement. Organs are offered in accordance to proximity to the donor. If a suitable match is not found locally, the organs are offered regionally, then nationally.
    • There is no discrimination due to age, sex, ethnicity, occupation, or social and/or financial status when determining who receives an organ.

  • Will donation alter funeral arrangements?

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    • Funeral arrangements, including an open casket, will not be affected by the decision to donate. Additionally, donation does not delay funeral services.

  • Can organs, eyes and tissues be given to different ethnic groups or individuals of the opposite sex?

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    • Gender does not influence the allocation of donated organs, eyes or tissues.
    • Although it is possible for a candidate to match a donor from another ethnic group, often transplant success rates increase (due to tissue compatibility) when organs are matched between members of the same ethnic background.
    • In California, ethnic minorities make up more than 80 percent of the people on the National Transplant Waiting List.

  • Does Donate Life California accept whole body donations?

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    • Donate Life California focuses on the life-saving organs and life-enhancing tissues and does not have a whole body donation program.
    • If you are interested in whole body donation we recommend reaching out to your local teaching/university hospital.

  • Does Donate Life California offer to cremate the body after donation?

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    • By law, expenses related to saving the individual’s life and funeral expenses, including cremation, remain the responsibility of the donor’s family.
    • If you wish to be cremated we will work with your family to ensure this is done but cannot provide financial assistance for the cremation.

  • What is your relationship with the DMV?

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    • The Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) is our partner in signing up Californians to become registered organ, eye and tissue donors. With the DMV’s support, we have reached more than 17 million registered donors in California! The DMV does not have access to our secure and confidential database, and they help our mission solely by assisting individuals in registering to become organ, eye and tissue donors.

  • My family/friend is in need of an organ can I specify that he or she receives it?

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    • “Directed donation” of an organ to a specific individual is legal, but it must be done at the time of donation. Directed donation is best supported by an Advance Health Care Directive or may be granted by next of kin at the time of donation.
    • If you know someone in need of an organ transplant make sure you’re next of kin is aware and the local OPO will be sure to see if you are a match and do everything in their power to

  • What happens if I die in another state?

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    • Hospitals in every state are federally required to alert their area Organ Procurement Organization (OPO). Therefore, if one dies in another state, that state’s OPO will contact the donor registry of the person’s home state.

  • What is "living donation"?

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    • Many adults make a decision to save a life through organ donation during their lives. Organs that can be transplanted by living donors include:
      • One kidney – you are born with two kidneys but can live a safe and healthy life with only one kidney.
      • A liver section – a portion of a healthy liver can be donated from a living donor. Both the donor and the recipient’s liver sections re-grow to normal size within six weeks.

  • Can LGBT individuals become organ, eye and tissue donors?

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    • LGBT persons can be organ, eye and tissue donors and can also become living organ donors. Men who have had sex with men within the last five years are able to be organ donors. However, the gift of tissue for men who have had sex with men in the last five years is restricted to corneas for research.

  • Can access to transplantation be denied because of immigration status?

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    • Access to transplantation is not denied to anyone in the U.S. because of their immigration status – this applies to people of all ethnic groups and races. There is no law in the U.S. that denies transplant access to undocumented immigrants.

There are many questions about organ donation that come up when you’re making decisions on becoming a donor, working on your end of life plans, while watching a tv show that touches on the issues, and so many other times in life.

We hope we can answer your questions on this page and around this site. If you have additional questions please do not hesitate to contact us with your questions.