Organ Donation in Washington DC

Organ Donation in Washington, D.C.

Organ donation registration in Washington D.C. is administered by the non-profit organization Donate Life DC.

There are no age limits for organ donation; recent donations include a kidney transplant from a donor who was 93 years old and a corneal transplant from a donor who was 99 years old. According to recent organ donation statistics, there are over 106,000 people waiting for organ donations in the U.S. Approximately 17 people die each day while waiting for organ transplants.

Register as an Organ Donor in D.C.

You can register as an organ donor online or in person at your local DC DMV office.

Be sure to inform your relatives of your choice to be an organ donor; if your donor card is unavailable, they will be asked to make decisions about organ donation on your behalf.

Register Online

NOTE: You will need to provide your Washington, D.C. driver's license or ID card number when registering as an organ donor online.

Online registration is quick and easy, and can be done at any time. You can do so through:

Donate Life, an organization dedicated to organ donation, gives you this option and allows you to make modifications to your information online, as well.

Register in Person

When applying for a D.C. driver's license, permit, or state ID card, you can indicate your desire to become a donor by checking the donor box on your application. You will need to place the red heart sticker you'll receive on your card.

Your donor intentions will also be noted in the online donor registry.

Change Your Organ Donation Status

You can update details of your organ donor profile online at the Donate Life D.C. website.

You will be able to log in there regardless of whether you signed up online or at the Washington, D.C. DMV office.

How You Can Help with Organ Donation

There are a number of ways that you can help organ donation efforts in Washington, D.C. You can help raise awareness of the need for transplant organs in the state and also:

  • Make monetary donations to help support the efforts of Donate Life D.C.
  • Volunteer to speak at your church, community group, or school, or help with administrative work or provide support at an event.
  • Invite a speaker for your church or workplace, call local schools to ask that organ donation be added to school curriculums, and write letters to the editors of local papers.
  • Become a living donor to give life-saving transplants to patients waiting for livers, lungs, and kidneys. These donations are possible because only a portion of the organ is used for liver or lung transplants and kidney transplants involve only a single organ.

Organ Donation Facts

Here are some important facts to keep in mind about organ donation:

  • Becoming an organ donor doesn't cost you or your family anything.
  • Donors receive the same level of medical care as non-donors.
  • Being a donor won't delay or alter your funeral plans; you can still have a open-casket ceremony. All major religions in the United States support organ and tissue donation.
  • In the District of Columbia, you must be at least 18 years old to become a donor. However, you can register if you're between the ages of 13 to 17 years old, but your parents or legal guardians will have the final say over your choice during this time.
  • When you register, your organ donation preferences are put into Donate Life D.C.'s database.
  • At brain death, the organ procurement organization will be contacted to see whether you are listed and doctors will assess whether you are a good candidate for organ donation.

Visit the Donate Life DC website for more information about becoming an organ donor.

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