Thank you for your interest in becoming a living donor!

Did you know that you can donate to one of the more than 90,000 people in the United States currently waiting for a kidney, even if your kidney is not a match?

Being medically compatible with your intended recipient is no longer required—you don’t even have to have the same blood type. Through the National Kidney Registry’s Voucher Program, you donate on your own schedule and your kidney will be transplanted into a well-matched recipient. Your donation generates a voucher for your intended recipient. When they are ready for their transplant, they can redeem their voucher to be prioritized for a living donor kidney through the NKR.

Ready to see if you’re qualified to donate your kidney?

Take the first step and complete a 5-minute introductory questionnaire.

Get Started

What is Involved in Donating A Kidney?

Donating a kidney is a life-changing gift but also a major commitment that involves extensive testing, major surgery and weeks of recovery time. If you decide to donate a kidney, here’s the process you’ll go through.

Screening & Testing

  1. 45 mins Complete a confidential screening / medical history
  2. ~3 days Center will contact you
  3. ~3 days Complete standard workup
  4. 1 – 4 weeks Get cleared for donation

Surgery & Recovery

  • 1 day Complete pre-op
  • 1 – 5 hours Complete surgery
  • 1 – 4 days Recover in hospital
  • 1 week Refrain from flying
  • 2 – 6 weeks Recover at home*

*Most people can return to normal activities after 2 – 4 weeks. Donors with physically demanding jobs may need 4 – 6 weeks of recovery before returning to work. High-performance athletes will need 6 months to a year before they are back to pre-donation performance levels.

Living Kidney Donation By the Numbers