Kidney Transplant Donor Requirements

Every transplant center has its own requirements for kidney donors. However, a person usually needs to meet the following criteria:

• Age: The minimum is 18, although some centers require a donor to be at least 21. Most centers do not have an age cutoff–the overall health of the donor is most important. 
• General Health: Donors must be in good physical health, with no serious medical conditions like active cancer, severe heart disease, or chronic infections. 
• Kidney Function: Donors must have healthy kidneys. Tests will check kidney function and overall health.
• Body Weight: Having obesity or being underweight can affect eligibility, as it can increase surgical risk.

Learn more about the kidney donation evaluation. 

The transplant team will also order blood and tissue testing to make sure the donor and recipient match. 

But don’t panic if you don’t match your recipient. Paired kidney exchange programs exist! 

In a paired exchange, incompatible donor-recipient pairs are matched with other incompatible pairs. This allows multiple donors and recipients to “swap” kidneys so everyone in the chain receives a compatible kidney. 

Tests include: 

• Blood Type: Donor and recipient blood types must be compatible. Some programs use special techniques to allow donation across blood types.
• Tissue Matching: The human leukocyte antigen (HLA) system is tested to help match donors and recipients. Better matches reduce the risk of organ rejection.
• Crossmatch Test: A blood test ensures the recipient’s body won’t immediately reject the donor’s kidney.

Learn about paired kidney exchange programs. 

Transplant programs also ensure that donors are emotionally healthy and maintain a lifestyle that supports a safe donation.

Transplant centers evaluate:

• Mental Health: Donors should be mentally healthy and able to cope with the surgery and recovery. If you have a diagnosis like depression or anxiety, you can still donate as long as it is well-managed.  
• Motivation: Donation must be voluntary. 
• Lifestyle: A healthy lifestyle often leads to better outcomes. But, you aren’t expected to be super-human! The transplant team is there to help you make any necessary lifestyle changes to give you the best chance of qualifying. 

Learn more about making the decision to donate. 

Every living kidney donor’s journey is unique, but they all start in the same place: the donor evaluation.

For Dan, an altruistic living kidney donor, the evaluation process was straightforward.

“I filled out an online form with my medical history and had labs drawn to check my health,” he said. “My results looked good, so I was referred to a transplant hospital for a full day of testing. I wasn’t sure I’d be a good candidate—while I’m healthy, I’m not in peak physical shape. But I was approved.”

Daylina’s path to donating to her step-sister looked a little different. 

“I passed the kidney donor phone screening with one exception—I needed to lose 15 pounds,” they said. “While I worked on that, I continued the evaluation. We were a match, and I passed all the required tests, including heart checks, cancer screenings, and bloodwork.”

Because Daylina manages depression, anxiety, and ADHD, their transplant team also asked for therapist approval.

“My therapist signed off since my conditions are well managed,” they said. “I also lost the weight. The only concern was a small kidney stone in my right kidney, but doctors said it was safe to move forward. I was able to give my sister a second chance at life.”

Both Dan and Daylina changed someone’s life forever—but it all began by taking the first step and starting the living kidney donor evaluation.

Read Dan or Daylina’s kidney donation story. 

If you’re considering kidney donation, these resources can guide you through the process:

• NKF Peers: Connect with a trained living donor mentor who can share their personal experience and answer your questions.
• NKF Cares: Message or call NKF’s free patient helpline at 855.653.2273.
• NKF Communities: Join our anonymous online community of kidney donors, recipients, and care partners. 
• Kidney Learning Center: Watch videos made by real living donors to learn about the steps, tests, and preparation needed to become a living kidney donor.

Ready to take the next steps? Get prescreened or find a transplant center.