How to Donate a Kidney

The first thing to know is that hospitals that perform kidney transplants (transplant centers) do full evaluations for people who want to donate a kidney, at no cost to the donor, to see if they can donate.

En Español

Contemplatative woman looking off into the distance

Ready to see if you may be able to donate a kidney?

Let the National Kidney Registry Help You

Get prescreened for free — no commitment. Find out if you qualify to be a living donor in about 5 minutes.

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Find Your Local Transplant Center

Speak with someone at your local transplant hospital to learn more about how you can become a living donor.

Get In Touch

Additional Benefits

You may be able to receive additional living donor protections and benefits by registering with the National Kidney Registry (NKR) or the Alliance for Paired Kidney Donation (APKD).

Watch: "Living Donor!" PSA campaign

A filmmaker on the transplant list uses humor to raise awareness in a PSA campaign starring real living donors.

Kimleigh: PSA & Interview

Kimleigh gave her cousin the gift of life by donating a kidney—an experience that transformed her forever.

Play video

David: PSA & Interview

David is an altruistic kidney donor, grateful knowing his gift has given someone a better life. 

Play video

Maribel: PSA & Interview (español)

Maribel donated a kidney to her father. She is happy to see him thriving, untethered to a dialysis machine.

Play video

A Crew With a Cause

Watch Melissa's Story & Phillip's Story


Melissa, a kidney patient and a filmmaker, volunteered her time and skills to create the “Living Donor!” PSA campaign to help others understand the life-changing impact of living organ donation. She’s making it easier to talk about this topic by bringing humor into the campaign—something she is known for in her other work.

When Phillip heard about Melissa’s project, he immediately volunteered to lend a hand with production design. He knows the impact of living kidney donation firsthand—his dad, Richard, was a three-time kidney transplant recipient.

Save a life and become a hero for someone in need of a kidney transplant.

What You Can Do:
 

  1. Share the videos. They may inspire someone to save a life. 
  2. Become a hero. Find out if you qualify to be a living donor in about 5 minutes.
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Still undecided on whether to donate?

Hear everything you need to know about donating a kidney in these free, self-paced videos delivered by living donors.

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More Resources

Check out information on NKF’s website to help you make the decision to donate.

Learn more about the steps to become a living donor.

If you’d like help finding a transplant center or have questions, contact NKF CARES.