FAQ

Register with Donate Life Texas, the official state registry, and explain your decision to your family. You can register online or when applying for or renewing a Texas driver license or identification card. Registration opportunities are also available through vehicle registration and hunting or fishing licenses.

Donate Life Texas records your authorization for organ, eye, and tissue donation after death. Your registered decision provides legal documentation of your wishes under Texas law. The donation organization checks the registry and informs your family of your decision; registration is not a guarantee that donation will be medically possible.

If you said yes when applying for or renewing your Texas driver license or identification card, the card displays a donor heart symbol. You can also visit Donate Life Texas to check your registration, including if you joined through another method.

Yes. Use Donate Life Texas to update or remove your donor registration. Tell your family about changes so they understand your current wishes.

Financial contributions support the day-to-day operation of the registry and public education about organ, eye, and tissue donation. Financial gifts are separate from authorizing medical donation.

A Texas registration remains an important expression of your wishes, but its legal treatment may differ in another state. Tell your family about your decision and ask the donation team about the applicable requirements.

One donor can save up to eight lives through organ donation and help heal as many as 75 people through tissue donation. Medical professionals determine at the time of donation what is possible for each person.

Recovery is carried out by trained surgeons and other specially trained personnel. It most often takes place in a hospital operating room, and sometimes in a specialized facility. Incisions are closed as they would be after any surgery.

No. Medical professionals make every effort to save your life. Treatment decisions are made by your care team; donor registration does not reduce lifesaving efforts. Evaluation for possible deceased donation is separate from those efforts, and organ recovery cannot take place before death is declared.

Age or health history alone should not stop you from recording your wishes. Medical professionals evaluate the possibility of donation when the time comes; not everyone who registers will be able to donate.

Most organs are allocated through the national matching process. Directed donation may also be possible for a specified person on the U.S. transplant waiting list who is medically compatible, subject to applicable policy. Discuss any request with our team; a particular recipient cannot be guaranteed.

You can review research authorization options when registering with Donate Life Texas. Transplantation is the first priority. When an organ is unsuitable for transplantation or a recipient match cannot be found, research donation may be possible if authorized. Review the registry options when recording your decision.

Recovery often happens about 24 to 36 hours after death, but timing varies. If your family has funeral or viewing plans, talk with our team about them. A specific timeline cannot be guaranteed.

Your loved one is released to the funeral home or mortuary your family chooses. Donation is performed with the utmost dignity, and open-casket viewing, funeral or memorial services, and cremation remain possible. Whole-body science programs are a separate choice and are not part of organ and tissue donation.

Yes. Family members may stay with their loved one. You may be asked to step out during certain procedures, and you can visit again under the hospital’s rules. If you leave, the donation team can give you updates.

It can happen when both parties agree. The organization can help facilitate it, but a meeting is not guaranteed.

The family is responsible for medical care before recovery and for funeral expenses. The family is not responsible for costs related to donation. Paying for, or offering incentives for, donated organs and tissues is prohibited.

Record your decision with Donate Life Texas and talk openly with your family about why it matters to you. Sharing your wishes in advance can help loved ones understand and honor your choice during a difficult time.

Many religious traditions support organ and tissue donation or consider it a personal decision. Beliefs and requirements vary. Explore the faith section on our How donation works page and speak with your own religious leader about your questions.