How to donate

Becoming an organ donor is easy. Just do the following:

• Sign up with your state's donor registry. Most states have ways to sign up. Check the list at organdonor.gov.
• Mark your choice on your driver's license. Do this when you get or renew your license.
• Tell your family. Make sure your family knows you want to be an organ donor.

Being on your state's organ donation registry and marking your choice on your driver's license or state ID are the best ways to make sure you become a donor. But telling your family also is important because hospitals ask next of kin before taking organs.

However, hospitals don't need to ask for consent if you are 18 or older and are on your state's donor registry or have marked your driver's license or state ID card for organ donation.

If you have named someone to decide about your health care for you if you are not able to do so, make sure that person knows that you want to be an organ donor. You also can include your wishes in a living will if you have one. But the will might not be read right at the time of your death.