Australian Organ Donor Register

Who can be on the register

You must be 16 or older to register.

About the register

It’s the national register for decisions about donating organs and tissue for transplantation after death.

You don’t have to be on it. But it’s the best way to make your decision clear.

You decide:

• if you want to donate
• which organs and tissue you want to give

The register only covers donations for transplants - not those for research.

Why register

It’s important to put your decision on the register even if you’ve put it elsewhere, like on your driver’s licence.

The register is available for AMPs around Australia to check for donors 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Transplants need to be fast, so this is vital.

Why donate

Transplants give people a second chance at life. At any time more than 1,300 Australians are on waiting lists for organs.

By registering your decision you can:

• save up to 10 lives
• improve many more

Read about organ donation on the DonateLife website.

Tell your family

It’s important to tell your family your decision about being an organ donor. They’ll have the final say.

When you die, they need to agree before your organs can be donated. They’re more likely to follow your wishes if they already know about them.

Privacy

The register can only give information:

• to AMPs who have Australian Government approval, or
• where a law says it can or must

How to register

You can do this online, using an app or filling in a printed form.

Online

You can register online through:

• your Medicare online account through myGov
• the Express Plus Medicare mobile app
• the Australian Organ Donor Register form

Printed form

Fill in the New registration, change or removal of donation decision details form.

You can either:

• print the form from our website
• get it from a service centre

Submit it at a service centre or post it to us for free. The address is on the form.

If you give your Medicare number on the form you’ll:

• help us keep your details up to date

How to change your choices

At any time you can:

• change your choice about being a donor
• change the organs or tissue you want to donate
• ask for a new donor card

To do this:

• update the register through myGov, or
• submit a new registration, change or removal of address details form

Resources

The DonateLife website gives the facts about donating organs and tissue.