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.

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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.

Find Your Local Transplant Center

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

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).

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.

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.