Registering as a Donor

More than 800,000 Nebraskans have registered as organ and tissue donors, pledging to help others at the time of their death. But the need is still great. More than 100,000 people in the U.S. are waiting for a lifesaving transplant.

Anyone age 16 and over can register as a donor; there are no medical or age restrictions. There are several easy ways to register as as donor in Nebraska:

Check the box when you get or renew your driver’s license
Register online. It only takes a minute.
Sign up when you get your Nebraska hunting or fishing permit online.
Contact us to request a paper form that can be signed and mailed back to us.

No matter how you register, all Nebraska* registrations are maintained in one database by Live On Nebraska. If you’ve registered in more than one way, your latest registration (or registration change) will serve as your official registration status.

*Donate Life America hosts a separate national donor registry, which donation organizations like Live On Nebraska can access to search for an individual’s registration status. However, Live On Nebraska does not maintain and cannot make changes to registrations in the Donate Life registry. You can view and update your status in the national donor registry at RegisterMe.org.

What it Means to be a Registered Donor

With so many people in need of a transplant, every opportunity to help is crucial. Registering as a donor leaves no room for doubt. By making your decision official through registration, you control the outcome. This means:

Your registration is legally binding: If you’re eligible to donate, your family won’t need to make a decision on your behalf. Live On Nebraska is legally obligated to carry out your wishes. However, if a registered donor between the ages of 16-18 passes away and is eligible for donation, parental approval is required.
You agree to donate after your death: Donation registration is only for deceased donation. If you’re interested in living donation, contact your local transplant center. In Nebraska, that’s Nebraska Medicine.
You’ll be a hero someday: When you donate, you change the course of someone’s life. That’s something you should feel really good about.

I’m Registered. Now What?

You’ve taken the important step of registering, now it’s time to let others know. Sharing your decision with those closest to you will help give them peace of mind and eliminate any surprises down the road. Your family will play an important role in supporting your decision and providing information that affects the outcome of your donation.

Do I Need a Donor Card?

If you register as an organ and tissue donor at the DMV, a small red heart will be placed on your driver’s license indicating you are a registered donor. You can use this as a way to talk with your loved ones about your decision. However, a heart on your driver’s license or other registration card is not needed. We verify registration through a centralized database on all potential donors at the time of their death.

Changing or Updating Your Registration

You can update your registration anytime right here on our website.