The Ohio Donor Registry: Commonly Asked Questions

I would like to sign up on the Ohio Donor Registry now

How did the registry get started?

More than 3,300 Ohioans who need an organ transplant are on the national waiting list. The Ohio Donor Registry is one important step in addressing the critical donor shortage here and across the United States. In December 2000, former Governor Bob Taft signed The Organ Donor Bill (Senate Bill 188). Among the key provisions of that bill were the following:

An individual’s declaration of his/her intent to be an organ donor constitutes legal consent.
The Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) is required to establish a donor registry of everyone who has agreed to make an anatomical donation. The information is to be made available to procurement agencies 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Why should I sign up on the registry?

Joining the Ohio Donor Registry is a way to help ensure that your decision to be a donor is known and carried out.
The fact is nearly 115,000 people are currently on the national waiting list for a life-saving transplant, of which over 1,800 reside in northeast Ohio. Unfortunately, a new name is added to this list every 10 minutes.
On average, 18 people in the U.S. die every day due to the shortage of donated organs.
One donor can help save or improve the lives of more than 50 people. Needed organs include heart, kidneys, liver, lungs, pancreas and small intestine. Donated tissue includes bone, corneas (eyes), connective tissue (ligaments and tendons), heart valves, skin and veins/vessels. Tissue transplants can help patients suffering from cancer, arthritis, severe trauma, degenerative joint disease and other conditions.

When can I sign up to be a donor?

The Ohio Donor Registry went into effect on July 1, 2002. Joining the registry is simple. Here’s what you can do if you decide to donate LIFE:

Each time you go to your local BMV to obtain or renew your driver’s license or state ID card, you will be asked, “Do you want to make an anatomical gift?” or “Do you want to be an organ donor?” If you want to join the registry, all you have to do is say, “YES.” Anatomical gift covers donation of organs, eyes and tissue. It does not include blood, bone marrow or total body donation.
Obtain an informational brochure from Lifebanc. It enables you to join the registry at any time and provides an opportunity to further clarify your donation consent by completing the donor registry enrollment form contained in the brochure, then returning it to the BMV.
Go to the Ohio Donor Registry now.

How will Lifebanc use the donor registry?

The information in the Ohio Donor Registry database is strictly confidential. Access to the registry is limited to licensed and certified organ, eye and tissue recovery agencies only. It will be used only at the time of death to confirm your identity and your wishes regarding organ and tissue donation.

Lifebanc will use the registry as a tool to communicate with your family about your wish to be a donor.

Should I still tell my family about my decision to be an organ donor?

Lifebanc will work with your family to honor your decision to donate life. Let your family know how important it is to you because we will inform them of your decision to be a donor and include them in the donation process. Many donor families have reported that, for them, donation has given some meaning to their loss.

What if a family objects to their loved one’s decision to donate life?

Lifebanc remains committed to supporting donor families and helping them understand the donation process. It is our responsibility to adhere to the legislation and honor the individual’s decision. Our staff has been specially trained in working with a family during a time of loss and grief.