The choices in the Donor Register
Everyone in the Netherlands aged 18 and over is in the Donor Register. In the Donor Register, you can indicate what should happen to your organs and tissues after your death.
What options are there in the Donor Register?
When submitting your choice in the Donor Register, you get four options:
Yes, I want to be a donor.
You want to be a donor after death. Organs you can donate are: pancreas, intestines, heart, liver, lungs, and kidneys. You can donate these tissues: blood vessels, bone tissue, heart valves, cartilage, tendons, skin, and eyes. Perhaps you would prefer not to donate some organs or tissues. You can indicate your preference for each organ or tissue.
No, I do not want to be a donor.
You do not want to be a donor. Therefore, you will not donate any organs or tissues after your death.
My partner or family will decide after my death.
After your death, your partner or family may make the choice. If your partner is reachable or present at the hospital, the doctor will speak with your partner. Your partner may then choose whether or not you become an organ and tissue donor.
If you do not have a partner, or if your partner is not reachable or present at the hospital, the doctor will speak with your family. They may then decide whether or not you donate organs and tissues.
If no partner or family is present, but you have registered this choice in the Donor Register? Then you will not become a donor. Even if there is disagreement about the choice, you will not become a donor.
I designate one person to decide after my death.
You want someone else to choose for you after your death. This person can also live abroad. Discuss this with the person you choose. You then enter this person's details in the Donor Register.
If this person is not reachable after your death, then your partner or family will decide whether or not you become a donor.
How can I submit my choice?
You can submit your choice in the Donor Register atmijn.donorregister.nl. You need a DigiD for this. Do you not have a DigiD or would you prefer to fill out a paper form? Then you canhere, request a form on the Donor Register website.
Frequently asked questions
What if you do not fill in a choice in the Donor Register?
If people do not fill in a choice themselves, they are listed in the Donor Register as ‘no objection to organ donation’. They will receive a confirmation letter about this.
No objection means that your organs and tissues can go to a patient after your death. You will then become an organ donor.
Can you still change your choice in the Donor Register?
Yes, you can always change your choice again. You can do this 24 hours a day by logging in via Donorregister.nl. You may change your choice as often as you like.
Can I choose for myself what I do and do not donate?
Yes, you can choose for yourself whether and what you do or do not want to donate. You can submit your choice on the Donor Register website. In addition to the choice of whether or not you want to be a donor, you can also specify there which organs and tissues you do or do not want to donate.
How do I know if I am suitable to donate?
Everyone can submit a choice in the Donor Register, even if you have an illness or live an unhealthy lifestyle, for example.Whether someone can donate organs and tissues depends on many different things. For example, your health, age, and how someone died. Doctors can therefore only determine whether or not you are suitable at the time of death.