License, ID Card Holders Can Save Lives Through Organ Donation

In conjunction with the national observance of Donate Life Month in April, the Pennsylvania departments of Transportation and Health are spreading the message that driver’s license and identification card holders can easily help another person live a fuller, longer life by registering as an organ donor. 

An organ donor designation can be added by selecting “Become an Organ Donor in 30 Seconds” at www.dmv.pa.gov.

“It is easy to add an organ donor designation to your driver’s license or identification card,” said PennDOT Secretary Yassmin Gramian. “Making the decision today to become an organ donor can potentially lead to saving a life.”

Once the designation is added, individuals will receive a designation card that they must carry with them to affirm organ donor status until they renew or replace their driver’s license or identification card. There is no charge for adding the designation to your driver’s license or identification card.

More than 48 percent of current driver’s license and identification card holders are registered organ donors – that’s more than 4.9 million Pennsylvanians. More than 7,000 Pennsylvanians currently await organ transplants.

“Registering to be an organ and tissue donor has the potential to save many lives and only takes a few seconds, as you can register online,” Acting Secretary of Health Alison Beam said. “Organ and tissue transplants have become an integral part of health care in the state and across the nation. We are encouraging Pennsylvanians to register as organ donors and learn more about the importance of organ and tissue donation.”

Driver’s license and identification card holders, as well as registered vehicle owners, can also support organ donation programs by donating $3 to the Robert P. Casey Memorial Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Trust Fund at the time of application and/or renewal. Customers renewing their vehicle registration for a two-year period can donate $6 to the fund when renewing online. Proceeds from the fund are used to educate and promote awareness of the importance of organ donation through non-profit organizations like the Center for Organ Recovery and Education and the Gift of Life Donor Program. Pennsylvanians have generously donated more than $16.8 million over the life of the fund.

More information on organ and tissue donation in Pennsylvania can be found at www.donatelife-pa.org.