HSE Opt Out Organ Donation: Step-by-Step Guide

Few medical decisions are as personal as organ donation, and Ireland’s new soft opt-out system means the default answer is now “yes” unless you say otherwise — but if you’d rather keep control, opting out is straightforward and you can change your mind at any time. Here’s exactly what the HSE requires and how to do it.

Opt-out methods: Online, phone, mail ·
Consent system: Soft opt-out since June 2025 ·
Online opt-out requirement: PPS number, 18+, lived in Ireland 1 year

Six key facts about the opt-out register, one pattern: the HSE has made opting out free and immediate, but online registration requires a PPS number and residency.

How do I opt out of organ donation in Ireland?

The simplest way is the HSE online opt-out form. You need a Personal Public Service (PPS) number, be aged 18 or older, and have lived in Ireland for at least one year. The form takes about two minutes – no reason required.

Online opt-out form on HSE website

• Go to HSE’s opt-out page and fill in your PPS number, name, date of birth and address.
• Submit – the HSE says the opt-out takes effect immediately.

Phone opt-out: 01 809 3119 or 01 809 2298

• Call 01 809 3119 or 01 809 2298 (Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm). Freephone: 1800 700 700.
• Someone else can call on your behalf but only with your consent.

Freephone HSE Live: 1800 700 700

• If you don’t have a PPS number or have trouble with the online form, HSE Live can help you opt out by phone.

Postal opt-out form

• Send a signed, dated letter or a freepost form (available from HSE) to: HSE Organ Donation Opt-Out Register, Freepost address (details on HSE website). No stamp needed.

The implication: whichever method you choose, the HSE registers your objection immediately and your family will never be approached about organ donation.

Can I change my mind if I don’t want to be an organ donor?

Yes – and it’s just as easy as opting out. The HSE says you can change your decision at any time with no closing date.

Changing from opt-out to donor

• Contact the HSE through the same channels (online, phone, mail) and ask to be removed from the opt-out register. Your consent will be restored instantly.

Changing back to opt-out after registering as donor

• If you previously opted out and later registered as a donor, you can return to the opt-out register by repeating the opt-out process.

Timeframe for changes

• Changes take effect immediately upon submission, according to the HSE.

What this means: the system is designed for flexibility – there’s no waiting period, no penalty for changing your mind.

Do you have to opt out of organ donation in Ireland?

No, but if you do nothing, you are presumed to consent. That’s the soft opt-out system.

Soft opt-out system explained

• The Human Tissue Act 2024, effective 17 June 2025, means every adult in Ireland is considered a potential organ donor unless they register an objection.

Who is automatically considered a donor

• All adults aged 18 or over who live in Ireland (except excluded groups).

Exemptions for certain groups

• Children under 18, people who have lived in Ireland for less than one year, and those who lack the capacity to decide on opt-out are not automatically included.

The catch: if you don’t opt out, your family may still be consulted – but if they know your wishes, those wishes will be respected.

How many people have opted out of organ donation in Ireland?

The HSE has not released official opt-out numbers since the register opened in June 2025. Earlier data from 2024, before the soft opt-out began, showed over 90,000 people on a previous opt-out register. The HSE plans to publish annual updates.

The pattern: the HSE’s annual updates will reveal whether opt-out numbers rise or stabilise over time.

What is the only organ you cannot donate?

There is no single universally forbidden organ. The Irish Kidney Association notes that medical suitability is assessed for each donor. However, certain tissues like brain and spinal cord are not typically recovered.

Organs that can be donated

• Kidneys, heart, lungs, liver, pancreas, corneas, skin, bone and heart valves.

Organs that cannot be donated

• No organ is categorically banned; suitability depends on medical condition. The brain is not recovered for transplantation.

Exceptions for live donation

• Living donation (e.g., a kidney) is allowed in Ireland; the opt-out register applies only after death.

The implication: the opt-out register only applies after death, so living donation decisions remain unaffected.

Is organ donation mandatory in Ireland?

No. Donation is never mandatory. The soft opt-out simply changes the default from “ask for consent” to “presume consent unless told otherwise.”

Voluntary nature of donation

• You always have the right to decide. The opt-out register respects your choice.

Soft opt-out does not mean mandatory

• It means consent is presumed, but if you register an objection it is fully honoured.

Family consent still required

• If you are not on the opt-out register, the Irish Kidney Association says healthcare professionals will check the register and then may approach your family to see if you would have objected. Your family’s knowledge of your wishes carries weight.

Why this matters: the soft opt-out system respects individual choice while aiming to increase the number of organs available for transplant. For those who actively don’t want to donate, the path is clear.

How to opt out – step by step

1. Decide – you don’t need a reason, and no medical justification is required.
2. Choose a method – online (quickest if you have a PPS number), phone, or mail.
3. Submit your details – name, date of birth, address, and PPS number (if online).
4. Confirm – the HSE processes it immediately; you’ll receive a confirmation (online or by post).
5. Tell your family – let your next of kin know you’ve opted out so they can support your wishes.

“If a person is on the opt-out register, none of their organs will be donated. Their next of kin will not be asked about organ donation.”

– HSE official website (HSE opt-out register about page)

“The opt-out register can be used at any time and there is no closing date.”

– HSE official statement (HSE opt-out register about page)

“If a potential donor has registered on the opt-out register, their family will not be approached regarding organ donation.”

– Irish Kidney Association (Irish Kidney Association organ donation page)

For an adult in Ireland who does not want to be an organ donor, the choice is clear: register your objection through the HSE’s free opt-out register, tell your family, and you’re done. For everyone else, the soft opt-out means your organs could save lives unless you take that simple step. The power is entirely in your hands.

Frequently asked questions