Organ donation law in Wales

The legislation for Wales is deemed consent.

This means that if you haven’t registered an organ and tissue donation decision (opt in or opt out), you will be considered to have no objection to becoming a donor.

Deemed consent in Wales

It will be considered that you agree to become an organ donor when you die, if:

you are over 18;
you have not opted out;
you are not in an excluded group.

Organ donation is your decision. You can choose which organs to donate or opt out of donation altogether.

You can also nominate up to two representatives to make the decision for you. These could be family members, friends, or other people you trust, such as your faith leader.

This legislation was introduced in December 2015.

Who does it affect?

Deemed consent applies to everyone in Wales, except for those who are part of what are called excluded groups.

Excluded groups are:

Those under the age of 18
People who lack the mental capacity to understand the new arrangements and take the necessary action
Visitors to Wales, and those not living here voluntarily
People who have lived in Wales for less than 12 months before their death