Refusal to make anatomical gift; effect · Louisiana
Louisiana: how to refuse organ donation
If you came here to get off the registry
Is removing the donor designation enough in Louisiana?
Taking your name off the organ donor registry is a revocation. So is removing the designation from your driver’s license. Under La. Rev. Stat. § 17:2354.2, Louisiana law treats a revocation and a refusal as two different things, and only the refusal settles it.
A revocation withdraws the gift you made. It does not stop anyone else from making the gift for you. Only a refusal does that, and La. Rev. Stat. § 17:2354.1 is the section that says so. It has to be signed.
Both provisions are quoted in full below, from Louisiana’s own code.
What Louisiana asks
What you need to make a refusal in Louisiana
- Act
- 2006 revision
- Enforcement
- An unrevoked refusal bars all other persons from making the gift.
- Signing it yourself
- Two adults. At least one of the two must be a disinterested witness; the other may be anyone, including a family member.
- If someone signs at your direction
- The same, whoever signs.
- Notary
- Not required.
- Louisiana law
- La. Rev. Stat. §§ 17:2354.1, 17:2354.2
- Statute read
- 2026-09-02
Refusal to make anatomical gift; effect · Preclusive effect of anatomical gift; amendment; revocation
The statute itself
Quoted from Louisiana’s enacted code, in full and unedited.
How a refusal is made (A)
A person may refuse to make an anatomical gift of his body or part by executing any of the following: (1) A signed record in accordance with Subsection B of this Section or if he is physically unable to sign, another person acting at the direction of the person shall sign. (2) A will and testament, whether or not the will is admitted to probate or invalidated after his death. (3) Any form of communication made by the person during a terminal illness or injury addressed to at least two adults, one of whom is a disinterested witness.
La. Rev. Stat. § 17:2354.1
How it must be witnessed (B)
A signed record, shall be witnessed by at least two adults, one of whom is a disinterested witness, and shall state that it has been signed and witnessed as provided in Subsection A of this Section.
La. Rev. Stat. § 17:2354.1
What an unrevoked refusal does (D)
Except as otherwise provided in R.S. 17:2354.2, in the absence of an express contrary indication set forth in the refusal, an unrevoked refusal bars all other persons from making an anatomical gift of the body or part of the person.
La. Rev. Stat. § 17:2354.1
A revocation is not a refusal (B)
A revocation of a gift in accordance with R.S. 17:2356 is not a refusal and does not bar another person from making an anatomical gift of the body or part of the donor in accordance with this Part.
La. Rev. Stat. § 17:2354.2