Refusal to make anatomical gift — Effect of refusal · Rhode Island
Rhode Island: how to refuse organ donation
If you came here to get off the registry
Is removing the donor designation enough in Rhode Island?
Taking your name off the organ donor registry is a revocation. So is removing the designation from your driver’s license. Under R.I. Gen. Laws § 23-18.6.1-8, Rhode Island 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 R.I. Gen. Laws § 23-18.6.1-7 is the section that says so. It has to be signed.
Both provisions are quoted in full below, from Rhode Island’s own code.
What Rhode Island asks
What you need to make a refusal in Rhode Island
- Act
- 2006 revision
- Enforcement
- An unrevoked refusal bars all other persons from making the gift.
- Signing it yourself
- No witnesses required by the statute.
- If someone signs at your direction
- Two adults. At least one of the two must be a disinterested witness; the other may be anyone, including a family member.
- Notary
- Not required.
- Rhode Island law
- R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 23-18.6.1-7, 23-18.6.1-8
- Statute read
- 2026-09-02
Refusal to make anatomical gift — Effect of refusal · Preclusive effect of anatomical gift, amendment or revocation
The statute itself
Quoted from Rhode Island’s enacted code, in full and unedited.
How a refusal is made (a)
An individual may refuse to make an anatomical gift of the individual's body or part by: (1) A record signed by: (i) The individual; or (ii) Subject to subsection (b), another individual acting at the direction of the individual if the individual is physically unable to sign; (2) The individual's will, whether or not the will is admitted to probate or invalidated after the individual's death; or (3) Any form of communication made by the individual during the individual's terminal illness or injury addressed to at least two (2) adults, at least one of whom is a disinterested witness.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 23-18.6.1-7
How it must be witnessed (b)
A record signed pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)(ii) must: (1) Be witnessed by at least two (2) adults, at least one of whom is a disinterested witness, who have signed at the request of the individual; and (2) State that it has been signed and witnessed as provided in paragraph (1).
R.I. Gen. Laws § 23-18.6.1-7
What an unrevoked refusal does (d)
Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, in the absence of an express, contrary indication by the individual set forth in the refusal, an individual's unrevoked refusal to make an anatomical gift of the individual's body or part bars all other persons from making an anatomical gift of the individual's body or part.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 23-18.6.1-7
A revocation is not a refusal (b)
A donor's revocation of an anatomical gift of the donor's body or part shall not be a refusal and does not bar another authorized person specified in this chapter from making an anatomical gift of the donor's body or part.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 23-18.6.1-8