Who Can Donate Blood?
We require all of our volunteer blood donors to be at least 17 years of age, weigh at least 110 pounds and be in good health.
However, some people may be temporarily or permanently deferred from donating blood. Some reasons for permanent or temporary deferrals are listed below.
Photo ID is required to donate blood.
Indefinite/permanent deferrals
- Anyone who has had hepatitis at or after age 11
- Anyone who has ever used needles to take drugs, steroids or any substance not prescribed by a doctor
- Anyone with a positive test for HIV (AIDS virus) or one of its symptoms
- Men and women who have ever engaged in sex for money or drugs
- Anyone who has had leukemia or lymphoma
- Anyone who has had melanoma cancer
- Anyone who has taken Tegison for psoriasis
- Anyone who has had Babesiosis
- Anyone who has had Chagas disease
- Anyone who has a blood relative with CJD
- Anyone who has risk factors for vCJD, including:
- Anyone who spent three months or more in the United Kingdom (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Isle of Mann or Channel Islands) from 1980 through 1996
- Anyone who received a blood transfusion in the United Kingdom or France from 1980 to the present
- Anyone who has spent five years in Europe from 1980 to the present
Temporary deferrals
- Anyone who has been diagnosed with, has positive test for and/or symptoms of Zika virus in the last 120 days
- Anyone who has traveled to a malaria endemic area or Iraq in the last 12 months (Malaria endemic areas ›)
- Anyone who has immigrated from a malarial-endemic country within the last three years or has had malaria
- Anyone who has had a heart attack or coronary bypass surgery within the last 12 months or has not fully recovered from the surgery or are still taking cardiovascular medication(s)
- Men who have had sexual contact with other men in the past 12 months
- Women who have had sexual contact with a male who has had sexual contact with another male in the last 12 months
- Anyone who has had or been treated for syphilis or gonorrhea within the last 12 months
- Anyone who has received certain vaccinations
- Anyone who has had a tattoo within the last 12 months (Exception: If tattoo was done in a state-licensed facility with sterile equipment at least three months prior to donation. Tattoo must be completely healed, with no scabbing.)
- Anyone who has had a piercing in the last 12 months (Exception: Ear piercings done with a sterile piercing gun).
- Anyone who has had radiation, surgical removal of cancer or chemotherapy within the last 12 months
- Anyone who has received blood, plasma or other blood components within the last 12 months
- Anyone who has lived with or had sexual contact with someone who has hepatitis within the last 12 months
- Women who are pregnant, given birth or had a miscarriage/termination within the last six weeks
- Anyone who has had epileptic seizures with the last two months
- Anyone who has had rabies vaccination after exposure within the past 12 months
- Anyone who has been in juvenile detention, lockup, jail or prison for more than 72 consecutive hours in the past 12 months