Tennessee drivers now have the opportunity to prepurchase a new Donate Life Tennessee specialty plate for $35 ($37 with processing fees).
If at least 1,000 people buy them, the license plate will go into production, said Emily McKinley, director of External Affairs and Business Development for Tennessee Donor Services (TDS).
McKinley said a portion of the funds will go to raise awareness for organ, eye and tissue donation and fund statewide education and outreach for organ donation. Perhaps more important than the fundraising, the license plates will serve as small, roving billboards, raising awareness about organ and tissue donation, McKinley said.
“We are so excited about this opportunity,” McKinley said. “We’re excited to raise awareness. We’re excited to bring hope to those who are waiting for their transplant. And mostly we hope that people who see these plates are reminded or prompted to register as an organ and tissue donor so that they can save lives, and then share that decision with their family.”
Donate Life Tennessee is a collaboration of TDS and Mid-South Transplant Foundation, the nonprofit organ procurement organizations serving the state. Together, these groups save and improve lives by facilitating organ, eye and tissue donation.
You can reserve and purchase your plate here. You will be notified if and when the license plate is available for pick up at your county clerk’s office.
If the minimum 1,000 Donate Life Tennessee specialty plates are not presold, you may indicate whether you would like a refund or donate your license plate fee to Donate Life Tennessee.
The Tennessee General Assembly recently passed legislation enabling the creation of the specialty license plate, which features the iconic blue and green Donate Life Tennessee logo. The plate serves as a tribute to organ and tissue donors who have saved and improved lives, honors the families who supported their decision, and recognizes recipients who have had a second chance at life. It is also a symbol of hope for the 3,000 Tennesseans and more than 100,000 Americans waiting for their lifesaving transplant.
Every day in the U.S., approximately 110 lives are saved through donation and transplantation, but an average of 17 Americans die each day waiting.
Donors are making a big impact locally. Seventy-one individuals donated their organs at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in 2024, resulting in 235 lives saved. They were honored at a special ceremony in May.
The Vanderbilt Transplant Center (VTC) established a new record in 2024 for solid organ transplants, performing 875 procedures through its adult and pediatric organ transplant programs. VTC set the world record for heart transplants last year with 174 procedures.
“I am excited about the new Donate Life Tennessee plates as every plate will help bring awareness and show support for donation,” said Kim Van Frank, RN, BSN, MBA, executive director of Mid-South Transplant Foundation.
Donors can save as many as eight lives through organ donation and improve 75 more with the gift of tissue. Everyone should consider themselves potential donors and are encouraged to sign up to save lives by visiting donatelifetn.org.
“We are so pleased to offer Tennesseans a visible way to support this lifesaving and mission-driven cause,” said Jill Grandas, CEO of TDS. “This license plate is more than a tag — it’s a tribute to the selfless donor heroes and their families, recipients and everyone who champions the gift of life.”
