Basic Eligibility Requirements
Individuals who are at least 17 years of age (16 with parental permission in Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements. Please bring your Red Cross blood donor card or other form of positive ID when you come to donate.

More Detailed Eligibility Information
Certain medications, health problems or conditions may disqualify you from donating blood. For example, if you are pregnant, or have a fever when you come in to donate, or have angina, you cannot donate blood.

Prior to donating, qualified staff will ask you to answer a series of questions about travel and health. Your responses help determine if there is any reason that might disqualify you from donating, such as travel to some countries or certain medical conditions. We will also take your temperature and pulse, and take a drop of blood from a finger to determine the iron level in your blood.

You can review a more complete listing of the eligibility requirements from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that we must comply with at redcross.org/portal/site/en/menuitem.d8aaecf214c576bf971e4cfe43181aa0/?vgnextoid=e081912c9973b110VgnVCM10000089f0870aRCRD&vgnextfmt=default.

More information about eligibility after a diagnosis of cancer.

More information about travel to the United Kingdom and Europe.

More information about travel to malarial areas.

Information about leishmaniasis.

Information about male-to-male sex.

Contact Us
If you have questions about your eligibility to donate blood, don't hesitate to contact us.

Phone:
781-461-2000 or toll free at 1-800-462-9400
E-mail:
NerContactUs@usa.redcross.org

We welcome your questions.