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On the waiting list for a donor kidney

If your kidneys are no longer working properly, a kidney transplant may be necessary. You can then be placed on the waiting list.

Your kidneys filter waste products from your blood and regulate the fluid in your body. If your kidneys are no longer working properly, a transplant can be a solution.

When are you placed on the waiting list?

You are placed on the waiting list once all medical examinations have been completed and you are physically strong enough for the surgery. There must be no major risks to your health. The transplant center will add your details to the national Eurotransplant waiting list.

Please note: you do not need to be on dialysis to be placed on the waiting list. However, dialysis time does count toward determining your position on the list when a donor kidney becomes available.

How many people are waiting for a kidney?

The waiting list for kidneys is the longest. As of July 31, 2025, there were 1,143 people on the active waiting list for a kidney from a deceased donor.

Below you will find the current waiting list figures. Look in the table at the top right (latest monthly figures) in the 'Transplantable' column.

How long do I have to wait?

If you are on a waiting list for a donor kidney, you naturally want to know how soon it will be your turn. How long you have to wait for a transplant cannot be predicted.

The waiting time depends on factors such as the number of people on the waiting list, how many organs become available, and whether the donor kidney is a match for you.

What counts?

  • How long you have been receiving dialysis.
  • Your age.
  • Your tissue type (HLA).
  • Your medical situation.
  • Your blood type.
Who receives priority?

With this status, you can receive priority:

High urgency
In very rare cases, your doctor can request a high urgency status. This only happens if you cannot undergo dialysis. A special committee of kidney specialists decides on this. Only a few patients per year receive this priority.

Highly immunized
You have antibodies against more than 85% of donors. This makes the risk of rejection extra high. If a suitable kidney does become available, you receive priority on the waiting list.

Immunized
You have more than 6% antibodies in your blood. This increases the chance that your body will reject a donor kidney. If a suitable kidney does become available, you receive priority on the waiting list. In the event of a suitable match, you receive priority.

What are the active and inactive waiting lists?

Active on the waiting list (transplantable)
You are active on the waiting list and are currently eligible for a transplant.

Not active on the waiting list (not transplantable)
You are temporarily inactive on the list. This may be due to an infection, for example, or because the preparatory examinations have not yet been completed. You are also temporarily listed as not transplantable if you are participating in the cross-over program of the NTS.

Allocation of a donor kidney

When a donor kidney becomes available, a special computer program calculates which kidney patients on the waiting list are eligible. This is done via a calculation model that assigns points based on:

  • Blood type.
  • Your age and the donor's age.
  • Status and medical urgency.
  • Tissue type.
  • Dialysis time.
  • The donor's country.

You receive extra points in these cases:

  • Your tissue type is a good match with the donor's.
  • You are under 18 years old.
  • Your status is high urgency or (highly) immunized.
  • The donor passed away in the Netherlands and you also live in the Netherlands.
  • You once donated a kidney to someone living in one of the countries affiliated with Eurotransplant and you now need dialysis yourself.
  • You need a kidney transplant after a liver transplant.

Explanatory video about the waiting list

Kidneys for those over 65

Are you over 65? And is the donor also over 65 and deceased in the Netherlands? Then you may be eligible for the Eurotransplant Senior Program. This program has a shorter waiting time: on average 2 to 2.5 years.

In this program, only 2 factors count:

  • Compatibility in blood type.
  • How long you have been on dialysis, which is your waiting time.

Kidney from a living donor

Waiting for a donor kidney from a deceased donor often takes a long time. Sometimes it is possible to find a living kidney donor yourself. This could be, for example, a family member, friend, or acquaintance. Advantages of a living donor:

  • Usually a shorter waiting time.
  • Sometimes dialysis is not necessary.
  • A kidney from a living donor usually works longer and better.

Living kidney donation

After the transplantation

A kidney transplant is a major operation. You need time to recover physically and mentally.

Recovery after transplantation

How long does a donor kidney last?

Most people with a donor kidney feel a lot better after the transplant.

  • In the first 3 months after the operation, the risk of rejection is highest. That sounds stressful, but it often helps to adjust the medication if signs of rejection occur.
  • After the operation, 87% of kidneys from living donors are still working well after 5 years. For a kidney from a deceased donor, this is about 69%.
  • If the donor kidney no longer works well, you can sometimes receive another kidney transplant.

More about waiting lists

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