ABCs of eligibility for donating blood, platelets and plasma

Acupuncture performed with single-use, disposable needles does not affect your ability to donate. If you are not sure what type of needles were used during your treatment, you must wait three (3) months before you are eligible to donate.

The minimum age to donate is 17. There is no upper age limit for donating in Canada.

If you are between 17 and 23 years old and have never donated before, you must meet our minimum height and weight requirement as outlined in the table here. If you are below 147 cm (4’ 10”), you may become eligible when you turn 23.

There is no upper age limit to donate blood.

First time donors aged 67 and older are not eligible to donate platelets and/or plasma on their first donation. There is no upper age limit for repeat donors.

At a dedicated plasma donor centre, first time donors must be under age 71. There is no upper age limit for repeat donors.

If you are a first-time donor, please call us at 1 888 2 DONATE (1 888 236-6283) to discuss your eligibility.

Donors must not be impaired at the time of donation as this prevents us from obtaining informed consent.

If you have allergies, you are eligible to donate if you are feeling well at the time of your appointment.  Please remember to bring a list of your prescription and non-prescription medications with you to your appointment.  

If you are allergic to skin cleaning solution, adhesive medical tape or other medical supplies, please inform our clinic staff (alternatives are available for donor comfort and safety). Our team members want to ensure your experience is as comfortable as possible. 

If you experience an allergic reaction or are feeling unwell as a result of donation, please alert donor centre staff, visit our donor health and safety page, and/or call to speak with one of our trained health professionals at 1 888 2 DONATE (1 888 236-6283). 

Anemia is a term used to describe a low level of hemoglobin (or healthy red blood cells).

There are many causes of anemia. These may include iron deficiency, vitamin B12 deficiency, altered function of vital organs, various types of cancers, etc.

As blood donation leads to removal of red cells, it can worsen anemia. As such, people with anemia, as well as those who do not meet the hemoglobin thresholds, are not able to donate.

Learn more about Anemia

Depending on the reason for taking antibiotics, you may be temporarily unable to donate. For example, if you are taking antibiotics to treat an infection, you should not donate blood, platelets or plasma.

If you are unsure about your eligibility, please call to speak with one of our trained health professionals at 1 888 2 DONATE (1 888 236-6283).

You are eligible to donate if you are symptom free at the time of your appointment.

Individuals with arthritis are eligible to donate, however some medications may impact eligibility. If you are taking medication to manage your condition, please call to speak with one of our trained health professionals at 1 888 2 DONATE (1 888 236-6283) to discuss your eligibility.

People taking birth control medication are eligible to donate.

To donate, returning donors must wait: 

• Whole blood donation: 56 days for donors registered as male, 84 days for donors registered as female
• Plasma donation: Plasma donation intervals may vary depending on the donor centre and whether there was any additional blood loss with a prior donation.
• Platelet donation: 14 days

To confirm how often you can donate, please call 1 888 2 DONATE (1 888 236-6283). 

You must wait six (6) months after receiving a blood or blood product from another person before you can donate.

Blood products include red blood cells, platelets, plasma, and albumin. Other products made from plasma, such as immunoglobulins (e.g. IVIg, SCIg, RhIG), also require a waiting period of six (6) to twelve (12) months depending on the product.

If you have received blood products and are unsure about your eligibility, please call to speak with one of our trained health professionals at 1 888 2 DONATE (1 888 236-6283).

Your eligibility to donate depends on the type of cancer you had and when it was treated.

For cancer other than skin and blood cancers, you are eligible to donate one (1) year after your treatment (excluding radioactive seeds) is complete and if you are cancer-free. If your cancer was treated with radioactive seeds, you are eligible to donate three (3) years after the implantation of the seeds, if your treatment was successful.

Skin cancer: 

• Squamous cell: You are eligible to donate if your treatments were successful.
• Basal cell: You are eligible to donate if your treatments were successful, however, some medications used to treat basal cell cancer may require a waiting period.  If medication was used to treat your basal cell cancer, please call to speak with one of our trained health professionals at 1 888 2 DONATE (1 888 236-6283) to discuss your eligibility.
• Melanoma: You are eligible to donate one (1) year after your treatment is complete and you are cancer-free.

Blood cancer:

• Individuals with blood cancers, such as leukemia and lymphoma, are not eligible to donate.

If you have had cancer and are unsure about your eligibility, please call to speak with one of our trained health professionals at 1 888 2 DONATE (1 888 236-6283).

Individuals who use cannabis may be eligible to donate. Donors must not be impaired at the time of donation as this prevents us from obtaining informed consent.

Individuals with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome are not eligible to donate.

Individuals who use cocaine may be eligible to donate as long as the drug was not used by injection. Donors must not be impaired at the time of donation as this prevents us from obtaining informed consent.

Donors who have ever used intravenous cocaine (by injection) are not eligible to donate.

You are eligible to donate with a cold if you are feeling well and are not on antibiotics for a secondary infection.

If you have influenza (flu), wait until you are fully recovered before coming in to donate.

If you are unsure about your eligibility, please call to speak with one of our trained health professionals at 1 888 2 DONATE (1 888 236-6283).

A person who has had a COVID-19 infection must wait 10 days from when symptoms started or 10 days after a positive test result if asymptomatic. 

Since the beginning of the pandemic, blood transfusions have been closely monitored and there has been no evidence of COVID-19 being transmissible through blood and blood products. This includes plasma protein products, which are pharmaceutical therapies made from plasma — a component of blood.  Canadian Blood Services has strict measures in place to ensure the continued safety of our products and services related to blood, plasma, stem cells, and organs and tissues. 

For more information about eligibility, please call to speak with one of our trained health professionals at 1 888 2 DONATE (1 888 236-6283). 

Individuals with Crohn’s disease are not able to donate.

The waiting period for donating blood, plasma or platelets depends on the type of dental work you received. 

• For dental cleaning, filling, brace adjustment, crowns or restorations (such as bonding or veneers), you must wait until the day after your dental procedure to donate. If you are donating at one of our plasma donor centres, there is no wait to donate.  If you are unsure about your eligibility, call 1 888 2 DONATE (1 888 236-6283). 
• For dental extraction, root canal or dental surgery, you must wait 72 hours after your treatment to donate or until you have fully recovered. For plasma donation after a root canal, you may be eligible to donate right away if you are donating at one of our plasma donor centres. If you are unsure about your eligibility, call 1 888 2 DONATE (1 888 236-6283). 
• If you received a bone/gum graft originating from an animal or human source, you must wait twelve (12) months after your treatment to donate. If the bone or tissue comes from your own body, there is no wait to donate. 

If you have diabetes that is controlled by diet and/or medications other than insulin, you can donate.

For those who are managing their diabetes (type 1 or 2) with insulin, you are eligible to donate if:

• You did not need assistance from another person to treat symptoms such as very low blood sugar or a hospital visit for high blood sugar, in the last three (3) months.
• You do not have foot ulcers currently requiring medical treatment.
• You do not experience regular episodes of dizziness when standing up, caused by nerve damage related to diabetes.

For those with Type 1 diabetes, you must eat within two (2) hours before donating.

If you have diabetes and are unsure about your eligibility, please call to speak with one of our trained health professionals at 1 888 2 DONATE (1 888 236-6283).

If you are a person with epilepsy, you may be eligible to donate if you have not had a seizure in the six (6) months before donating.

If you are taking medication to manage your condition, please call to speak with one of our trained health professionals at 1 888 2 DONATE (1 888 236-6283) to discuss your eligibility.

Every donation is tested for certain infections that may be transmitted by blood, to ensure the safety of Canada’s blood supply. These tests are extremely accurate at detecting the presence of infections, called “true positives”. However, sometimes these tests detect an infection even when it is not present, called a “false positive” result. 

When we have a donation where our first set of tests detect an infection, we do additional testing to confirm these results. This helps us determine whether the tests were a true or a false positive. 

Canadian Blood Services has a re-entry program for some false positive results to allow otherwise eligible donors to be re-tested after a six (6) month waiting period. 

If you have received a false positive result in the past and would like to know if you can be re-tested, please call 1 888 2 DONATE (1 888 236-6283) to speak with one of our trained health professionals. 

Learn more about false positive test results

Individuals with fibromyalgia are eligible to donate.

Individuals with gout are eligible to donate if they are symptom free at the time of donation.

Eligibility requirements after graft or tissue transplant/graft vary.

• If you received a graft made from synthetic or manmade material, you are eligible to donate once recovered from the procedure.
• If you received a tissue graft from one area of your own body to another, you are eligible to donate once recovered from the procedure.
• You must wait twelve (12) months after receiving any type of tissue from another person or animal, including dental grafts, before being eligible to donate.
• If you have ever received a dura mater (brain covering) transplant from a human source, such as Lyodura, you are not eligible to donate.

If you received a graft or tissue transplant and are unsure about your eligibility, please call to speak with one of our trained health professionals at 1 888 2 DONATE (1 888 236-6283).

For routine tests and procedures, you may be eligible to donate even if you have not received your results. Examples of routine tests include blood pressure checks, blood tests such as cholesterol or thyroid hormone levels, colonoscopy for colon cancer screening mammogram for breast cancer screening.

For any other medical tests or diagnostic procedures, you should know your results before donating. Your eligibility may depend on the reason for the test or procedure and/or the result. 

If you have questions about your eligibility or ability to donate, please call to speak with one of our trained health professionals at 1 888 2 DONATE (1 888 236-6283).

With some heart conditions such as coronary heart disease, irregular heartbeat or if you have had a heart attack, you may be eligible to donate. Please call us at 1 888 2 DONATE (1 888 236-6283) to discuss your condition.

For those between 17 and 23 years old, who have never donated before, there is a minimum height and weight requirement as outlined below. If you are below 147 cm (4’ 10”), you may be eligible when you turn 23. 

First time donors aged 17 to 23 must meet these height and weight criteria

Why do you need to know my gender before I donate?

Canadian Blood Services values all blood donors and understands that selecting either male or female may not align with how some individuals identify. Unfortunately, due to limitations of the binary registration computer software system we use, all donors still need to register as either male or female.

We know this isn’t ideal, and we understand there is a distinct difference between biological sex and gender. We are actively working on changes to our processes in consultation with trans and non-binary community members, as well as the registration software owner, to make our registration and screening practices more inclusive.

Hereditary hemochromatosis is a common genetic disorder causing the body to store too much iron. If you’re looking for more information about hemochromatosis, click here.    

Individuals with hemochromatosis are eligible to donate blood provided they meet all other Canadian Blood Services donation criteria.  

For those who are donating blood and also having blood removed (phlebotomy) at a medical facility, there must be a minimum of seven (7) days between the two procedures.

Hemoglobin is an iron-rich protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen throughout the body. Blood donation, which removes red blood cells, also removes hemoglobin. As a result, frequent blood donors can develop low hemoglobin levels or anemia. 

To ensure donors have sufficient hemoglobin levels after donation a minimum hemoglobin level is required before each donation. Hemoglobin level is tested using a fingerpick test.  

For whole blood, donors registered as male must have a hemoglobin level of at least 130 g/L and donors registered as females must have a hemoglobin level of at least 125 g/L. 

For plasma and platelet donations, the hemoglobin level must be at least 125 g/L for both males and females. 

Learn more about hemoglobin

Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver caused by an infection or a non-infectious condition such as a side effect of medication.  

Donors with a history of viral hepatitis may be eligible to donate six (6) months after full recovery unless the cause is known to be from hepatitis B or C virus. 

If you have ever tested positive for hepatitis B or hepatitis C, you are not eligible to donate, even if you have never had symptoms. 

If you had hepatitis in the past and don’t know the cause, you may be eligible to donate if you have been fully recovered for more than six (6) months.  

If you live with or have had sexual contact with a person who has or had hepatitis, call us to speak with one of our trained professionals at 1 888 2 DONATE (1 888 236-6283) to discuss your eligibility. 

Those living with HIV or who have tested positive for HIV are not eligible to donate. 

People who have had sexual contact with a person who has tested positive for HIV are not eligible to donate for 12 months since the last sexual contact. 

• People who take oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) or post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), must wait four (4) months since last use to donate, as low levels of HIV may be missed in testing. PrEP and PEP medications can interfere with the HIV testing which we rely on as part of our multi-layered approach to safety. HIV care has reached a point where people’s viral loads can be undetectable, however undetectable equals untransmissible (U=U) only applies to sexual transmission of HIV. Unfortunately, even those who have an undetectable viral load may transmit the virus through blood transfusion. The chance of transmission is much higher with a bag of blood or blood component (plasma, platelets) due to a much higher total amount of virus that the recipient is exposed to. 

For additional information, please call to speak with one of our trained health professionals at 1 888 2 DONATE (1 888 236-6283). 

If you are taking hormone medication and are otherwise eligible, you can donate. 

Those who have a history of intravenous drug use (injecting into a vein) are not eligible to donate because of the possibility of transmitting an infection. 

When people donate blood, their body’s iron levels also decrease which may cause anemia. People with anemia, as well as those who do not meet the hemoglobin thresholds, are not able to donate. 

Iron deficiency is common. Those who donate regularly or have heavier menstrual blood losses, recent pregnancy, or a meat-free diet are most likely to develop iron deficiency. 

One laboratory test used to determine iron levels is called ferritin. A low ferritin result is a reliable indicator of iron deficiency.   

Learn more about iron

Learn more about ferritin testing

If you have been diagnosed with cutaneous or discoid lupus (limited to skin) you are eligible to donate.

If you have been diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus you are not eligible to donate.

If you have had malaria in the past, you may be able to donate source plasma if it has been six months or more since your recovery.  

If you have recently travelled to a region where preventative medications are recommended for malaria and the chances of exposure are high, you may need to wait before donating, depending on your length of stay in certain regions. This is because the chance of having a new or previously unrecognized malaria infection diminishes over time  

Review the travel section of this page for more information about waiting periods to donate. 

People with a history of malaria are not eligible to donate whole blood or platelets, or plasma for transfusions. This is because the parasites that cause malaria can lie dormant for decades. No matter how much time has passed since someone has recovered from malaria, there remains a small chance they could still carry malaria parasites in their blood. 

The criteria for source plasma donation are different, because the process used to manufacture medications from plasma removes the parasite that causes malaria.  

Canadian Blood Services is actively working to implement a test for malaria in our blood donation process that would allow more people who have travelled to or lived in malaria-endemic regions to donate. You can learn more by visiting our Malaria: information for blood and plasma donors page.

To learn more about waiting periods associated with travel to malaria-endemic regions, review the travel section of this page or call us at 1 888 2 DONATE (1 888 236-6283).

For vaccines, please see Vaccinations

Most medications do not prevent you from donating, however some medications may impact eligibility because: 

• they may help manage health conditions that can change eligibility, or; 
• when present, even in small quantities, in the donated blood or blood product can be harmful to the recipient, or;  
• they may make certain parts of the blood not useable for transfusion.  

If you are currently taking medication, please review our list of common acceptable medications. If your medication is not listed, or you have additional questions about eligibility, please call to speak with one of our trained health professionals at 1 888 2 DONATE (1 888 236-6283).  

Please remember to bring a list of your prescription and non-prescription medications with you to your appointment. 

Please bring your list of medications to your donation appointment. 

COMMONLY USED MEDICATIONS THAT ARE ACCEPTABLE WHEN DONATING BLOOD OR PLASMA.

• Aciphex (Rabeprazole) 
• Adalat (Nifedipine) 
• Advil (Ibuprofen) 
• Aleve (Naproxen) 
• Allopurinol  
• Altace (Ramipril)  
• Anafranil (Clomipramine) 
• Aspirin (ASA, acetylsalicylic acid) 
• Atacand (Candesartan) 
• Atarax (Hydroxyzine) 
• Ativan (Lorazepam) 
• Avapro (Irbesartan) 
• Aventyl (Nortriptyline)  
• Betoptics (Betaxolol)  
• Birth control (oral and injectable contraception, hormone supplementation) 
• Brintellix (Vortioxetine) 
• Buspar (Buspirone)  
• Cardizem (Diltiazem) 
• Cardura (Doxazosin) 
• Catapres (Clonidine) 
• Celebrex (Celecoxib) 
• Celexa (Citalopram) 
• Cipralex (Escitalopram) 
• Compazine (Prochlorperazine) 
• Concerta (Methylphenidate) 
• Corgard (Nadolol) 
• Coversyl (Perindopril) 
• Crestor (Rosuvastatin) 
• Cymbalta (Duloxetine) 
• Desipramine 
• Doxepin (Sinequan) 
• Effexor (Venlafaxine XR) 
• Elavil (Amitriptyline) 
• Eltroxin (Levothyroxine) 
• Flomax (Tamsulosin) 
• Glucophage (Metformin) 
• Hydralazine  
• Hytrin (Terazosin) 
• Imovane (Zopiclone) 
• Inderal (Propranolol) 
• Indocid (Indomethacin) 
• Isoptin (Verapamil) 
• Lexapro (Escitalopram) 
• Lipitor (Atorvastatin) 
• Lopressor (Metoprolol) 
• Lozol (Indapamide) 
• Luvox (Fluvoxamine) 
• Lyrica (Pregabalin) 
• Minipress (Prazosin) 
• Mobic (Meloxicam) 
• Monitan, Sectral (Acebutolol) 
• Monocor (Bisoprolol) 
• Nasonex (Mometasone) 
• Nexium (Esomeprazole) 
• Norvasc (Amlodipine) 
• Oxazepam  
• Ozempic (Semaglutide) 
• Pamelor (Nortriptyline)  
• Paxil (Paroxetine)  
• Penbutolol  
• Phenelzine  
• Piroxicam  
• Plavix (Clopidogrel) 
• Plendil (Felodipine) 
• Prevacid (Lansoprazole) 
• Protonix (Pantoprazole) 
• Prozac (Fluoxetine) 
• Reactine (Cetirizine)  
• Remeron (Mirtazapine) 
• Ritalin (Methylphenidate) 
• Seroquel (Quetiapine) 
• Stelazine (Trifluoperazine) 
• Synthroid (Levothyroxine)   
• Tenormin (Atenolol) 
• Trazodone  
• Trintellix (Vortioxetine)  
• Tylenol (Acetaminophen) 
• Ventolin (Salbutamol)  
• Viagra (Sildenafil) 
• Vivactil (Protriptyline) 
• Vyvanse (Lisdexamfetamine) 
• Wellbutrin (Bupropion) 
• Zoloft (Sertraline) 
• Zyban (Bupropion) 

You are eligible to donate. 

If you are using birth control medication for contraception or to regulate menstrual cycles you are also eligible to donate.

You are eligible to donate if you are feeling well at the time of your appointment and meet all other criteria.

If you have been diagnosed with mpox or have had contact with someone who has been diagnosed with mpox, you should wait 42 days from the start of symptoms or the day of last contact before your donation appointment, whichever is longer.  

If you have questions about your eligibility, please call to speak with one of our trained health professionals at 1 888 2 DONATE (1 888 236-6283). 

Individuals with multiple sclerosis are eligible to donate, however some medications may impact eligibility. If you are taking medication to manage your condition, please call to speak with one of our trained health professionals at 1 888 2 DONATE (1 888 236-6283) to discuss your eligibility. 

Donors must wait three (3) months to donate after having any type of piercing.  

Individuals with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome are eligible to donate. 

If you are pregnant, you are not eligible to donate. During pregnancy and lactation, the body has an increased need for iron to support the development of the fetus and production of milk.  

After childbirth, donors are asked to wait six (6) months before returning to donate.   

If you reside in Ottawa, Brampton, Edmonton or Vancouver, we encourage you to consider donating your cord blood to Canadian Blood Services Cord Blood Bank.  

After a pregnancy loss or termination of pregnancy, donors are asked to wait six (6) weeks. This time frame allows for recovery and to ensure no complications have occurred.    

Donors with Rh negative blood type who have been pregnant may have received an injection(s) called Rh immune globulin (also called WinRho/RhoGAM). This injection prevents the person from developing antibodies against the blood protein RhD. As this is a blood product that can interfere with testing of the donated blood, donors must wait six (6) months from the last injection before donating.  

All donors are asked about their recent sexual behaviour. You must wait three (3) months after anal sex with a new partner or multiple sexual partners to donate.  

Learn more about sexual behaviour-based screening

Waiting periods for donors with a sexually transmitted infection vary.  

• For chlamydia, you are eligible once treatment is completed. 
• For gonorrhea, you must wait 12 months after completing treatment before returning for blood donation. 
• For genital herpes, you are eligible to donate once lesions have healed.  
• For venereal warts (HPV/human papilloma virus) you are eligible to donate.  
• For syphilis, please call to speak with one of our trained health professionals at 1 888 2 DONATE (1 888 236-6283) to discuss your eligibility.   

If you have questions about sexually transmitted infections and donor eligibility, call us at 1 888 2 DONATE (1 888 236-6283) to speak with one of our trained health professionals. 

See the Hepatitis and HIV sections for more information on those conditions. 

Most skin conditions do not prevent you from donating, however the skin over the vein used for donation must be clear of any rash or lesions. Also, some medications may impact eligibility. If you are taking oral or injectable medication to manage your condition or are unsure of your eligibility, please call to speak with one of our trained health professionals at 1 888 2 DONATE (1 888 236-6283). 

You can donate with acne if you are using topical medications (lotions, creams or ointments) or low dose antibiotics. Otherwise, please call to speak with one of our trained health professionals at 1 888 2 DONATE (1 888 236-6283) to see if your medication is acceptable. 

You are eligible to donate provided there is no infection, and you are not taking antibiotics.

Eligibility after surgery varies based on the reason for the surgery, type of surgery and recovery time.   

If you received any blood products, you must wait six (6) months before donating. 

If you have recently had surgery, please call us at 1 888 2 DONATE (1 888 236-6283) to speak with one of our trained health professionals to discuss your eligibility. 

For those who have had a stroke (also called cerebrovascular accident, CVA) or a mini-stroke (also called transient ischemic attack, TIA), you must wait six (6) months before donating to ensure there is time for recovery.    

We also ask that donors do not have any limitations in performing daily activities. 

If you have had a stroke and would like to discuss your eligibility further, please call us at 1 888 2 DONATE (1 888 236-6283) to speak with one of our trained health professionals. 

You must wait three (3) months after getting a tattoo (including microblading and permanent makeup) to ensure complete healing before returning to donate.  

Every time you donate, we ask about where you may have lived or travelled. This is because the places you’ve been can sometimes expose you to illnesses or infections, that may be spread through blood transfusions.

For instance, after return from travel outside of Canada, the U.S., Europe or Antarctica there is a waiting period of 21 days before donating blood, platelets or plasma.

Other waiting periods include those for malaria. If you have recently travelled to a region where the chances of exposure to malaria are high, you may need to wait before donating. Your waiting period to donate will depend on where you went and your length of stay.

If you have any questions about your eligibility to donate based on recent travel, please call us at 1 888 2 DONATE (1-888-236-6283).

Waiting periods for travel

Countries with no waiting period

If you’ve travelled to one of the countries listed below, you do not have to wait to donate blood, platelets or plasma. Travel to all other countries will require at least a 21-day waiting period. 

• Albania   
• Andorra   
• Antarctica (all countries) 
• Armenia   
• Austria   
• Azerbaijan   
• Belarus   
• Belgium   
• Bosnia and Herzegovina   
• Bulgaria   
• Croatia   
• Cyprus   
• Czechia (formerly Czech Republic) 
• Denmark (includes Greenland)   
• Estonia   
• Finland   
• France (Includes St. Pierre and Miquelon) 
• Georgia  
• Germany   
• Greece   
• Hungary   
• Iceland   
• Ireland (Republic of Ireland)  
• Italy (includes Vatican City)   
• Kazakhstan   
• Kosovo   
• Latvia   
• Liechtenstein   
• Lithuania    
• Luxembourg   
• Malta   
• Moldova   
• Monaco   
• Montenegro   
• Netherlands (Holland)  
• North Macedonia (formerly Macedonia) 
• Norway   
• Poland   
• Portugal  
• Romania   
• Russia   
• San Marino   
• Serbia   
• Slovakia   
• Slovenia  
• Spain 
• Sweden   
• Switzerland   
• Ukraine   
• United Kingdom (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, The Isle of Man, Channel Islands) 
• United States  

Ulcerative colitis is a condition where inflammation in the colon can cause bacteria to enter a person’s bloodstream, even if they are feeling completely well. 

Donors are eligible to donate once they are symptom free and off medication for five (5) years. 

Most vaccinations do not prevent you from donating, however there are a few that require a short waiting period. Review our full list of vaccinations below to check your eligibility. 

If you received a vaccine that is not listed above, please call to speak with one of our trained health professionals at 1 888 2 DONATE (1 888 236-6283).  

To donate blood, platelets or plasma, you must weigh at least 50 kg (110 lbs.). If you are between the ages of 17 and 23, and have never donated before, you must meet our weight and height criteria shown in the table below.

Although there are no upper weight limits for eligibility to donate, our donation beds do have weight restrictions as per their manufacturers to ensure no harm or discomfort to the donor.

The donation beds in mobile donation settings can safely accommodate maximum weights of 350 lbs. or 500 lbs., depending on the location. Beds in our permanent donor centres can safely accommodate up to a maximum weight of 300 lbs. or 400 lbs., depending on the location. At select facilities we do have donation beds that can accommodate a maximum weight of 600 lbs.

We do our best to ensure our donor centres and mobile events are as accessible as possible, but it is always a good idea to phone us at 1 888 2 DONATE (1 888 236-6283) prior to your appointment, so that we can ensure you do not encounter any unexpected barriers to donation.

To donate plasma you need to be at least 50 kg (110 lbs.) and 145 cm (4’10’’).

If you are a first-time donor or to confirm your eligibility to donate plasma, please call us at 1 888 2 DONATE (1 888 236-6283). 

Why do you need to know my gender before I donate?

Canadian Blood Services values all blood donors and understands that selecting either male or female may not align with how some individuals identify. Unfortunately, due to limitations of the binary registration computer software system we use, all donors still need to register as either male or female. 

We require this information for donor and recipient safety reasons. For example, hemoglobin levels required, the volume of donations we can safety collect, and inter-donation frequencies differ, depending on whether a donor registers as male or female. We are actively looking at non-gendered ways to do this while ensuring safety for the donor. 

We know this isn’t ideal, and we understand there is a distinct difference between biological sex and gender. We are actively working on changes to our processes in consultation with trans and non-binary community members, as well as the registration software owner, to make our registration and screening practices more inclusive.