• My information: what can my donor-conceived offspring find out about me?
• Your legal responsibilities as a donor
• Can you be anonymous as a donor?
• Apply for information

Those who donated sperm, eggs or embryos after 1 April 2005 are, by law, identifiable. Any person born as a result of donation after this time is entitled to request and receive their donor’s name and last known address, once they reach the age of 18. 

Donors who donated before 1 April 2005 are automatically anonymous. This means that donor-conceived people can only access non-identifying information provided by the donor at the time of donation.

As a donor, you have no legal rights to contact your donor-conceived offspring; the decision to initiate contact is solely that of the donor-conceived child.

Removal of anonymity

It is a right of those who donated before 1 April 2005 to chose to remove their anonymity – and potentially become identifiable to any children born from their donation. 

As a consequence of removing your anonymity, your donor-conceived offspring may choose to make contact with you. Before making this decision, you may wish to consider how this could impact on you and your family.

Bear in mind that you may not be contacted by any donor-conceived offspring. This could be for a number of reasons, including the possibility that they do not know they are donor-conceived.

 

Apply for removal of anonymity

If you donated before 1 April 2005, you can remove your anonymity.

If you wish to become an identifiable donor, please complete the application form and return to the address below:

• Donor re-registration form (430 KB)

Information team
Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority
21 Bloomsbury Street
London
WC1B 3HF

Identification and proof of address

As part of the application process, you will be asked for proof of identification and address.

The HFEA accepts:

Identification

• Valid passport
• Valid UK ID card
• Birth certificate (if your name has changed since this was issued, you also need to submit deed poll documentation or a marriage certificate) 

Address

• a recent utility bill
• a recent bank statement 
• payslip
• NHS card
• driving licence

We can only accept original identity documents, or copies certified by a solicitor.

Page last updated: 10 November 2009

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