9 Body Parts You Can Legally Sell for Cash

Did you know that there are actually several body parts you can legally sell for cash? It’s actually easier than you might think!

In our list, you’ll find some things (like blood plasma and hair) that can be sold without too much effort. Other things (like eggs and bone marrow) can be a lot more difficult. When you consider this list, remember that the more difficult donations are also the most profitable.

Is it legal to sell your own organs?

It is illegal in the United States to sell organs such as kidneys or hearts. Those organs can be donated but they cannot be sold for profit.

In our list, you’ll see many references to donating for money. That’s because donation centers that gather blood plasma, sperm, eggs and other body parts will compensate you for the time and trouble involved in making the donation. This is apparently legal, even if it isn’t necessarily legal to sell your organs themselves.

Donate Blood Plasma to earn up to $1,000/mo!

Blood plasma is part of your blood. Specifically, it is the liquid part that carries the blood cells around your body.

Plasma donations are used to create treatments for many different conditions and diseases, such as burns, rabies, tetanus, clotting disorders, immune disorders, Rh incompatibility in pregnant women and more.

When you donate plasma, the donation center will usually pay you for your time and effort. You could receive hundreds of dollars per month (possibly even $1,000 or more, depending on your circumstances and the policies at your local center) through regular blood plasma donations.

For more information on how to sell your blood plasma, check this out.

Sell your hair to earn up to $4,000!

Real human hair is significantly different than synthetic hair, so many people prefer wigs made out of authentic human hair. That’s why many people have been paid hundreds or even thousands of dollars for their hair!

The best prices are always offered for hair that is long and untouched by salon processes. Colored hair, or hair that has been damaged with chemicals, may still be sold but it may not fetch as high a price.

Here’s what you need to know about selling your hair for money.

Donate your sperm to earn up to $1,500/mo!

Sperm donors may be able to earn some extra cash! For example, California Cryobank (CCB) offers up to $1,500 per month and occasional gifts like movie tickets or gift certificates to their donors. According to their website, it takes less than 5 hours per month. That’s equivalent to earning $300 per hour or more!

In order to donate sperm, you usually must be at least 18 years old and in good health. You must also undergo free genetic screenings and other health screenings before donating.

Some centers, especially those that offer higher compensation rates, often require you to meet stricter standards. For example, CCB requires their donors to be college graduates or college students. They may consider professional experience in lieu of college education.

Donate your eggs to earn up to $10,000!

Egg donation is a lot more complicated and intrusive than sperm donation, and therefore pays a great deal more. Egg donors often receive $8,000 to $10,000 per egg donation for their time and effort.

However, the process to prepare and retrieve the eggs can take several weeks to months. It requires extensive screenings, as well as medical preparation, in order to be able to complete this process.

If you’re interested in donating eggs for money, check out this guide.

Sell your breast milk for $1-$3 per ounce.

There are many online communities that empower moms to buy, sell and donate breast milk to other moms and babies. These communities often require the milk to be pasteurized before use for safety. Prices tend to range from $1-$3 per ounce.

For safety, it is encouraged that you do not reveal any personal information such as your physical address.

Donate bone marrow for up to $3,000.

Although the federal government once banned the sale of bone marrow, the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals declared that donors can be compensated because the body replenishes marrow the same way it replenishes the blood supply. Thus, it’s more like donating blood than donating a kidney.

In some areas, you may be able to be compensated for donating bone marrow. I have seen reports indicating that you can get paid up to $3,000 for bone marrow donations in Arizona, California, Hawaii, Guam, Idaho, Alaska, Montana, Nevada, Oregon and Washington.

Not every center that accepts bone marrow donations provides compensation, though, so you need to be careful and ask before donating if compensation is important to you.

For example, the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) which operates the Be The Match Registry does not provide compensation for donors. There is no cost to donating through the Be The Match Registry, but they will not pay you for your donation.

However, StemExpress pays $250 to qualified bone marrow donors and up to $1,000 to donors who complete mobilized apheresis donations. There may be other agencies that offer cash for bone marrow donations as well.

Sell your poop for up to $1,500 per month.

Healthy individuals can sell their stool collections for cash in some areas! The microbes in healthy poop are used for research and treatments of serious medical conditions like C. diff. That’s why some donation centers are compensating healthy donors who provide their poop for this purpose.

For example, Poop with a Purpose pays up to $1,500 per month to donors. Donors must be 18-49 years old, pass health screenings and tests, and donate at least three times per week at their location. The donation process only takes about 15 minutes. Unfortunately, that means that you must live in the Boston area in order to be able to participate in this program.

Rent space on your skin for thousands of dollars.

Advertising is everywhere these days, so I suppose it shouldn’t be a surprise that some people have rented out space on their foreheads for corporate advertising.

A webpage designer was paid over $37,000 for a single month of forehead advertising for a snoring remedy called SnoreStop. A woman was paid $10,000 to get a permanent tattoo of a casino website on her forehead (which lasted for seven years before the company paid to have it removed). Both of these people found their advertisers through eBay.

Participate in a clinical trial for up to $1,000 each.

If you participate in a clinical trial, you’re basically putting your whole body on the line. These trials are how pharmaceutical and other companies test their products, which means that they can be risky. However, they can also be profitable. According to Business insider, participating in one trial can earn you up to $1,000. You can search for trials at ClinicalTrials.gov.

Looking for other ways to make easy money?

If you’re looking for easy ways to make cash, there may be better options than these. Check out our Get Cash Guide for ways that you can get financial assistance today!

Nicole Thelin

Nicole is the founder and lead researcher of Low Income Relief. After a personal experience with poverty and homelessness following her husband's sudden medical discharge from the U.S. Army, Nicole discovered the life-changing impact of community resources. This experience ignited her passion for empowering others to navigate similar crises. Nicole launched her writing career at age 16, working for various newspapers and publications. Her commitment to in-depth research and accessible content has been recognized by Google for Publishers and other industry leaders. For over 20 years, she has applied her investigative skills to uncover the most helpful, up-to-date information on benefits programs and community resources, ensuring Low Income Relief maintains the most extensive resource databases available.