Introduction and methods: Reported rates of complications after donor hepatectomy vary widely. One reason may be lack of standardization of reporting. In order to assess 1‐year morbidity after donor hepatectomy based on the modified Clavien scale (MCS), which has been proposed as a quantitative scoring system for postsurgical complications, we conducted a retrospective review of 127 living donors at our center through December 2004 (minimum 1‐year follow‐up).Results: A total of 76 donors underwent right hepatectomy (RH); 51, left or lateral hepatectomy (LH). In all, 36% of donors experienced a complication as defined by the MCS: 27% of LH donors and 42% of RH donors. The distribution of complications is illustrated in the table below. The most common grade 1 complications were wound infection (7.8%) and ileus (7.1%); grade 2, psychiatric problems and urinary tract infection; grade 3, hernia/wound revision (11.8%). The rate of bile leak was 3.9%; heterologous transfusion, 1.6%. There was 1 aborted procedure. The mean length of stay was 6.3 days for LH donors and 7.2 days for RH donors (p=.02).Conclusion: Our data indicate that RH donors experience a higher severity of complications than LH donors, according to Clavien scoring, and the length of hospital stay for RH donors is longer. Systematic application of the MCS may permit large‐scale comparisons of reported complications and thus help improve results of donor hepatectomy. *Clavien score LH RH Total 0 37 44 81 I 8 12 20 II 3 7 10 III 3 14 16 IV 0 0 0 Total 11 76 46 *Chi‐squared p = 0.046 comparing Clavien 0/I vs. II/III/IV.