spinal cord reflexes could be present in approved brain dead patients. The presence of such reflexes may imply to patient’s relatives that the patient is not already dead and such apprehension could potentially harm or delay the process of taking permission for organ donation. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the presence of spinal cord reflexes in brain dead patients and its effect on the time required to take the permission for organ retrieval. From January 2005 to June 2008, 38 evidenced brain dead patients at Masih Daneshvari Hospital, Iran, were evaluated for presence of spinal cord reflexes. The time between brain death announcement to the time of taking harvest permission from patients’ relatives were also documented. We used Mann-Whitney test to find if there is a significant difference in the time required for taking permission between the group of patients with spinal reflex and those without such reflexes. The mean time required for obtaining harvest permission was 1.6 ± 1 day. Spinal reflexes were present in 52.6% of the studied patients. The mean duration for obtaining the permission was 1.6 ± 1 day in patients without a spinal reflex and 1.7 ± 1.5 day in patients having spinal reflexes. Statistical analysis showed no significant difference between the two groups. Spinal reflexes were present at more than half of the brain dead patients but the presence of such phenomena did not negatively affect the time required for taking harvest permission from patients’ relatives. We believe that proper approach to relatives of the patients and assuring them for about the patients’ condition had a positive impact on the process of taking the permission for organ harvest.