Can you be a surrogate if you have never had a baby?
What 19 US surrogacy agencies say on their own websites, agency by agency, each rule quoted and linked to the page it is on. Read Oct 28, 2026.
Of the 19 US surrogacy agencies compared here, 18 state a rule on this, and every one of them requires that you have given birth before: a gestational surrogate needs at least one previous full-term pregnancy and delivery. 10 of them also ask that you are raising your child. So if you have never had a baby, no agency compared here accepts you as a surrogate.
What each agency says: previous birth
- American Surrogacypays $55,000 to $65,000+ (first-time base)
Yes; must have carried and delivered at least one child and be currently raising a child
“At Least One Successful Pregnancy: You must have carried and delivered at least one child.”
American Surrogacy's own page, read Oct 28, 2026
- Babytree Surrogacypays $60,000 to $90,000 (first journey: $60,000 base in California, up to $90,000 with allowances)
Yes; at least one full-term, uncomplicated pregnancy and delivery, and currently raising a child of her own
“At least one prior full-term, uncomplicated pregnancy and delivery - you are currently raising a child of your own.”
Babytree Surrogacy's own page, read Oct 28, 2026
- Circle Surrogacypays $55,000 to $75,000+ (first journey, base from $55,000 plus benefits)
Yes; has delivered a child of her own and is currently parenting at least one child
“You have delivered a child of your own and are currently parenting at least one child.”
Circle Surrogacy's own page, read Oct 28, 2026
- ConceiveAbilitiespays $75,000 (up to, first journey, by state and income (includes a limited-time $10,000 bonus))
Yes; at least one full-term, healthy pregnancy and delivery; raising the child not stated
“You must have given birth to at least one full-term, healthy baby with an uncomplicated pregnancy experience.”
ConceiveAbilities's own page, read Oct 28, 2026
- Egg Donor & Surrogacy Institutepays $60,000 to $70,000 (first-time base ($70,000 in California))
Yes (at least one full-term pregnancy and delivery); raising the child not stated
“Surrogates must have completed at least one successful full-term pregnancy with no major complications.”
Egg Donor & Surrogacy Institute's own page, read Oct 28, 2026
- Eggceptional Fertilitypays $60,000 to $80,000 (typical; first-time from $60,000)
Yes; has delivered at least 1 child of her own with no serious complications
“Must have delivered at least 1 child of your own with no serious complications”
Eggceptional Fertility's own page, read Oct 28, 2026
- Family Source Consultantspays $55,000+ (base pay, first journey)
Yes; full-term pregnancy and currently raising (or has raised) the child
“Have experienced a full-term pregnancy and are currently raising the child.”
Family Source Consultants's own page, read Oct 28, 2026
- Golden Surrogacypays $70,000+ (first journey: $50,000 base + $20,000 benefits)
Yes; must have given birth to and personally raised (or be raising) at least one biological child she delivered
“Golden requires applicants to have previously given birth and to have personally raised, or currently be raising, at least one biological child they delivered.”
Golden Surrogacy's own page, read Oct 28, 2026
- Growing Generationspays $70,000 to $80,000 (first-time package, by state)
Yes; at least one live birth and parenting her child or children
“All surrogates have an established pregnancy and delivery history of at least one live birth and are parenting their child or children.”
Growing Generations's own page, read Oct 28, 2026
- Hatchpays $50,000 to $55,000 (first-time base, plus benefits)
Yes; at least one full-term, uncomplicated pregnancy (raising the child not stated)
“A history of at least one full-term, uncomplicated pregnancy and regular menstruation cycles.”
Hatch's own page, read Oct 28, 2026
Yes (at least one healthy delivery); raising the child not stated
“Have delivered at least one healthy child”
Ivy Surrogacy's own page, read Oct 28, 2026
- Northwest Surrogacy Centerpays $62,000+ (comprehensive compensation (some packages from $70,000))
Yes; a healthy pregnancy history and parenting her own child
“Have a healthy pregnancy history & be parenting your own child”
Northwest Surrogacy Center's own page, read Oct 28, 2026
- Patriot Conceptionspays $50,000+ (base pay)
Yes (at least one healthy pregnancy and birth); raising the child not stated
“At least one healthy pregnancy & birth”
Patriot Conceptions's own page, read Oct 28, 2026
- Physician's Surrogacypays $60,000 to $75,000+ (first journey, flat rate by state)
Yes; at least one full-term, uncomplicated pregnancy and currently raising her own child
“You must have had at least one full-term, uncomplicated pregnancy and are currently raising your own child.”
Physician's Surrogacy's own page, read Oct 28, 2026
- Quest Surrogacypays $45,000 to $65,000 (first-time base $45,000; typical total up to $65,000)
Yes; at least one full-term, uncomplicated pregnancy and birth with documented records, and currently raising at least one of her children in the home
“Have completed at least one full-term, uncomplicated pregnancy and birth, with documented medical records”
Quest Surrogacy's own page, read Oct 28, 2026 · Works only with gestational carriers who identify as LGBTQ+.
- Simple Surrogacypays $58,000 to $63,000 (first journey ($63,000 with maternity coverage))
Yes; has given birth to a child of her own; full-term pregnancy and delivery; raising the child not stated
“Have given birth to a child of your own”
Simple Surrogacy's own page, read Oct 28, 2026
- Surrogacy4Allpays $50,000 to $65,000 (base pay; total up to $100,000)
Yes; at least one full-term, uncomplicated delivery; raising the child not stated
“You need at least one full-term, uncomplicated delivery already behind you.”
Surrogacy4All's own page, read Oct 28, 2026
- West Coast Surrogacypays $86,000 to $106,000+ (total compensation (highest for experienced California surrogates))
Yes; has given birth to at least one child that she is raising
“Have a healthy reproductive history; having given birth to at least one child that you are raising”
West Coast Surrogacy's own page, read Oct 28, 2026
Agencies marked Partner pay IVFcost.co a referral fee if someone who applies through us goes on to qualify as a surrogate. It never changes what you are paid, and every list here is ordered by published pay, not by who pays us. How partners are handled
Agencies whose pages do not say
Modern Family Surrogacy. Their pages did not answer this when we read them; ask the agency before you rule it in or out.
Screening decides
These are the rules each agency publishes for an application. Every agency then screens medically and psychologically, and the fertility clinic that does the embryo transfer sets its own limits, which can be stricter or looser. Where an agency's pages disagree with each other, both statements are shown.
What these agencies pay
First-time surrogate pay, agency by agency, with what each figure covers and a check of which agencies you qualify for: how much surrogates get paid, and by state.