Surrogate Requirements:
Do You Qualify to Become a Surrogate?
Becoming a surrogate is one of the most generous things you can do for intended parents, and we want you to feel fully informed about the requirements before you take the first step. Below, you'll find the core requirements to qualify. Some requirements are straightforward while others may be more nuanced.
Whether you're confident you meet every requirement or still are unsure, if becoming a surrogate feels right for you, we'd love to hear from you. Filling out our inquiry form doesn't mean you're committing to anything. It's simply how we start the conversation together.
Complete the Inquiry Form
Medical and Health Requirements for Surrogates
- 21 to 42 years of age, up to the healthy early 40s with a recent delivery
- Body Mass Index (BMI) between 19 and 32
- No use of illegal drugs, cigarettes, marijuana, vaping, cannabis products, or abuse alcohol
- Has not undergone the Essure or Adiana procedure
- U.S. citizen or permanent resident
- Living in a surrogacy-friendly state
- Willing to complete a background check and a psychological screening
- Have given birth at least once
- Currently raising a child of your own
- Have a healthy pregnancy and delivery history
- Demonstrated financial independence or household stability ensures that you are not reliant on surrogate compensation for basic day-to-day living expenses.
- Not currently receiving certain government assistance programs, including cash assistance, SNAP, WIC, or Section 8 housing
- Full support from a spouse, partner, or close support network
- Reliable transportation and availability for time-sensitive appointments
- Willing to release prenatal, delivery, and other relevant medical records
- Willing to complete medical and IVF-clinic screening
- Willing to attend monitoring appointments, take required medication, and follow clinic and OB instructions
- If applicable, spouse or partner (could include other adults living in the home or sexual partner) willing to participate in required screening and legal steps
Why Surrogate Requirements Exist
Every requirement on this page is there to protect everyone in your journey, especially you, and it's why we look at your candidacy as a whole person, not a checklist to run through.
BFF’s intake and case-management team includes former gestational carriers who understand the application and screening process first-hand, so when your BMI sits just outside a standard range, or your medical history is more nuanced than a form allows for, they know how to look at the whole picture instead of a box you didn't check. Medical clearance is completed by qualified medical professionals and the IVF clinic, and every matched surrogate has independent legal representation. Not meeting a requirement today doesn't necessarily mean that you cannot qualify in the future if circumstances change.
Surrogate Qualifications Explained
A prior full-term pregnancy is the clearest indicator of how your body is likely to handle another pregnancy. It also means you already know what pregnancy asks of your body and your life before you take that on for another family.
Surrogacy should never be something you're relying on to get by. We look for financial stability because your compensation should be something that supports your family's goals, not something you depend on for basic needs. This is also part of why certain forms of government assistance affect eligibility: receiving surrogate compensation can impact your qualification for those programs, so it's worth understanding up front.
The 21 to 42 age range, and the extension into the healthy early 40s for surrogates with a recent delivery, reflects what's medically considered safest for carrying a pregnancy.
BMI is often the requirement that is most frustrating and we understand why. It doesn't capture muscle mass, body composition, or how healthy and active you actually are, and falling just outside the range can be disheartening. It is used because, across large groups of pregnancies, BMI is one of the predictors fertility clinics and medical teams have for risks like gestational diabetes and high blood pressure, which is why some clinics do not allow higher BMIs. It's not something we created on our own.
If your BMI falls just outside our criteria, it’s not necessarily an automatic no. While clinics require surrogates to meet specific BMI thresholds before moving forward to medical screening, our team can work with you to put a plan in place so we can check back in down the road once you're within range, rather than closing the door outright.
You'll need to be a U.S. citizen to become a surrogate with Bright Futures Families. We also only work with surrogates living in states that are surrogacy friendly, so your rights, your intended parents' rights, and the process itself are protected from the very start.
Surrogacy isn't something you go through alone, and we don't want you to. Whether that support comes from a spouse, partner, or a close network of family and friends, we ask that the people around you understand and support your decision. The physical and emotional realities of the journey are easier to carry with people in your corner.
Is Becoming a Surrogate the Right Fit for You?
Meeting the requirements is one part of the picture. The other part is timing. A few honest questions worth sitting with before you reach out:
- Do you have the physical and emotional bandwidth for a journey that could potentially last 2-3 years right now?
- Is your household, work, and childcare situation stable enough to support a pregnancy that isn't your own?
- Are the people closest to you genuinely on board, not just entertaining the idea?
- Are you drawn to this because you want to help build a family, not primarily for the compensation?
There's no wrong answer here. This is simply worth thinking through honestly, because the surrogates who have the best experiences tend to be the ones who felt ready going in.
Surrogacy can fit into a full-time life, but it does require reliable transportation and flexibility for time-sensitive appointments, medications or injections, pregnancy monitoring, possible travel, and regular communication with BFF and your care team. You do not have to manage those details alone. Our team helps you understand and plan for each stage.
Learn More About Becoming a SurrogateWhat Could Affect Your Eligibility to Become a Surrogate?
Not every concern is treated the same way. Some basic requirements must be met before you can move forward. Other health or pregnancy-history questions are reviewed individually, and a few situations may simply place your application on hold until the timing is right. The easiest way to understand where you stand is to let our team review your specific history.
I have an IUD, implant, or recently had a Depo-Provera shot.
You may still fill out our inquiry form. Generally, medical screening will need to wait for your natural cycle to return, but you're never asked to stop your current birth control method in order to be cleared. The timing varies, so our team will help you understand what applies to you.
I've had a slightly higher BMI than the standard range.
A BMI slightly outside BFF’s usual guideline may be reviewed individually. The IVF clinic considers your overall health, pregnancy history, and its own medical criteria before making the final decision.
I've had a C-section before.
One prior C-section does not automatically rule you out. The number of C-sections, your recovery, and your overall pregnancy and delivery history will be reviewed by medical professionals and the IVF clinic.
I'm not married.
Being unmarried doesn't disqualify you. What matters is having a genuine support system around you, married or not.
If you're unsure whether something in your history affects your eligibility, the easiest way to find out is to ask us directly rather than guessing on your own.
I'm taking medication for anxiety, depression, or another mental health condition.
You can still fill out our inquiry form. Certain mental health medications can affect eligibility, and some IVF clinics require you to be off specific medications for a period of time before moving forward. A past history of treatment does not automatically disqualify you, unless the use of mental health related medications was during pregnancy, so our team will review your situation individually and help you understand what applies to you. You should never stop or change a prescribed medication to qualify without first talking with your healthcare provider.
Surrogacy-Friendly States: Where You Can Become a Surrogate
We work with surrogates living in nearly every state in the country. The only states we're currently not able to work in are Arizona, Indiana, Nebraska, Louisiana and Virginia, where unclear or less consistent surrogacy law makes it harder to fully protect your rights and your intended parents' rights throughout the process. If your state isn't one of these five, you're in a state we can move forward with.
Does It Cost Anything to Apply to Become a Surrogate?
No.Reaching out, talking with our team, and going through the initial parts of screening costs you nothing. You're never asked to pay to find out whether you qualify or to begin the conversation with us.
Interested in Becoming a Surrogate?
You don't need to have every answer figured out before you reach out. Completing our inquiry form doesn't mean you're applying or committing to anything. It's simply how we start the conversation and help you understand where you stand.
Complete Inquiry FormSee what surrogate compensation looks like, read real stories from our surrogates, or check our FAQ for surrogates.
Surrogate Requirements Frequently Asked Questions
What are the basic requirements to become a surrogate?
To become a surrogate, you need to be 21 to 42 years old, financially stable, in good health with a BMI between 19 and 32, a U.S. citizen living in a surrogacy friendly state, and have given birth to and are currently raising a child of your own. Just as important is having real support around you, whether that's a partner, family, or close friends who are behind you every step of the way.
Do I have to be married to become a surrogate?
No. Being unmarried doesn't disqualify you. What matters is having reliable people around you who genuinely support your decision. If you have a spouse or partner, BFF does need their support, and they will need to participate in parts of the screening and legal process. The same is true if you have a sexual partner who isn't a spouse. If you have a roommate, they won't be asked to take part in your screening or legal process, but they will need to complete a background check.
What can disqualify you from being a surrogate?
There's no single list of automatic disqualifiers. Some requirements are firm, while other circumstances are reviewed individually. Not having carried a previous pregnancy, active prohibited substance use, inability to complete required screening, or not meeting BFF or IVF-clinic medical criteria can prevent someone from becoming a surrogate. Other concerns may require additional records, medical review, or a temporary hold rather than an automatic denial.
Can I become a surrogate at 40?
Yes. Our age range goes up to 42, so being 40 doesn't rule you out. Health factors matter more as you get closer to the upper end of the age range and things such as your general health, BMI, and how recently you gave birth all play a role. The surrogacy process also takes time from screening to matching to delivery, so if you're considering becoming a surrogate at 40, starting sooner rather than later gives you the most options.
Can I become a surrogate if my tubes are tied?
Yes. Gestational surrogacy uses IVF, so the embryo is placed directly into your uterus and your fallopian tubes are not part of the transfer. A tubal ligation or salpingectomy does not by itself prevent you from qualifying.