How to Find a Surrogate Near Me Checklist for Parents

By Dr. Kulsoom Baloch

Learn more about Dr. Baloch

Introduction

Searching for a surrogate close to home can feel overwhelming, but it’s a critical first step in your journey to parenthood. Whether you’re looking for convenience, legal ease, or personal connection, this guide provides a step-by-step checklist for finding a qualified, compassionate surrogate near you.

Step 1: Understand the Types of Surrogacy

• Traditional surrogacy – The surrogate is biologically related to the baby (less common).
• Gestational surrogacy – The surrogate carries an embryo created using the intended parents’ or donor gametes (most common today).

Step 2: Know Your State Laws

Surrogacy laws vary greatly across the U.S. Some states are surrogacy-friendly while others have restrictions or prohibit it entirely. Check if compensated surrogacy is legal in your state and whether pre-birth orders are recognized.

Step 3: Choose Between Agency or Independent Surrogacy

• Surrogacy agency: Offers screening, legal, and medical coordination, emotional support, and matching services.
• Independent surrogacy: More direct, often lower-cost, but requires managing legal, medical, and emotional support on your own.

Step 4: Look for Surrogacy Agencies Near You

Use online directories, medical referrals, or legal networks to locate agencies. Vet them using the following criteria:

• • FDA registered and certified: Only about nine agencies have managed to space this rigid screening criteria. The FDA conducts onsite periodic visits and inspections to ensure agencies follow FDA criteria
  • NYS licensed as a Surrogacy agency: New York State is the only state in the USA that licenses surrogacy agencies. Only about40 are licensed out of hundreds of agencies
    • Legal and medical partnerships
    • Surrogate screening process
    • Intended parent support services
    • Reviews and testimonials
  • Years in business
  • Agency ownership Is it owned by Physicians, Lawyers or others.

Step 5: Understand Surrogate Screening

High-quality agencies screen surrogates for:

• Physical and mental health
• Past healthy pregnancies
• No history of substance abuse
• Age (usually 21–42)
• Legal and financial stability

Step 6: Meet the Surrogate Match

Once matched, you’ll meet your potential surrogate. Look for shared values, communication style, and expectations regarding:

• Medical procedures
• Birth plan
• Ongoing contact after birth

Step 7: Ensure Legal Protections

Each party should have their own legal representation. Your attorney will draft a Gestational Carrier Agreement outlining rights, responsibilities, and financial arrangements.

Step 8: Support provided during pregnancy

Do they have physicians inhouse to help surrogates through each day of their pregnancy to provide both medical and moral support? Or is the surrogate abandoned to fend for herself with her gynecologist who may or may only be available rarely by appointment and not be available at crucial times.

Provide doulas to help through baby delivery?

Each party should have their own legal representation.

Your Step 8: Prepare Financially

The cost of surrogacy (including IVF, legal, and agency fees) can range from $80,000–$150,000. Clarify what’s included in agency fees and what is paid directly to the surrogate.

Why Local Matters

Working with a surrogate nearby allows easier travel, stronger communication, and more personalized involvement in prenatal appointments and the delivery experience.

Conclusion

Finding a surrogate near you is possible with the right research, legal preparation, and agency support.
At Surrogacy4All, we meet all the above criteria. We have been in business since 2006, are FDA registered, NYS Surrogacy Agency licensed, and physician owned. We try to provide a loving, kind environment for our surrogates to help make the journey as enjoyable as possible, A happy surrogate results in a successful bbay deliver!
We help intended parents across the U.S. connect with fully vetted, compassionate surrogates who share your vision of family. Start your journey today.