A Guide to Surrogacy in New Jersey
New Jersey is a fantastic state for surrogacy! Surrogacy is legal in New Jersey and Brownstone Surrogacy is proud to work with surrogates in New Jersey, intended parents in New Jersey, and some of the Garden State’s best fertility clinics. We’re among the few surrogacy agencies located right nearby and our Founder and Executive Director grew up in Bergen County.
Brownstone Surrogacy supports local surrogates and intended parents from all the wonderful parts of New Jersey: North, Central, and South. (Yes, we believe Central Jersey exists!)
Whether you are from near Newark, Jersey City, Edison, Paterson, Cherry Hill, or down the Shore, to become a surrogate in New Jersey you should start by reading this guide! Learn more about the surrogacy process in New Jersey and then take our short quiz to find out if you qualify.
How to Become a Surrogate in New Jersey
The surrogacy process looks different for each surrogate and each set of intended parents based on their preferences and goals and on the state in which they live. But there are a few common steps to becoming a surrogate in New Jersey:
Step 1: Make Sure You Meet the Requirements to Become a Surrogate in New Jersey
To be a surrogate in New Jersey, you should:
- Be between 21 and 43 years old
- Have a body mass index (BMI) between 18 and 32
- Have a history of full-term, uncomplicated pregnancies
- Have had no more than 5 deliveries or 3 c-sections
- Be a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident living in New Jersey
- Not smoke or vape or have a history of drug or alcohol abuse
- Not be treated for or on medication for serious depression or anxiety or another psychological disorder
- Be financially stable and not receiving government cash assistance
If you want to know more about whether you would qualify to be a surrogate in New Jersey, take our short quiz or contact us.
Step 2: Educate Yourself about Being a Surrogate in New Jersey
Surrogacy is not a quick and easy process, but it will be one of the most rewarding things you do in your life. There are countless parents (including many New Jerseyans) who turn to surrogates each year to build their families because of repeated pregnancy losses, devastating cancer diagnoses, or an inability to have a biological family any other way (i.e., same-sex male couples).
It’s important to understand exactly what to expect from the surrogacy process in New Jersey, from screening to matching to contracts to pregnancy. You can read more about each step here. If you have specific questions that are not answered on our extensive FAQ page, please reach out to us. An experienced surrogate on our team will clarify things and walk you through the process.
Step 3: Choose a Licensed Surrogacy Agency Near New Jersey
Surrogates in New Jersey – from Woodbridge to Old Bridge, Trenton to Toms River, Passaic to Piscataway, Brick to Bayonne – should work with a reputable surrogacy agency. Brownstone Surrogacy is one of only a handful of surrogacy agencies nationwide licensed by the government, so you have the peace of mind knowing that we operate according to the highest ethics and standards.
We can match you with intended parents in New Jersey and provide truly local support. we know the fertility clinics, doctors, and mental health professionals local to New Jersey and the surrogacy lawyers with deep expertise in the state’s laws. Your agency should empower you – not make decisions for you. At Brownstone, we are your trusted advocates and we practice surrogacy the right way.
Step 4: Choose an Experienced New Jersey Surrogacy Lawyer
Once you are matched with intended parents, you will need to select an experienced surrogacy lawyer to form a contract. Our attorney-led agency stands ready to refer you to the best surrogacy lawyers in the Garden State.
At Brownstone, we are attuned to the details of New Jersey’s surrogacy law – the New Jersey Gestational Carrier Agreement Act – and make sure you know your rights. For example, it is written in New Jersey’s law that all surrogates receive independent legal counsel and have the right to make their own medical decisions, and that all intended parents must complete a psychological evaluation. With Brownstone you can also expect:
- 24/7 support at every step of the process
- Mental health counseling paid for by the intended parents
- Life insurance providing a benefit of $750,000 paid for by the intended parents
With the right surrogacy agency and surrogacy lawyer in your corner, you’ll always have folks that are advocating for you.
How Much Do Surrogates Get Paid in New Jersey?
As a surrogate in New Jersey, you have the opportunity to earn at least $50,000 and up to $70,000 or more.
Surrogates help determine compensation and benefits, but here is what is typical:
- Base compensation: $45,000 – $55,000+
- Monthly expense allowance: $3,900 ($300 per month for an average of 13 months)
- Automatic bonuses and fees: Over $4,000
- Potential compensation: Variable
- Guaranteed support:
- Life insurance with $750,000 coverage for your beneficiaries
- An attorney of your choice
- At least $1,000 in mental health support
- All travel expenses paid for you and a companion
- Independent escrow management to ensure your compensation, reimbursements, and medical expenses are paid in full and on time
- 24/7 support from our dedicated team
Learn more on our compensation page.
Why Choose Brownstone to Support Your Surrogacy Journey in New Jersey
Surrogacy is personal for us. Our founder Jarret and his husband became fathers to two girls through surrogacy and Yesenia, our Director of Surrogate Services, is an experienced gestational surrogate. Our passion for surrogacy goes even deeper than our own experiences: The Brownstone team is dedicated to ensuring that families have a personal experience. We get to know you and your family, your story, and your goals and hopes for this surrogacy journey. You’ll have our cell phone numbers and our promise to provide true support every step of the way.
Especially for New Jersey surrogates, it’s helpful to have a surrogacy agency located right nearby. We’re attuned to New Jersey laws and to the many providers in New Jersey. But even more important when it comes to matching, the vast majority of our intended parents are based in the Northeast with a large contingent here in New Jersey. So if you are hoping to match with an individual or couple (whether LGBTQ+ or not) who is not too far from where you live, we’d love to try and make that happen.
A Guide to Surrogacy Laws in New Jersey
New Jersey’s surrogacy law – the New Jersey Gestational Carrier Agreement Act – makes gestational surrogacy legal in New Jersey. New Jersey’s law for surrogacy established a few unique things that are important to know:
- For a surrogacy arrangement to be enforceable under New Jersey law, both the intended parent(s) and surrogate must be represented by separate attorneys and both sides must complete psychological evaluations. In addition, surrogates must be at least 21 years old, have given birth to at least one child, and complete a medical evaluation.
- Surrogates are entitled to receive payments for reasonable expenses throughout their pregnancy and postpartum recovery, including living expenses.
- Intended parents can receive a pre-birth parentage order from New Jersey courts regardless of whether they are married or unmarried, heterosexual or same-sex, using an egg or sperm donor or not. This means that the intended parents’ names go on the birth certificate.
New Jersey law is great for gestational surrogacy!
What Does Surrogacy Cost in New Jersey?
The total estimated cost of a surrogacy journey in New Jersey is around $130,000 though it can fluctuate.
Expected costs of the surrogacy process:
- Surrogate compensation (base and automatic): $50,000 – $65,000+
- Surrogate compensation (variable): $1,000 – $20,000+
- Agency fee: $30,000
- Attorneys’ fees: $10,000
- Insurance fees and out-of-pocket medical expenses: $6,000 – $30,000+
- Escrow, travel, and other miscellaneous expenses: $3,000 – $10,000
- Total Average Cost of Surrogacy: $110,000 – $170,000 (excluding fertility clinic expenses)
Brownstone’s all-inclusive agency fee covers:
- Management of your entire journey, from start to finish
- All costs of surrogate recruitment and screening
- All costs of intended parent screening
- Coordination of the embryo creation process, as needed
- Coordination of unlimited IVF or transfer cycles
- Free rematch services if your surrogate is disqualified or has three unsuccessful transfers
- Personal, knowledgeable, and compassionate support
How To Find a Surrogate in New Jersey
If you are an intended parent looking for a surrogate in New Jersey, Brownstone Surrogacy can help. We proudly work with the many excellent fertility clinics throughout the State of New Jersey, including RMA of New Jersey, IRMS St. Barnabas, South Jersey Fertility, and other clinics nearby in Philadelphia and New York City. As one of the few local agencies, we have an enhanced ability to support intended parents and surrogates.
Find Out More about the Process for Surrogates
Ready To Get Started?
Brownstone Surrogacy is licensed as a surrogacy matching program by the New York State Department of Health. Our license number is GS221023. We are proud to be among the few agencies licensed by a governmental regulator.
“Gestation is a marvel, no matter how it is accomplished. But gestation isn’t the real magic. Love is the magic. Love is the only magic.” – Early: An Intimate History of Premature Birth and What It Teaches Us About Being Human by Sarah DiGregorio