6 Best Surrogacy Agencies in New York for Intended Parents (2026)

New York made surrogacy history on February 15, 2021, when the Child-Parent Security Act (CPSA) took effect — legalizing compensated gestational surrogacy for the first time in state history.

As a result, the law created one of the most protective legal frameworks for surrogacy anywhere in the country and made New York the first and only state to require surrogacy agencies to be licensed by its Department of Health.

For intended parents searching for the best surrogacy agencies in New York, this licensing requirement is a meaningful advantage. Specifically, every agency matching surrogates who live or deliver in New York must meet state-mandated screening, escrow, and informed-consent standards — or they cannot legally operate as a matching program.

That floor is higher than what most states offer. What separates the best agencies from average ones comes down to factors above that baseline: medical oversight, match speed, pricing transparency, and experience with New York City’s deep fertility clinic network.

We wrote this guide for intended parents. Physician’s Surrogacy appears first — we are transparent about that — and every other agency earned its place based on verifiable facts. All six agencies hold current New York State Department of Health licenses or actively serve New York intended parents with out-of-state surrogates through compliant legal structures.

6 Best Surrogacy Agencies in New York

Here is a quick comparison of the six agencies evaluated for New York intended parents, followed by a full breakdown of each.

1. Physician’s Surrogacy (Serves New York Intended Parents)

Physician’s Surrogacy brings something no other agency on this list — or anywhere in the country — can offer: board-certified obstetricians employed by the agency itself.

In practice, these physicians oversee screening, monitor clinical communications after every appointment, and can consult peer-to-peer with a surrogate’s managing OB if complications arise — regardless of which state the surrogate is in. The Advisory Board includes specialists in maternal-fetal medicine, neonatal care, and OB/GYNs.

One important disclosure: Physician’s Surrogacy does not hold a New York State Department of Health surrogacy license. This means that while intended parents from New York can still enjoy all the benefits working with Physician’s Surrogacy offers, surrogates who reside in New York will have to look elsewhere.

The agency instead matches New York intended parents with carefully screened surrogates from surrogacy-friendly states like California, Texas, and Florida. The CPSA’s legal protections still apply to your side of the journey. Your attorney will coordinate parentage proceedings under the laws of the surrogate’s home state.

For Intended Parents

• Flat-Rate Surrogacy program starting at $140,000–$170,000+, with no agency fees until a match is confirmed.
• Average match time of one week — compared to an industry standard of 6–12 months and Circle Surrogacy’s 3–9 month range.
• Preterm delivery rate 50% below the national average — a direct result of a physician-designed screening protocol that exceeds what the CPSA mandates for licensed agencies.
• Optional OB-ordered antenatal testing: Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing (NIPT), NT Sonogram, AFP Quad Screen, and Fetal Echocardiogram — options no other agency on this list can provide in-house.
• 24/7 multilingual coordinator access with WeChat support — particularly valuable for New York City’s large international intended parent population.
• Surrogate compensation of $60,000–$75,000+ — a flat-rate package disclosed upfront, with all funds secured in escrow before the journey begins.

One limitation worth noting: because Physician’s Surrogacy matches with out-of-state surrogates, the surrogate’s home state handles prenatal care and delivery — not a New York City hospital. If you specifically want your child born at an NYC facility, a DOH-licensed agency with a New York-based surrogate pool may be a better fit.

The agency also focuses exclusively on gestational surrogacy and does not offer egg donation services within the same program.

Best For: New York intended parents who want the only physician-led agency in the country, the fastest matching timeline, and flat-rate pricing with no fees until match — and who are comfortable working with an out-of-state surrogate.

2. Circle Surrogacy (Licensed — Boston HQ)

Circle Surrogacy was founded in 1995 by John Weltman, a lawyer and gay dad whose own children were born through surrogacy. It’s the longest-tenured full-service agency actively licensed in New York, with over 30 years of national surrogacy experience. The agency is headquartered in Boston with satellite offices in Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area, Washington D.C., and Cary, North Carolina.

As one of the first agencies to obtain a New York State DOH license when the CPSA took effect, the agency has maintained deep relationships with New York City’s top IVF clinics. The team includes staff members who are themselves parents through surrogacy, and the agency offers regular virtual and in-person events for intended parents.

For Intended Parents

• Licensed in New York and fully CPSA-compliant, with over 30 years of surrogacy experience nationally.
• Journey Protection Guarantee Program at $189,500, covering agency fees, surrogate base compensation, legal work, and key insurance — including unlimited embryo transfers and a no-questions-asked refund if the journey does not result in a live birth.
• Journey Protection Escrow: independently managed and 100% funded upfront — meets and exceeds the CPSA’s mandatory escrow requirement.
• In-house legal team with deep experience in the CPSA’s parentage proceedings, including the NYC five-borough birth record distinction.
• Matching speed: approximately 3–9 months for intended parents depending on preferences.

Circle is a non-medical agency — clinical oversight comes through the intended parents’ IVF clinic, not agency-employed physicians. The agency publishes a surrogate base compensation of $40,000, with total compensation reaching approximately $70,000+ when medical, legal, and other benefits are added.

The Journey Protection price point ($189,500) sits at the higher end of the agencies on this list. However, it includes a full financial guarantee that most other programs do not offer.

Best For: NYC and Tri-state area intended parents who want a fully licensed agency with in-house legal expertise and a three-decade track record. Also a strong fit for parents who want a financial guarantee that absorbs risk on failed transfers and rematches.

3. ConceiveAbilities (Licensed — NYC Clinic Partnerships)

ConceiveAbilities was one of the first national agencies to obtain a New York State license when the CPSA took effect. Founder Nazca Fontes appeared in news coverage when compensated surrogacy became legal in New York — the agency had been advocating for the CPSA and was positioned to operate in the state from day one.

ConceiveAbilities maintains direct partnerships with some of New York’s most prominent fertility clinics, including CCRM-NY, NYU Langone Fertility Center, RMA of New York, Shady Grove Fertility in NYC, and Weill Cornell Reproductive Medicine.

For intended parents, this means working with a national agency that has been deeply embedded in the state’s IVF network since the law changed. ConceiveAbilities can coordinate clinic logistics more smoothly than agencies newer to the New York market.

For Intended Parents

• Licensed in New York and CPSA-compliant from day one of the new law, with nearly 30 years of operation nationally.
• Direct clinic partnerships with CCRM-NY, NYU Langone Fertility, RMA of New York, Shady Grove Fertility NYC, and Weill Cornell Reproductive Medicine.
• “All-In” fixed-fee program at approximately $197,500, covering agency fees, surrogate compensation, and key legal costs.
• Matching Matters program focuses on long-term compatibility — surrogates and intended parents are matched on shared values and communication style alongside standard logistics.
• Combined egg donation and surrogacy available in a single program — a meaningful advantage for intended parents who need both services.

ConceiveAbilities publishes surrogate base compensation up to $75,000 for first-time carriers — among the highest published first-timer rates nationally. Matching speed runs approximately 2–6 months.

The trade-off is a higher total intended parent cost and longer match timelines compared to agencies with pre-cleared surrogate pools. ConceiveAbilities is a non-medical agency; clinical oversight comes through the intended parents’ fertility clinic.

Best For: New York intended parents who want combined egg donation and surrogacy services with strong NYC clinic relationships. Also ideal for parents who value long-term surrogate compatibility matching and an all-inclusive fixed-fee program.

4. Hatch Fertility (Licensed — Serves New York)

Hatch Fertility was founded in 1991 and received its NY State DOH license in September 2025. Based in Los Angeles, Hatch serves NY intended parents while maintaining full CPSA compliance — including mandatory escrow, NY-licensed legal counsel, and all Surrogate’s Bill of Rights requirements.

The agency’s core strength in New York, as nationally, is its integrated egg donation and surrogacy program. For NYC-based intended parents who need both services, Hatch’s single-program model — with access to one of the largest fresh egg donor databases in the U.S. — reduces coordination complexity considerably.

That said, physician oversight comes through a partnership with Pacific Fertility Center Los Angeles rather than in-house OB/GYNs employed by the agency itself.

For Intended Parents

• Licensed in New York (as of September 2025) — fully CPSA-compliant with mandatory escrow and independent legal representation coordinated for both parties.
• Over 30 years of operation, with more than 8,000 successful journeys facilitated nationally.
• Combined egg donation and surrogacy in a single program — meaningful for NYC intended parents who need both.
• “Peace of Mind Program”: all-inclusive pricing covering unlimited egg retrievals, embryo transfers, and surrogate rematches until live birth.
• Estimated total costs: $160,000–$225,000+ depending on program and journey variables. Matching speed: approximately 3–10 months.

Hatch’s broad cost range reflects the variability of its program tiers and the complexity of combined egg donation and surrogacy journeys. For intended parents who need the integrated model, Hatch is one of the only NY-licensed agencies that offers both under one roof. The trade-off is a longer match timeline and higher cost ceiling compared to agencies with a surrogacy-only focus.

Best For: New York intended parents who need egg donation and surrogacy in the same program, or who want the financial certainty of an unlimited-transfer guarantee package.

5. Family Inceptions (Licensed — NYC Satellite Office)

Family Inceptions is a national agency headquartered in Suwanee, Georgia, that holds a New York State Department of Health license. It also maintains a satellite office at 745 5th Avenue in Manhattan.

The agency was founded by Eloise Drane, and the team is known for building close, personal relationships with surrogates over multi-journey partnerships — the agency’s Google reviews consistently highlight individual coordinators by name.

Family Inceptions describes its approach as inclusivity-first: the agency openly serves all family types and actively builds a surrogate community called the “Surro Sisters Society” that provides peer connection alongside professional support.

For LGBTQ+ intended parents in the NYC metro area, the agency’s explicit prioritization of same-sex couples and single intended parents is a distinctive differentiator.

For Intended Parents

• Licensed in New York — fully CPSA-compliant, with a physical Manhattan satellite office at 745 5th Avenue.
• Serves NYC, Albany, Long Island, and surrounding areas with local support and national reach.
• Full-service support from matching through birth, with financial planning options to help families manage journey costs.
• LGBTQ+-inclusive program — the agency explicitly prioritizes same-sex couples and single intended parents.
• Strong surrogate retention: multiple surrogates return for second and third journeys, indicating high satisfaction and consistent care quality.

Family Inceptions publishes less compensation and cost data than other agencies on this list — intended parents will need to request a consultation for specifics. The agency’s genuine strengths are surrogate relationships, community-driven support, and LGBTQ+ family-building expertise rather than published pricing transparency.

Best For: LGBTQ+ intended parents in the NYC area who want an inclusivity-first agency with a physical Manhattan presence, strong surrogate retention, and a personal, relationship-driven approach.

6. American Surrogacy (Licensed — NYC Satellite Offices)

American Surrogacy is a national agency headquartered in Overland Park, Kansas, that received its NY State DOH surrogacy license in January 2026. Prior to that, the agency operated in New York only by matching NY-based intended parents with out-of-state surrogates.

The agency now holds a DOH license and maintains satellite offices in Brooklyn, Lake Success, New Rochelle, and Midtown Manhattan.

American Surrogacy offers three flexible program tiers, giving intended parents more control over how much coordination and financial protection they want. The tiered structure is distinctive among the agencies on this list — most competitors offer a single fixed-fee model.

For Intended Parents

• Licensed in New York (as of January 2026) — fully CPSA-compliant with multiple NYC satellite offices for local support.
• Three program tiers: Limited Risk Program ($202,500+) with coverage for failed transfers and rematches; Foundation Program ($187,500+) with lower upfront cost; Independent Program ($24,000+) for coordination-only when a surrogate is already identified.
• Matching speed: 1–4 months — one of the faster programs among licensed NY agencies.
• Every intended parent assigned a dedicated case specialist throughout the process.
• Compensation managed through a licensed third-party escrow service — meeting the CPSA’s mandatory escrow requirement.

American Surrogacy’s newly licensed status in New York means it can now match NY-resident surrogates directly — a capability it lacked until early 2026. The trade-off: the agency has less CPSA-specific operational history than competitors who obtained their licenses in 2021 or 2022.

The tiered pricing model gives intended parents flexibility but requires careful comparison to understand what each level includes.

Best For: New York intended parents who want program flexibility with tiered pricing options, faster-than-average matching speed, and local support through multiple NYC satellite offices.

New York Surrogacy Law: What Intended Parents Need to Know

New York’s surrogacy framework, established by the Child-Parent Security Act, is widely considered the strongest in the country. The CPSA was signed in April 2020 and took effect on February 15, 2021. For a full state-by-state comparison, see our surrogacy laws guide.

In 2025, Governor Hochul signed S.819, which made additional amendments to the CPSA addressing surrogacy agreement requirements and insurance provisions. Here is what the law requires — because unlike most states, these rules apply specifically to the agencies themselves, not just the contracts.

• Agency licensing is mandatory. Any matching program working with surrogates who reside in New York or who will deliver in New York must be licensed by the NY State DOH. Unlicensed agencies cannot legally handle these matches. New York is the only state in the country that requires this.
• The Surrogate’s Bill of Rights is enforceable by law. NY law guarantees surrogates independent legal counsel (paid by intended parents), comprehensive health insurance through 12 months post-delivery, life insurance up to $750,000, mental health counseling, full control over her own healthcare decisions, and the right to withdraw before pregnancy without penalty.
• Compensation must be held in a mandatory, independent escrow account. Unlike most states where escrow is simply a best practice, in New York it is a legal requirement under the CPSA. Funds must be held by a third party before any medical procedures begin.
• Pre-birth parentage orders are available. The CPSA allows intended parents to obtain a pre-birth order establishing legal parentage — available to all family types regardless of marital status, sexual orientation, or genetic connection to the embryo.

Residency, Representation, and Birth Record Rules

• At least one intended parent must be a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident. If the surrogate has not been a New York resident for at least six months, at least one intended parent must have been a New York resident for at least six months. International intended parents who do not meet these requirements cannot use the CPSA framework.
• Agencies cannot provide legal services. Under the CPSA, surrogacy matching programs cannot also serve as legal counsel for either party. Each side must retain an independent, New York-licensed attorney.
• Only gestational surrogacy is permitted. Traditional surrogacy — where the surrogate provides her own egg — remains prohibited in New York when compensation is involved.

One important nuance for intended parents: the NY DOH manages birth records for all counties in the state — but not for New York City’s five boroughs (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island).

The NYC Department of Health maintains those records separately. Your attorney should know this distinction and prepare accordingly before delivery.

What to Look for in a New York Surrogacy Agency

Because all DOH-licensed NY agencies must comply with the CPSA’s baseline protections, the floor here is higher than in most states. What separates the best agencies from average ones in New York comes down to factors beyond basic compliance. (See also: choosing an agency.)

• Medical oversight — the one thing the CPSA does not mandate at the agency level. New York law requires ASRM and ACOG screening guidelines be followed, but it doesn’t require that the agency itself employ physicians. Most agencies coordinate with the IVF clinic for all medical decisions. Only one agency in the country — Physician’s Surrogacy — has in-house OB/GYNs managing the surrogacy program directly.
• NYC clinic relationships. New York City’s fertility clinic network — RMA of New York, NYU Langone Fertility, Weill Cornell Reproductive Medicine, CCRM-NY — is among the deepest in the world. Agencies with established relationships at these clinics can move faster and coordinate more smoothly.
• LGBTQ+ experience in NYC’s specific legal context. New York City and the surrounding metro area have one of the highest concentrations of LGBTQ+ intended parents in the country. Agencies with dedicated expertise in LGBTQ+ parentage under the CPSA — particularly for unmarried couples and international parents — are meaningfully better positioned to serve this community.
• CPSA-specific legal infrastructure. The CPSA’s requirements go beyond most state surrogacy laws. Agencies that have handled hundreds of New York journeys under this statute understand the fine print — estate planning requirements, the NYC birth record exception, the five-borough nuance — in ways newer entrants do not.
• Matching speed and pricing transparency. New York’s surrogate pool has grown steadily since 2021, but demand from intended parents remains high. Agencies with strong recruitment, pre-screening programs, and transparent pricing models help intended parents plan realistic timelines and budgets.

How We Evaluated These Agencies

We evaluated these six agencies on criteria specific to the New York intended parent experience — not just national agency metrics. Here are the six factors we weighed.

The Question Every New York Intended Parent Should Ask

New York’s CPSA has set the highest legal bar for surrogacy protection in the country. Every surrogate working with a licensed NY agency gets independent legal counsel, mandatory escrow, comprehensive health and life insurance, and the right to make her own healthcare decisions — by law. That floor does not exist in Florida, Texas, or most other states.

What the CPSA does not require is physician oversight at the agency level. It requires compliance with ASRM and ACOG screening guidelines — but a coordinator working with an IVF clinic can follow those guidelines without a physician on staff.

The gap between legal compliance and clinical excellence is exactly where Physician’s Surrogacy sits above every other agency serving New York intended parents.

If you are asking which of the best surrogacy agencies in New York delivers both the legal protections the CPSA demands and medical oversight no other agency provides, explore our program before making a decision — no commitment required.

Frequently Asked Questions

Julianna Nikolic

Chief Strategy Officer Julianna Nikolic leads strategic initiatives, focusing on growth, innovation, and patient-centered solutions in the reproductive sciences sector. With 26+ years of management experience and a strong entrepreneurial background, she brings deep expertise to advancing reproductive healthcare.