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

When New York intended parents search for the best surrogacy agencies in New York, they face a question no other state forces in quite the same way: is the agency licensed by the Department of Health?

The Child-Parent Security Act, which took effect February 15, 2021, made New York the first and only state to require surrogacy matching programs to hold a DOH license. Every agency matching surrogates who reside or deliver in New York must meet mandatory screening, escrow, and informed-consent standards — or it is operating illegally.

That baseline is higher than most states.

What separates the best agencies from the rest comes down to what’s above it: physician oversight, match speed, pricing transparency, and NYC clinic familiarity.

This guide covers six agencies. The only one without a NY DOH license is Physician’s Surrogacy, which serves NY intended parents with out-of-state surrogates through a fully compliant structure.

6 Best Surrogacy Agencies in New York for Intended Parents

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)

Here is the question NY intended parents should actually ask: does your agency employ a physician — or does it hand all medical decisions to the IVF clinic?

Every DOH-licensed agency on this list does the latter. They comply with ASRM and ACOG screening guidelines, which the CPSA requires — but a coordinator working alongside a fertility clinic follows those guidelines without any physician on the agency’s payroll. Compliance is not the same as clinical oversight.

Physician’s Surrogacy is different. Board-certified OB/GYNs employed by the agency design the screening protocol, monitor clinical communications after every appointment, and consult peer-to-peer with a surrogate’s managing OB when complications arise. That capability does not exist at any other agency serving New York intended parents.

The trade-off is straightforward: Physician’s Surrogacy does not hold a New York State DOH surrogacy license, so it cannot match surrogates who live or deliver in New York. Instead, NY intended parents are matched with pre-screened surrogates from California, Texas, Florida, and other surrogacy-friendly states.

In practice, this is often an advantage. California and Nevada offer pre-birth orders with no genetic connection requirement and no mandatory residency hearing — legal protections that are simpler to execute than New York’s own parentage process. Your CPSA rights as an intended parent remain intact regardless of where your surrogate lives.

For Intended Parents

• Fixed and Flat pricing starting at $145,000 (Surrogacy Flat Rate) — no agency fees until a match is confirmed. All quotations are Fixed and Flat with no hidden costs.
• Physician Plus program at $193,000 provides priority matching in 0–2 weeks, priority medical screening in 4–8 weeks, and a dedicated Medical Director managing FET coordination.
• Average match time of approximately 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 — produced by 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. No other agency on this list can provide these in-house.
• 24/7 multilingual coordinator access with WeChat support — valuable for New York City’s large international intended parent population.

One limitation worth noting: surrogates are matched from other states, so prenatal care and delivery happen in the surrogate’s home state rather than a New York City hospital. If you want your child born at an NYC facility specifically, a DOH-licensed agency with a NY-based surrogate pool may be a better fit.

Physician’s Surrogacy focuses exclusively on gestational surrogacy and does not offer egg donation within the same program.

Best For: New York intended parents who want in-house physician oversight, a preterm delivery rate 50% below the national average, and a match in approximately one week. A strong fit for parents who want their surrogate in a state with simpler pre-birth order requirements, or who cannot afford a 6–12 month wait.

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 is 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. It was among the first agencies to obtain a New York State DOH license when the CPSA took effect and has maintained deep relationships with New York City’s top IVF clinics.

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 compensation, legal work, and key insurance — including unlimited embryo transfers.
• 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 CPSA 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. Surrogate compensation reaches approximately $70,000+ total when all benefits are included.

Best For: NYC and tri-state area intended parents who want a fully licensed agency with in-house legal expertise, a three-decade track record, and 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 was present in news coverage the day compensated surrogacy became legal — the agency had been advocating for the CPSA and was positioned to operate 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 NY intended parents, this means smoother IVF coordination than agencies newer to the market.

For Intended Parents

• Licensed in New York and CPSA-compliant from day one, 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 alongside standard logistics.
• Combined egg donation and surrogacy available in a single program — a meaningful advantage for intended parents who need both services.

ConceiveAbilities is a non-medical agency; clinical oversight comes through the intended parents’ fertility clinic. Matching speed runs approximately 2–6 months, and total IP costs are among the higher end on this list.

Best For: New York intended parents who want combined egg donation and surrogacy with strong NYC clinic relationships and an all-inclusive fixed-fee program.

4. Hatch Fertility (Licensed — Serves New York)

Hatch Fertility was founded in 1991 and received its New York 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.

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 covers 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.

Physician oversight at Hatch comes through a clinic partnership rather than agency-employed physicians. The broad cost range reflects the variability of combined egg donation and surrogacy journeys.

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 DOH license and maintains a satellite office at 745 5th Avenue in Manhattan. The agency was founded by Eloise Drane.

The team is known for building close, personal relationships with surrogates across multi-journey partnerships. 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.
• 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 consistent care quality.
• Full-service support from matching through birth, with financial planning options to help manage journey costs.

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

Best For: LGBTQ+ intended parents in the NYC area who want an inclusivity-first agency with a physical Manhattan presence 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 New York State DOH surrogacy license in January 2026. The agency now maintains satellite offices in Brooklyn, Lake Success, New Rochelle, and Midtown Manhattan.

American Surrogacy offers three flexible program tiers — a structural distinction among the agencies on this list, most of which 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.
• Dedicated case specialist assigned to every intended parent 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 means it can now match NY-resident surrogates directly. The trade-off: the agency has less CPSA-specific operational history than competitors licensed in 2021 or 2022.

Best For: New York intended parents who want tiered program flexibility, faster-than-average matching, 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 February 15, 2021. In 2025, Governor Hochul signed S.819, making additional amendments to surrogacy agreement requirements and insurance provisions. See also: surrogacy laws by state.

• Agency licensing is mandatory. Any matching program working with surrogates who reside in New York or 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 that requires this.
• The Surrogate’s Bill of Rights is enforceable by law. NY law guarantees surrogates independent legal counsel (paid by intended parents), full 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 mandatory independent escrow. Unlike most states where escrow is 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 for all family types. The CPSA allows intended parents to obtain a pre-birth order establishing legal parentage — available regardless of marital status, sexual orientation, or genetic connection to the embryo.
• Residency requirements apply. 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 NY resident for at least six months. International intended parents who do not meet these requirements cannot use the CPSA framework directly.
• 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: the NY DOH manages birth records for all counties in the state — but not for New York City’s five boroughs. The NYC Department of Health maintains those records separately. Your attorney needs to know this 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 from average comes down to factors beyond basic compliance. (See also: choosing a surrogacy 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 does not require the agency itself to 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 move faster and coordinate more smoothly.
• LGBTQ+ experience in NYC’s specific legal context. New York City has one of the highest concentrations of LGBTQ+ intended parents in the country. Agencies with dedicated expertise in LGBTQ+ parentage under the CPSA are 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 — in ways newer entrants do not.
• Matching speed and pricing transparency. New York’s surrogate pool has grown steadily since 2021, but demand remains high. Agencies with strong pre-screening programs and transparent pricing 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.

What Every New York Intended Parent Should Ask Before Signing

New York’s CPSA sets the highest legal bar for surrogacy protection in the country. Every surrogate working with a licensed NY agency gets independent legal counsel, mandatory escrow, full health and life insurance, and the right to make her own healthcare decisions — by law. That floor does not exist in 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 single physician on staff.

Gestational surrogacy is one of the most medically sophisticated ways a family can be built — and one of the most human. The gap between legal compliance and clinical excellence is exactly where Physician’s Surrogacy sits above every other agency serving New York intended parents.

Before choosing any agency, review the agency red flags that matter most for intended parents — then see which program is the right fit for your family.

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.