First-time surrogates in Maryland earn $50,000–$65,000 base compensation plus monthly allowances. See full breakdown below.
| Base Compensation | $50,000 – $65,000 |
| Monthly Allowance | $3,000 – $6,000 |
| Maternity Clothing | $1,000 – $2,000 |
| Lost Wages | $3,000 – $10,000 |
| Total Potential | $57,000 – $83,000 |
| Base Compensation | $60,000 – $80,000 |
| Monthly Allowance | $3,000 – $6,000 |
| Maternity Clothing | $1,000 – $2,000 |
| Lost Wages | $3,000 – $10,000 |
| Total Potential | $67,000 – $98,000 |
Maryland has no surrogacy statute. The governing authority is In re Roberto d.B. (2007), in which Maryland's highest court held that a trial court erred in refusing to let a gestational carrier remove her name as “mother” from the birth certificate — an implicit endorsement of gestational surrogacy. The court expressly left surrogacy policy to the legislature, which has not acted since.
A 2000 Maryland Attorney General opinion concluded that compensated traditional surrogacy conflicts with Maryland adoption law, which bars payments beyond medical, legal and counseling expenses. That opinion is directed at traditional surrogacy, where the carrier uses her own egg. Compensated gestational surrogacy is practised in Maryland without an equivalent restriction — but no statute affirmatively authorises it either.
Pre-birth orders are granted and both intended parents can be named regardless of genetic connection or marital status, including same-sex couples, usually without a hearing. Approval nonetheless varies by jurisdiction, and motions to waive venue are received inconsistently. Second-parent adoption is the usual fallback.
Maryland imposes no statutory eligibility rules on surrogates, does not require you to have independent counsel, does not allocate who pays for it, and provides no statutory medical autonomy or right to withdraw before transfer.
Source: In re Roberto d.B., 399 Md. 267 (2007); Maryland Attorney General Opinion (2000).
The criteria below are agency screening standards, not state law. No statute here sets a minimum age, requires a prior birth, or mandates medical or psychological evaluation. Agencies apply these criteria (largely from ASRM practice guidance) and they determine whether your application proceeds — but they are policy, and some are negotiable.
Final eligibility is determined by the agency's medical team.
Complete application in 10–15 minutes. Agency contacts you within 48 hours.
Physical exam, bloodwork, and uterine evaluation — paid for by the agency.
Review profiles and meet potential intended parents. You always have the right to say no.
Surrogacy agreement reviewed by your own attorney, funded by the agency.
Monthly compensation begins immediately after transfer. All medical costs covered.
Remaining compensation disbursed around delivery. Post-delivery allowances continue up to 6 weeks.
Yes. Maryland has no surrogacy statute, but its highest court has implicitly approved gestational surrogacy. Compensated traditional surrogacy conflicts with Maryland adoption law.
Typically yes. Most agencies require you to live in the state where you carry the pregnancy, as medical care and legal jurisdiction are state-specific.
Base compensation is generally taxable at the federal level. Expense reimbursements (travel, maternity clothes) are typically not taxable. Consult a tax professional for Maryland-specific guidance.
18–24 months from application to delivery: matching (1–6 months), medical screening, legal review, and the full pregnancy term.
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