First-time surrogates in North Dakota earn $40,000–$55,000 base compensation plus monthly allowances. See full breakdown below.
| Base Compensation | $40,000 – $55,000 |
| Monthly Allowance | $3,000 – $6,000 |
| Maternity Clothing | $1,000 – $2,000 |
| Lost Wages | $3,000 – $10,000 |
| Total Potential | $47,000 – $73,000 |
| Base Compensation | $50,000 – $70,000 |
| Monthly Allowance | $3,000 – $6,000 |
| Maternity Clothing | $1,000 – $2,000 |
| Lost Wages | $3,000 – $10,000 |
| Total Potential | $57,000 – $88,000 |
North Dakota has a short but express statute. N.D. Cent. Code §14-18-08 provides that a child born to a gestational carrier is the child of the intended parents, and that the carrier and her husband are not parents. Compensation is permitted and unregulated — no cap and no statutory limit on base pay — and pregnancy-related costs including labor and delivery are the intended parents' responsibility.
§14-18-05 makes any agreement in which a woman agrees to be inseminated and surrender the child — traditional surrogacy — void and unenforceable. In North Dakota this is not a technicality: it is the line between an enforceable arrangement and no contract at all. Confirm in writing that your arrangement is gestational and that you are contributing no eggs.
Declaratory judgments naming both intended parents are readily obtained where at least one intended parent is genetically related, generally without a hearing, though availability is county-dependent. Where neither intended parent is genetically related, availability is unclear.
Chapter 14-18 sets no minimum age, prior-birth requirement, residency rule, mandated evaluation, insurance requirement or required contract terms. It does not require independent counsel or say who pays, and it contains no medical-autonomy protection or right to withdraw. Agency criteria here are policy, not law.
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 for gestational surrogacy, which North Dakota law expressly recognizes, with compensation unregulated. Traditional surrogacy, using your own egg, is void and unenforceable in North Dakota.
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 North Dakota-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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