Becoming a surrogate in California starts with a few clear requirements

If you have had a healthy pregnancy and you are thinking about carrying a baby for another family, two questions usually come first. Do I qualify, and what actually happens? This guide answers both, in the order things happen.

It is general information, not medical or legal advice. Your clinic's doctors make the medical decisions, and your own lawyer advises you on the agreement.

The basic requirements are clear

To apply as a surrogate with Poppy, you should:

• Be between 21 and 42 years old.
• Have carried at least one pregnancy to term without major complications.
• Not smoke or vape, and keep a smoke-free home.
• Have a body mass index within your clinic's range. Most clinics use a window of roughly 19 to 32.
• Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
• Be financially stable without government assistance such as Section 8 or cash aid. Medicaid for your own children is fine.
• Have support at home, from a partner, family or close friends who are on board.

You do not have to live in California. Our pre-screen is also open to surrogates in Arizona, Nevada, Texas and other states where surrogacy is well supported by law.

Clinics follow medical guidelines as well

Our pre-screen is the first step. The fertility clinic then decides whether you are medically ready to carry. Most clinics follow guidance from the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM). In general terms:

• ASRM recommends that a surrogate has had at least one uncomplicated pregnancy carried to term.
• Most clinics are cautious if you have had more than five deliveries, or more than three by C-section.
• Many clinics want some time to pass since your most recent birth, and often longer after a C-section. Your clinic sets the exact window.
• Most clinics ask that you have stopped breastfeeding before you start medications.

These are general guidelines. Each clinic applies them to your own history.

Some answers mean a conversation, not a no

A few answers end the pre-screen, because clinics will not move forward. These are being younger than 21 or older than 42, never having carried a pregnancy to term, smoking or vaping, and not being a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. If one of these applies to you, we are still grateful you looked into it.

Other answers are worth talking through. If your BMI is above the usual range, you receive certain government assistance, or your support at home is still coming together, leave your email. We will tell you what applies and reach out if things change.

Some topics come up later in screening and are reviewed one by one. Examples include a complication in a past pregnancy, such as preeclampsia or a preterm birth, certain medications and your mental health history. Be open about them. The doctors and counselors are there to keep you safe.

The steps follow a set order

Every surrogacy is different, and the times below are typical ranges, not promises. Many things can make a step faster or slower.

1. Pre-screen. A few minutes online. A real person on our team reads every answer and follows up with you.
2. Application and records. You complete your full profile and sign a release so your past pregnancy and delivery records can be requested. Records often take two to six weeks to arrive.
3. Background checks. Most programs run background checks on you and on any adult partner in your home.
4. Matching. You meet intended parents whose hopes line up with yours, usually by video first. Nobody is matched until both sides say yes. This can take a few weeks or a few months.
5. Medical and psychological screening. At the intended parents' clinic, you have bloodwork, infectious disease testing and an exam of your uterus. You also meet a licensed mental health professional. With results, this often takes four to eight weeks.
6. Legal agreement. Your lawyer and the parents' lawyer negotiate the surrogacy agreement. This usually takes four to eight weeks.
7. Medications and embryo transfer. You take medications for a few weeks to prepare your body. The transfer itself is a short procedure, and a pregnancy blood test follows about ten days later.
8. Pregnancy and delivery. Your fertility clinic monitors the early weeks, then you move to your own OB for the rest of the pregnancy.

From application to embryo transfer, many surrogates take about four to nine months. For a fuller picture, read The surrogacy process follows a clear timeline.

You never pay for the surrogacy

A surrogacy should never cost your household money. The intended parents pay for the costs that come with it, as your agreement sets out. These include:

• Medical screening, the psychological evaluation and background checks.
• Fertility medications, monitoring and the embryo transfer.
• Prenatal care, delivery and the hospital stay, including health insurance for the pregnancy if your current plan does not cover surrogacy.
• Travel to clinic visits that are not local.
• Your own lawyer.
• Counseling with a licensed mental health professional.

Lost wages, childcare and housekeeping are also covered when you need them for appointments, bed rest or recovery. Your agreement lists each item.

You have your own lawyer

California has detailed surrogacy law. Family Code sections 7960 to 7962 set the rules for surrogacy agreements. In general terms, the surrogate and the intended parents must each have a separate, independent lawyer. The agreement must be signed and notarized before medications or an embryo transfer begin.

Your lawyer represents only you. They explain every part of the agreement, negotiate on your behalf and answer your questions before you sign. The intended parents pay for your lawyer, and you do not share a lawyer with them.

The money sits in independent escrow

Before any medical step begins, the intended parents deposit funds into an independent escrow account. Your payments come from that account, not from the parents directly, and the agency does not hold them. California law requires surrogacy facilitators to direct client funds to an independent escrow company or an attorney trust account.

This protects you. You can confirm the money is there before you start medications.

Pay at Poppy starts at $65,000 plus benefits. For how base pay, the monthly allowance and benefits work, read Surrogate pay in California comes in clear, scheduled parts.

Support matters as much as the medical steps

Surrogacy takes more than a year of your life, and it touches your whole household. Talk with your partner and your children, in words that fit their ages. Think about who can help with school runs on appointment days and with meals after the birth.

You have one Poppy case lead from screening to recovery. We check in regularly during the pregnancy and stay in touch after delivery while you recover.

You can start with a short pre-screen

If you are 21 to 42 and have had at least one healthy, full-term pregnancy, you can start with our pre-screen. It takes a few minutes, and a real person on our team will follow up with you. To learn more about working with us first, visit Become a surrogate.

This article is general information. It is not medical or legal advice.