Do You Qualify to Become
a Surrogate in Florida?

Almost every woman who contacts us opens with the same question: do I even qualify? This page answers it honestly. Below are the requirements we apply, the medical history that gets a closer look, the things that are genuinely disqualifying, and what the screening process actually involves. Requirements exist for one reason — a healthy pregnancy for you and for the baby you carry — and Florida's fertility clinics apply their own standards on top of ours.

The Basic Florida Surrogate Requirements

• Age 21 to 40 — occasionally a year or two older, particularly with a recent uncomplicated delivery. Florida law sets a statutory floor of 18; clinics and ASRM guidance put the practical range higher.
• At least one prior pregnancy and delivery with no major complications, and you are currently raising a child of your own.
• No more than five prior deliveries and no more than two to three prior cesarean sections.
• BMI of 32 or less — some Florida clinics will accept up to 34–35 depending on overall health.
• Non-smoker, nicotine-free, no recreational drug use, no alcohol abuse, and a smoke-free household.
• Not currently taking antidepressant or anti-anxiety medication, and no history of diagnosed postpartum depression that remains untreated.
• Stable home environment with reliable transportation to clinic and OB appointments.
• U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident.
• No felony convictions — for you or for any adult living in your home.
• Not currently receiving cash public assistance, and willing to carry surrogacy-appropriate health coverage rather than Medicaid.

Requirements Explained — Why Each One Exists

Age. Under 21, pregnancy outcomes and informed-consent considerations push clinics to decline. Over 40, obstetric risk rises measurably — gestational diabetes, hypertensive disorders, and placental complications — so most reproductive endocrinologists cap gestational carriers around 40 to 42.

Prior delivery. This is the single most important requirement. Carrying a pregnancy to term proves your body can do it, gives the clinic real obstetric data, and — just as importantly — means you already know what pregnancy, labor, and postpartum feel like before you agree to do it for someone else.

Cesarean count. Each cesarean adds scar tissue and raises the risk of placenta accreta and uterine rupture. Two prior C-sections are routine; a third gets reviewed carefully with your operative reports; a fourth is generally declined.

BMI. Elevated BMI increases the risk of gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, cesarean delivery, and anesthesia complications, and it also lowers embryo transfer success. The number is not a judgment — it is the threshold your clinic will apply, and it is the one requirement candidates most often meet with a few months of preparation.

Mental health medication. Many SSRIs and anxiolytics are not recommended during pregnancy, and abruptly stopping them for a surrogacy is not safe or fair to you. A past episode that was treated and resolved is discussed with the psychologist and is often fine; current daily use is generally disqualifying for this journey.

Background and household. Intended parents are entrusting a pregnancy to you. Criminal background checks cover you and adults in your home, and a home assessment confirms a stable, safe environment.

Pregnancy History We Look at Closely

Some history requires records review rather than an automatic yes or no. Bring details on any of the following and we will get you a straight answer quickly:

• Preeclampsia or gestational hypertension in a prior pregnancy
• Gestational diabetes — diet-controlled is often acceptable; insulin-dependent generally is not
• Preterm delivery before 37 weeks, and especially before 34 weeks
• Postpartum hemorrhage, retained placenta, or manual removal
• Placenta previa or accreta
• Cervical procedures (LEEP, cerclage) or a history of cervical insufficiency
• Fibroids, endometriosis, prior uterine surgery, or a septate uterus
• Two or more prior miscarriages
• Bariatric surgery — usually acceptable once weight has been stable for 12–24 months
• Autoimmune conditions, thyroid disease, or clotting disorders
• Tubal ligation or an IUD — neither prevents you from being a gestational surrogate

What Is Actually Disqualifying

• Never having been pregnant and delivered
• Four or more prior cesarean deliveries
• Current smoking, vaping nicotine, or drug use
• Current daily antidepressant or anti-anxiety medication
• Untreated significant mental health condition or recent psychiatric hospitalization
• Insulin-dependent diabetes, uncontrolled hypertension, or active cancer treatment
• HIV, active hepatitis B or C
• A felony conviction, or an unresolved child-protective services history
• Being unable to obtain appropriate health insurance for the pregnancy

A "no" for this journey is not always a "no" forever. Weight, medication, and time since a recent delivery all change. If you are close, we will tell you exactly what would need to be different.

Insurance: Why We Never Use Medicaid

You do not need to have surrogacy-friendly insurance to apply. If your policy excludes surrogacy — most do — the intended parents purchase an appropriate maternity policy for you. What we will never do is bill a surrogate pregnancy to Medicaid. Medicaid is means-tested coverage that is not intended for a compensated arrangement, and using it can create reimbursement claims against you personally. Full explanation in our surrogacy health insurance guide.

What the Screening Process Involves

1. Questionnaire (2 minutes). Basic eligibility. You hear back from Candace personally.
2. Full application and records release. We request your OB records and delivery summaries.
3. Medical review and clinic clearance. Bloodwork, infectious disease panel, a saline sonogram or mock cycle, and a physician's clearance letter.
4. Psychological evaluation. A licensed mental health professional interviews you — and typically your partner — and administers standard inventories. This protects you.
5. Background and home assessment. Criminal, driving, and financial checks for you and adults in your household.
6. Matching. Founder-led, no databases and no auto-matching. You see profiles and you decide.
7. Independent legal counsel. Your own attorney, chosen by you, paid for by the intended parents.

Screening usually takes six to ten weeks. Every candidate is reviewed personally by our founder — nothing here is automated.

Requirements FAQ

Keep Reading

• How to become a surrogate in Florida
• Surrogate pay in Florida
• Support you receive as a Florida surrogate
• Surrogate FAQs