Is Surrogacy Legal in Australia?
Altruistic surrogacy is legal across Australia. Commercial surrogacy, which involves payment of a fee to the surrogate, is illegal.
Sarah Jefford is a surrogate and a surrogacy lawyer, practising across Australia and assisting surrogates and intended parents with their surrogacy arrangement.
If you are new to surrogacy, you can read about how to find a surrogate, or how to become a surrogate yourself. You can also download the free Surrogacy Handbook which explains the processes and options.
Sarah has published a book, More Than Just a Baby: A Guide to Surrogacy for Intended Parents and Surrogates, the only guide to surrogacy in Australia.
Both gestational and traditional surrogacy are legal in Australia. Gestational surrogacy is where the child is not biologically related to the surrogate mother, whilst traditional surrogacy is where the surrogate is also the biological mother of the child she is carrying. Traditional surrogacy is less common, and is not legal in the ACT.
Each State have their own surrogacy laws, which you can read about here. The Northern Territory does not currently have any surrogacy laws.
Do I qualify for surrogacy in Australia?
Before you search for a surrogate, you should find out if you qualify for surrogacy in Australia. You need to have a medical or social need to pursue surrogacy.
How do I find a surrogate in Australia?
It is illegal to advertise for a surrogate or to be a surrogate in several States in Australia. Some people are lucky enough to have a family member or friend offer to be their surrogate, whilst others find someone online. There are a number of forums and groups established for the surrogacy community. You can read more about finding a surrogate here. You can also follow the steps in We Need a Surrogate: What’s Next?
What’s the process for surrogacy in Australia?
Surrogacy arrangements involve counselling and legal advice for all the parties. You can read more about the process here.
I’m thinking about being a surrogate. What do I need to know?
There are some requirements for someone to become a surrogate, mostly to do with her age and whether she has had a child before. You can book in for a free initial consult with me to explore the options and processes and find out if surrogacy is right for you.
You can find more information in the free Surrogacy Handbook, reading articles in the Blog, by listening to more episodes of the Podcast. You can also book in for a consult with me below.
Hi! I’m Sarah Jefford (she/her). I’m a family creation lawyer, practising in surrogacy and donor conception arrangements. I’m an IVF mum, an egg donor and a traditional surrogate, and I delivered a baby for two dads in 2018
I advocate for positive, best practice surrogacy arrangements within Australia, and provide support and education to help intended parents make informed decisions when pursuing overseas surrogacy.
