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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>62248</law_id><section_number>20-162</section_number><catch_line>Contracts not approved by the court; requirements</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>20-158</reference><reference>20-159</reference><reference>20-163</reference><reference>32.1-261</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="20">Domestic Relations</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="9">Status of Children of Assisted Conception</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> In the case of any surrogacy agreement for which prior <span class="dictionary">court</span> approval has not been obtained pursuant to &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Petition and hearing for court approval of surrogacy contract; requirements; orders" href="/20-160/">20-160</a>, the provisions of this section and &#xA7;&#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Definitions" href="/20-156/">20-156</a> through <a class="law" title="Surrogacy contracts permissible" href="/20-159/">20-159</a> and &#xA7;&#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Miscellaneous provisions related to all surrogacy contracts" href="/20-163/">20-163</a> through <a class="law" title="Surrogate brokers prohibited; penalty; liability of surrogate brokers" href="/20-165/">20-165</a> shall apply. Any provision in a <span class="dictionary">surrogacy contract</span> that attempts to reduce the rights or responsibilities of the <span class="dictionary">intended parent</span>, the <span class="dictionary">surrogate</span>, or her spouse, if any, or the rights of any resulting child shall be reformed to include the requirements set forth in this chapter. A provision in the contract providing for <span class="dictionary">compensation</span> to be paid to the <span class="dictionary">surrogate</span> is void and unenforceable. Such <span class="dictionary">surrogacy contracts</span> shall be enforceable and shall be construed only as follows: <a id="paragraph-226986" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/20-162/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> The <span class="dictionary">surrogate</span>, her spouse, if any, and the <span class="dictionary">intended parent</span> shall be parties to any such <span class="dictionary">surrogacy contract</span>. <a id="paragraph-226987" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/20-162/#A1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> The contract shall be in writing, signed by all the parties, and acknowledged before an officer or other person authorized by <span class="dictionary">law</span> to take acknowledgments. <a id="paragraph-226988" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/20-162/#A2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A3" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> Upon expiration of three days following birth of any resulting child, the <span class="dictionary">surrogate</span> may relinquish her parental rights to the <span class="dictionary">intended parent</span>, if at least one <span class="dictionary">intended parent</span> is the <span class="dictionary">genetic parent</span> of the child, or the <span class="dictionary">embryo</span> was subject to the <span class="dictionary">legal or contractual custody</span> of such <span class="dictionary">intended parent</span>, by signing a <span class="dictionary">surrogate</span> consent and report form naming the <span class="dictionary">intended parent</span> as the parent of the child. The <span class="dictionary">surrogate</span> consent and report form shall be developed, furnished, and distributed by the State Registrar of Vital Records. The <span class="dictionary">surrogate</span> consent and report form shall be signed and acknowledged before an officer or other person authorized by <span class="dictionary">law</span> to take acknowledgments. The <span class="dictionary">surrogate</span> consent and report form, a copy of the contract, and a statement from the physician who performed the <span class="dictionary">assisted conception</span> stating either the genetic relationships between the child, the <span class="dictionary">surrogate</span>, and at least one <span class="dictionary">intended parent</span>, or proof of the <span class="dictionary">legal or contractual custody</span> of the <span class="dictionary">embryo</span>, shall be filed with the State Registrar within 180 days after the birth. The statement from the physician shall be signed and acknowledged before an officer or other person authorized by <span class="dictionary">law</span> to take acknowledgments. There shall be a rebuttable <span class="dictionary">presumption</span> that the statement from the physician accurately states the genetic relationships among the child, the <span class="dictionary">surrogate</span>, and the <span class="dictionary">intended parent</span>. Where a physician&#x2019;s statement is not available and at least one <span class="dictionary">intended parent</span> is a <span class="dictionary">genetic parent</span>, DNA testing establishing the genetic relationships between the child, the <span class="dictionary">surrogate</span>, and the <span class="dictionary">intended parent</span> may be substituted for the physician&#x2019;s statement. <a id="paragraph-226989" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/20-162/#A3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A4" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">4.</span> Upon the filing of the <span class="dictionary">surrogate</span> consent and report form and the required <span class="dictionary">attachments</span>, including the physician&#x2019;s statement, DNA testing establishing the genetic relationships between the child, the <span class="dictionary">surrogate</span>, and the <span class="dictionary">intended parent</span>, or proof of the <span class="dictionary">legal or contractual custody</span> of the <span class="dictionary">embryo</span>, within 180 days of the birth, a new birth certificate shall be established by the State Registrar for the child naming the <span class="dictionary">intended parent</span> as the parent of the child as provided in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="New certificate of birth established on proof of adoption, legitimation, or determination of paternity, or change of sex" href="/32.1-261/">32.1-261</a>. <a id="paragraph-226990" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/20-162/#A4"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> Any contract governed by the provisions of this section shall include or, in the event such provisions are not explicitly covered in the contract or are included but are inconsistent with this section, shall be deemed to include the following provisions: <a id="paragraph-226991" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/20-162/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> The <span class="dictionary">intended parent</span> shall be the parent of any resulting child when the <span class="dictionary">surrogate</span> relinquishes her parental rights as provided in subdivision A 3 and a new birth certificate is established as provided in subdivision A 4 of this section and &#xA7; <a class="law" title="New certificate of birth established on proof of adoption, legitimation, or determination of paternity, or change of sex" href="/32.1-261/">32.1-261</a>, unless parentage is instead established through Chapter 3.1 (&#xA7; <a class="law" title="How parent and child relationship established" href="/20-49.1/">20-49.1</a> et seq.); <a id="paragraph-226992" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/20-162/#B1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> Incorporation of this chapter and a statement by each of the parties that they have read and understood the contract, they know and understand their rights and responsibilities under Virginia <span class="dictionary">law</span>, and the contract was entered into knowingly and voluntarily; and <a id="paragraph-226993" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/20-162/#B2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B3" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> A guarantee by the <span class="dictionary">intended parent</span> for payment of <span class="dictionary">reasonable medical and ancillary costs</span> either in the form of insurance, cash, escrow, <span class="dictionary">bonds</span>, or other arrangements satisfactory to the parties, including allocation of responsibility for such costs in the event of termination of the pregnancy, termination of the contract, or breach of the contract by any <span class="dictionary">party</span>. <a id="paragraph-226994" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/20-162/#B3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> Under any contract that does not include an allocation of responsibility for <span class="dictionary">reasonable medical and ancillary costs</span> in the event of termination of the pregnancy, termination of the contract, or breach of the contract by any <span class="dictionary">party</span>, the following provisions shall control: <a id="paragraph-226995" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/20-162/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> If the <span class="dictionary">intended parent</span> and the <span class="dictionary">surrogate</span> and her spouse, if any, and if such spouse is a <span class="dictionary">party</span> to the contract, consent in writing to termination of the contract, the <span class="dictionary">intended parent</span> is responsible for all <span class="dictionary">reasonable medical and ancillary costs</span> for a period of six weeks following the termination. <a id="paragraph-226996" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/20-162/#C1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> If the <span class="dictionary">surrogate</span> is a <span class="dictionary">genetic parent</span> and voluntarily terminates the contract during the pregnancy, without consent of the <span class="dictionary">intended parent</span>, the <span class="dictionary">intended parent</span> shall be responsible for one-half of the <span class="dictionary">reasonable medical and ancillary costs</span> incurred prior to the termination. <a id="paragraph-226997" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/20-162/#C2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C3" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> If, after the birth of any resulting child, the <span class="dictionary">surrogate</span> is also a <span class="dictionary">genetic parent</span> and fails to relinquish parental rights to the <span class="dictionary">intended parent</span> pursuant to the contract, the <span class="dictionary">intended parent</span> shall be responsible for one-half of the <span class="dictionary">reasonable medical and ancillary costs</span> incurred prior to the birth. <a id="paragraph-226998" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/20-162/#C3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1991, c. 600; 2000, c. 890; 2010, c. 712; 2019, c. 375.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
