Is surrogacy legal in the Netherlands?

Altruistic only

Altruistic surrogacy is legal in the Netherlands, but commercial surrogacy is illegal.

The Netherlands is one of 15 countries classified “Altruistic only” for surrogacy — 34% of the 44 with data.

Source

Taken from
Wikipedia: Surrogacy laws by country
Last checked
7 July 2026
How it was classified
Classified by a language model from the source text, then checked against hand-verified reference countries.

Nearby countries

Belgium
Altruistic only Belgium allows only altruistic surrogacy, where intended parents pay only for related expenses, though there is no legal framework for the process.
Germany
Banned Germany prohibits all surrogacy arrangements, both commercial and altruistic.
France
Banned France declares all surrogacy arrangements void under the Civil Code since 1994.
United Kingdom
Altruistic only Altruistic surrogacy is legal in the UK, but commercial arrangements are prohibited under the Surrogacy Arrangements Act 1985.
Switzerland
Banned Switzerland bans surrogacy, with penalties for clinicians and those arranging it, though surrogate mothers are still legal parents.
Czech Republic
Unregulated Czech Republic does not legally regulate surrogacy, though it's generally considered legal.

Other laws in Netherlands

Abortion
Legal on request
Euthanasia
Euthanasia legal
Suicide Laws
Not a crime
FGM Laws
Specifically banned
Organ Donor Consent
Opt-out (presumed consent)

Every law in the Netherlands → · Where is surrogacy legal? →

A visual reference compiled from Wikipedia’s law-by-country articles, not legal advice. Laws change and summaries simplify — check a primary source before relying on anything here.