Other paths in Washington:
AT A GLANCE
Dense — Access to sperm and egg banks nationwide; many WA-licensed clinics offer donor services
Dense — Known donor arrangements can be coordinated through any WA-licensed clinic or privately
4–8 weeks
Selection to procedure; known donor agreements require 2–4 weeks legal review
Donors have no parental rights; intended parents are full legal parents
RCW 26.26A.605 and RCW 26.26A.810–.820 protect all family configurations
Donor conception means using sperm, eggs, or embryos from a person who is not an intended parent to conceive. It is a common path for solo parents, same-sex couples, and partners where one or both cannot or choose not to use their own sperm or eggs. Washington has strong, clear legal protections for all family configurations.
Source: ASRM Guidelines on Third-Party Reproduction; RCW 26.26A
For sperm donation via IUI, the process is straightforward and relatively low-cost.
The sperm sample is prepared and placed into the uterus at the time of ovulation. This is a common pathway for solo parents and same-sex couples.
For sperm or egg donation via IVF, the process follows standard IVF protocol.
Egg donors undergo stimulation and retrieval; recipients undergo a frozen or fresh embryo transfer. This pathway is used when one partner has egg or sperm factors, or when both partners are non-gestational.
For embryo donation, recipients prepare their uterine lining (a shorter, simpler preparation than IVF) and undergo a frozen embryo transfer.
This is often lower-cost than pursuing donor eggs or sperm separately.
Known donation requires both medical evaluation and a written legal agreement before any clinical steps begin.
A WA reproductive attorney must draft the agreement and ensure all parties understand donor status and parental rights.
Washington law is clear: donors have no parental rights, and intended parents are legal parents regardless of genetic connection. Consult a WA-licensed reproductive attorney before any known donor arrangement. Anonymous bank donations through a licensed clinic carry built-in legal protections.
Source: RCW 26.26A.605; RCW 26.26A.610–.615
Under RCW 26.
26A.605, a person who donates sperm or eggs through assisted reproduction is not a parent of any resulting child. This applies whether the donor is anonymous or known — as long as the arrangement is documented or conducted through a licensed clinical process. This is a foundational protection for all parties.
Under RCW 26.
26A.610–.615, a person who consents in writing to assisted reproduction with the intent to be a parent is a legal parent of the resulting child, regardless of genetic connection. This expressly covers solo parents using donor sperm, same-sex couples, and non-gestational partners. This is one of Washington's strongest family law protections.
A written legal agreement with a known donor — drafted by a WA reproductive attorney and signed before any medical procedure — documents the donor's relinquishment of parental rights, the intended parent's full parental status, financial responsibilities, and any agreed terms around future contact.
This agreement is strongly recommended even when the donor relationship is close and trusting.
Washington requires all fertility clinics and sperm or egg banks licensed in Washington to collect each donor's identifying information and full medical history at the time of donation.
When a donor-conceived person turns 18, they can request that identifying information — unless the donor has specifically declined disclosure. Non-identifying medical history is available at any age on request.
Costs for donor conception vary significantly by type. Donor sperm via IUI is the most accessible ($1,500–$4,000 per cycle). Fresh donor egg cycles are more expensive ($30,000–$55,000 all-in). Washington's 2026 EHB expansion covers IUI for small group plans. HSA and FSA funds can be used for donor conception medical expenses.
Source: WA HCA benchmark update; IRS Publication 502
If you are using donor sperm in an IUI cycle and you are on a small group plan (typically a company with fewer than 50 employees), the cycle should now be covered under the 2026 EHB expansion.
However, some plans that cover IUI may have exclusions for donor gametes — ask your HR specifically: Does our plan cover IUI with donor sperm?
Donor egg IVF cycles are not mandated by Washington law as of March 2026.
Coverage depends entirely on your employer's plan choice. If your plan does cover fertility treatment, verify whether donor eggs are included.
HSA and FSA funds can generally be used for donor conception medical expenses.
The cost of purchasing donor sperm or eggs is typically eligible. Verify at IRS Publication 502 to confirm eligibility for your specific expenses.
Leave for donor conception procedures depends on your role. Egg donors may qualify for WA PFML medical leave during recovery from retrieval. Recipients typically do not need extended leave for embryo transfer. Once a child is born, all parents are entitled to WA PFML bonding leave: up to 12 weeks per eligible parent (up to 18 weeks for birthing parents).
Source: paidleave.wa.gov; RCW 50A.05
If you are donating eggs, you may qualify for WA PFML medical leave during recovery from retrieval.
Egg retrieval is a surgical procedure under light sedation. Your care team can provide the medical documentation needed to support a medical leave request.
As a recipient undergoing embryo transfer, the procedure itself is brief and typically does not require extended leave.
However, monitoring appointments throughout a cycle may require flexible scheduling. Talk with your HR department about your needs early in your treatment cycle.
Once a child is born, all parents — regardless of how the child was conceived — are entitled to WA PFML bonding leave.
Birthing parents get up to 18 weeks combined medical and bonding leave. Each parent has their own independent entitlement of up to 12 weeks of bonding leave within the first 12 months.
Donor conception raises emotional questions that extend well beyond the clinical process. For intended parents: questions about genetic asymmetry and when/how to tell your child. For donor-conceived people: research supports early, age-appropriate disclosure. Many families find that making it simply a part of the family story works well.
Source: We Are Donor Conceived; Donor Sibling Registry
For intended parents: How do you feel about the genetic asymmetry in your family, if one parent is genetically related and one is not?
When and how will you tell your child about their conception? What relationship, if any, do you want them to have with the donor? These questions are worth exploring with a counselor before and during the process.
Research consistently supports telling donor-conceived children about their conception early, in age-appropriate ways.
Children who learn later — especially as teenagers or adults — tend to have more complicated feelings about the disclosure than those who always knew. Many families find that making it simply a part of the family story, not a revelation, works well.
The Donor Sibling Registry is a community where donor-conceived people, their parents, and donors can connect with genetic relatives.
We Are Donor Conceived offers perspectives and community from donor-conceived people themselves. These communities help people navigate questions about identity and genetic history at their own pace.
Washington has one of the strongest donor identity-access laws in the country. Clinics licensed in Washington must collect and retain donor information, and donor-conceived people can request identifying information at age 18. However, there is no federal donor disclosure law, and out-of-state banks may not be subject to Washington's rules.
Source: RCW 26.26A.810–.820; leg.wa.gov
Washington requires all fertility clinics and sperm or egg banks licensed in Washington to collect and retain each donor's identifying information and medical history.
When a donor-conceived person turns 18, they can request that identifying information — unless the donor has specifically declined disclosure. Donors cannot opt out of sharing their medical history.
The U.
S. has no federal law requiring sperm banks or fertility clinics to disclose donor identities. Washington's state law is stronger than federal law in this area, but only applies to clinics licensed in Washington. If you use a bank or clinic based in another state, your donor-conceived child may not have the same legal rights to their donor's identity.
When selecting a sperm or egg bank, ask explicitly: Is your facility licensed in Washington State?
What is your donor disclosure policy? Do you participate in a donor-conceived identity registry? Getting these answers upfront ensures your child will have access to their genetic history.
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