Shipments and Pickups

We ship frozen sperm samples all over the world. If you live outside the United States, please click here for information specific to international shipments.

Packaging Options

There are two methods of safely packaging frozen sperm in order to keep vials frozen and viable during transit: liquid nitrogen vapor tanks or dry ice. Dry Ice is used for local pickups only.

Liquid nitrogen vapor tanks

Liquid nitrogen is the substance used for cryogenic storage. It keeps matter frozen at almost 200 degrees below zero Celsius. Our liquid nitrogen vapor tanks (also known as dry shippers) contain liquid nitrogen that has been converted to vapor, so that the tanks are safe to ship. These tanks resemble large thermoses (about 18 inches tall x 8 inches in diameter). We guarantee that our liquid nitrogen vapor tanks will keep your semen samples frozen for seven days after you receive your order.

Dry ice

Dry ice keeps matter frozen at about 40 degrees below zero Celsius, but for a limited time period before evaporating. Due to the volatile nature of dry ice, we only use for local pickups and deliveries. We pack all dry ice samples in insulated boxes that hold approximately ten pounds of dry ice. We guarantee that our dry ice boxes will keep your semen samples frozen for twenty-four hours after you pick up your order. If you bring in your own cooler for a pick-up, your samples will remain frozen for twenty-four to forty-eight hours depending on the size of your cooler.

Our Recommendation

We recommend picking up your order in a liquid nitrogen vapor tank, rather than dry ice, as liquid nitrogen will keep your sample frozen and viable for a longer period of time. This allows you a greater degree of flexibility in the event that your ovulation is a day or two later than expected. If you don't ovulate in a given cycle, you can return samples that were packaged in liquid nitrogen tanks to our facility, and we'll store them for your use in a subsequent cycle. Storage fees are due on vials that have not been retrieved within three months of return.

Shipments

We ship orders Monday through Friday via Federal Express. Two-day tank shipments usually arrive by 4:30 pm Monday through Saturday. Overnight tank shipments usually arrive by 10:30 am Monday through Friday and by 1:30 pm on Saturday (shipments to rural locations may arrive later in the day). Please be aware that Federal Express does not deliver to rural locations on Saturdays and makes no deliveries on Sundays. When you place your order, we can check to determine whether or not Federal Express offers Saturday delivery to your town. Orders shipping outside the continental United States may be in transit for longer than two days.

For orders shipped in a liquid nitrogen vapor tank, we ask that you place your order 7 to 10 days prior to your desired ship date (many women call to set up their shipment on the first day of their menstrual cycle). We have a limited supply of tanks, and cannot always guarantee tank availability.

Pick-ups

If you are a local recipient, you can arrange to pick up your order from our office during business hours. Please call to schedule an appointment no later than the day before you wish to make your pick-up. We'll ask you whether you're picking up in dry ice or in a liquid nitrogen vapor tank. If you're picking up in ice, bring a cooler large enough to hold at least a six-pack of soda, or let us know that you'd like to purchase one of our insulated boxes. There is a fee for filling your cooler with dry ice and a fee for renting liquid nitrogen vapor tanks by the day.

International Shipping

We are happy to assist you with your order, but we ask that you first determine whether your country has specific restrictions on the importation of human semen. As an international recipient, you will be responsible for obtaining any necessary permits, clearing your shipment from customs, and paying all taxes and duties that may be required. If you would like to place an international order, please:

Determine the restrictions on and requirements for importing human semen into your country (we have listed some of the restrictions we know of below). When you contact the customs officials in your country, let them know that you would like to import non-infectious human semen, which will be shipped in a liquid nitrogen vapor tank. The customs office may also be able to provide you with a 'customs code' that could expedite the shipment's passage through customs.

Complete the registration process.

Select several donors and contact us to confirm availability and to purchase vials. You can purchase a maximum of eight vials per shipment.

Schedule your shipment by phone. The cost of shipping varies from country to country. (Shipping to most European countries costs approximately $750.) Once you let us know the delivery address, we can determine the exact cost and timing of your shipment. International shipments may be in transit for longer than two days.

Our shipping fee covers the cost of delivering the sperm samples to you in a liquid nitrogen vapor tank and the return shipping of the tank. In some areas, there is a $1100 deposit, refundable upon return of the tank in good condition.

We must have a signed, completed Semen Order Form and International Shipping Agreement on hand at least two business days before the ship date.

Import Restrictions

We are not able to ship semen samples to Canada, because Health Canada has instituted strict regulations on semen screening that it is not tenable for most US sperm banks to follow. Therefore, we are only able to sell sperm to recipients in Canada if they can register with a US medical professional and cross the border to receive shipments and inseminate in the US.

We are not able to ship to England or to the Australian states of Victoria and New South Wales because of legislation in these areas requiring sperm donors to submit their names to a governmental registry. While we provide extensive medical and personal history on our donors, we will not compromise their anonymity by releasing their names to any other agency.

In 2007 the European Union implemented new regulations significantly limiting our ability to import sperm to women and couples in the EU. These regulations require individual clinics in Europe to approve importations from abroad. Currently we have been approved for importation by a clinic in Ireland. European recipients from other countries may wish to discuss importing sperm with their clinic. Any EU clinic wishing to import sperm from TSBC is welcome to Contact Us. We welcome the opportunity to serve European women and couples by partnering with European clinics.