Paternity tests, before or after the birth.
Order online. Test during pregnancy from 7 weeks, use a kit at home, or have a witnessed collection for court.
- Prenatal paternity testDuring pregnancy, from 7 weeks. Safe for the baby.Opening soon
- At-home paternity testSwab at home, mail it back, result by email.Opening soon
- Legal paternity testWitnessed collection for court, child support and custody.Opening soon
- Relationship testsWhen the father can't take part, or for siblings, grandparents and twins.
How a result reads
Example| Marker | Mother | Child | Possible father |
|---|---|---|---|
| D8S1179 | 1214 | 1314 | 1315 |
| D21S11 | 2830 | 3032.2 | 2932.2 |
| D7S820 | 911 | 910 | 1012 |
| CSF1PO | 1012 | 1112 | 1111 |
| D3S1358 | 1517 | 1516 | 1618 |
| TH01 | 69.3 | 79.3 | 78 |
| D13S317 | 1112 | 811 | 813 |
| D16S539 | 913 | 1213 | 1112 |
At every marker a child has two numbers: one from the mother and one from the biological father.
from the motherfrom the father
Here the man has the father's number at every marker, so the report would name him as the biological father. If he were not the father, the numbers would fail to match at several markers.
Which test do you need?
You're pregnant and need to know who the father is.
Prenatal paternity testYou want an answer for yourself, without involving a court.
At-home paternity testYou need proof for court, child support, custody or a birth certificate.
Legal paternity testThe possible father has died or won't take part.
Grandparent DNA testYou want to know whether two people share a father or a mother.
Sibling DNA testYou have twins and want to know whether they're identical.
Twin DNA test
How it works
Order online
Choose the test and tell us who is taking part.
Give the samples
Cheek swabs from a kit at home, or at a collection site near you for legal and prenatal tests.
The lab tests the DNA
An accredited laboratory compares the markers of everyone taking part.
Get the result
The report comes by email, to the people tested and anyone they name.
Guides
- Can a paternity test be wrong?Rarely, and most often because of a sample problem, such as a mix-up or contamination, or because the man tested is closely related to the real father. Identical twins are the one case a standard test can't settle.
- How do you get a court ordered paternity test?Ask the judge in your paternity, custody or support case, or your state's child support agency, to order genetic testing. If both parents agree to test, you don't need an order: a private legal test uses the same chain-of-custody collection.
- How long does a paternity test take to come back?Most labs report results 1 to 3 business days after the last sample reaches them. Mailing a home kit, booking a legal collection or testing during pregnancy adds time.
- How much is a paternity test?About $89 to $220 for a home test, $185 to $525 for a legal test with a witnessed collection, and $675 to $1,700 for a test during pregnancy. These are the starting prices US labs list online.
- How to do a home paternity testRub a swab inside each person's cheek, let the swabs dry, seal them in labeled envelopes and mail them to the lab. The lab compares the DNA and reports whether the man is the father.
- How to get a paternity testFirst decide whether you need a legal result. For your own answer, a home test is enough. For court, child support or a birth certificate, book a legal test with a witnessed collection.
- How do you read paternity test results?Look first at the probability of paternity and the conclusion. A result of 0% means the man tested is excluded as the biological father; 99% or more, backed by a large combined paternity index, means he is very likely the father.
- Immigration DNA test: how it works and what it costsAn immigration DNA test is a relationship test that USCIS or a U.S. embassy or consulate may suggest when documents can't prove a family tie. The petitioner must arrange it directly with an AABB-accredited lab, so we do not sell immigration tests.
Questions
How accurate is a paternity test?
Labs report a probability of paternity. When the man is the father it is normally above 99%; when he is not, it is 0%. How to read the result.
Can I use a home test in court?
No. Courts and agencies accept a legal test, where a neutral collector checks everyone's ID and seals the samples. See the legal paternity test.
Does the mother have to take part?
Not for a test after the birth, though including her makes the result stronger. A prenatal test needs her blood sample.
Can I test someone without their consent?
No. Every adult tested must agree, and a parent or legal guardian consents for a child. Our consent rules.
Who sees the result?
The people tested, and anyone they name, such as their lawyer. We never sell or share DNA data.