Paternity test guides

Costs, timing, results and the law, in plain words.

  • 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.
  • Can you get a paternity test while pregnant?Yes. Labs offer a non-invasive prenatal paternity test from about 7 weeks of pregnancy. It needs a blood draw from the mother's arm and a cheek swab from the possible father.
  • Can you do a paternity test without the father?Yes: a lab can compare the child's DNA with the possible father's close relatives, and testing both of his parents gives the clearest answer. If he has died, a stored sample held by a medical facility, coroner or medical examiner may also work.
  • How much is a prenatal paternity test?About $675 to $1,700 for a non-invasive test, based on the prices US labs list online. The mother's blood draw, a legal collection or a second possible father can add to that.