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.
Updated November 14, 2026
The time a lab quotes starts when it has every sample, not when you order. So the full wait is the time it takes to collect and ship the samples, plus the lab's own time. AABB, which accredits relationship-testing labs, says most tests are reported in a week or less once all the samples are received.
Paternity test result times by type
| Test | Lab time once samples arrive | Time to add |
|---|---|---|
| Home test | 1 to 2 business days at DNA Diagnostics Center and Genetrack; 3 at AlphaBiolabs; 3 to 5 at Labcorp | The kit's delivery to you and the mail back to the lab |
| Legal test | 1 to 2 business days at DNA Diagnostics Center and Genetrack; 3 to 5 at Labcorp | A collection appointment for each person |
| Prenatal test | As few as 3 business days at DNA Diagnostics Center; 5 at AlphaBiolabs and GameDay DNA; 3 to 7 at Choice DNA | The mother's blood draw and the possible father's swab |
| CVS or amniocentesis | Up to several weeks, according to Cleveland Clinic | The procedure, at a doctor's office |
Times as each company listed them on November 14, 2026.
How long do home paternity test results take?
A home test has four stages:
- The kit reaches you. Labcorp says its kits arrive within 2 to 3 business days of the order.
- You swab everyone's cheeks, which takes a few minutes.
- The samples travel to the lab. HomeDNA, a kit sold in drugstores, says its prepaid envelope takes 7 to 10 business days and regular mail 3 to 5, and that an express courier is fastest.
- The lab tests them, usually in 1 to 3 business days.
Added up, that is roughly one to three weeks from order to result. Cleveland Clinic's estimate is longer: a week or two after the samples arrive. See how to do a home paternity test for the swabbing itself.
How long does a legal paternity test take?
A legal test adds a collection appointment for each person. DNA Diagnostics Center says appointments are sometimes available the same day, and that people can give samples at different times and places. The lab starts once all the samples arrive, so the result waits for the last person. After that, labs report in about 1 to 5 business days.
How long does a prenatal paternity test take?
The mother needs a blood draw, which labs offer from about 7 weeks of pregnancy, and the possible father needs a cheek swab. Once the lab has both, DNA Diagnostics Center reports results in as few as 3 business days and AlphaBiolabs in 5. The American Pregnancy Association says results generally come back in about a week once testing has begun. A legal prenatal test can take longer: ARCpoint Labs in Rocklin, California, lists 7 to 10 business days. See paternity tests while pregnant.
What is the fastest paternity test?
The fastest route gets the samples to the lab quickly and pays for rush processing:
- Send a home kit back by express courier rather than in the prepaid envelope.
- Pay for a rush. DNA Diagnostics Center sells next-day results and PaternityUSA a one-day rush, both counted from when the samples arrive.
- For a legal test, book the earliest collection for everyone taking part.
Can you get paternity test results the same day?
Only from the day the lab receives the samples, not from the day you swab. Cleveland Clinic says some companies offer same-day or one-day results for an extra fee, and HomeDNA lists same-day processing as an option. The samples still have to reach the lab first, so a kit swabbed at home can't give a result the same day.
What slows results down
- A missing sample. Labs wait until every person's sample has arrived.
- An unpaid lab fee. Walgreens says that in most cases a lab won't process a drugstore kit until its fee is paid.
- A swab without enough DNA, which may mean swabbing again.
- Weekends and holidays. Labs quote business days.
- Two possible fathers who are related. DNA Diagnostics Center says the mother's sample is then essential, so the lab may wait for hers.
If a personal answer is enough, see how the at-home paternity test works: a kit by mail, a cheek swab for each person, and the lab's report by email.
Questions
How are paternity test results delivered?
Usually online or by email. AlphaBiolabs, for example, sends results by password-protected email.
Why is my paternity test taking so long?
The lab may still be waiting for a sample or a fee, or need a new swab. Ask the lab what it is waiting for.
Do home and legal tests take the same time in the lab?
At the labs above, yes. The difference is the time to collect the samples: a home kit travels by mail, and a legal test needs an appointment for each person.
Sources
- AABB: DNA relationship testing FAQs
- DNA Diagnostics Center: Paternity testing (dnacenter.com)
- DNA Diagnostics Center: Legal paternity testing (dnacenter.com)
- DNA Diagnostics Center: Non-invasive prenatal paternity testing (dnacenter.com)
- DNA Diagnostics Center: Can I do a DNA paternity test with the father and child only? (dnacenter.com)
- Genetrack Biolabs: Home paternity test (genetrackus.com)
- Genetrack Biolabs: Legal paternity test (genetrackus.com)
- AlphaBiolabs USA: Paternity DNA test (alphabiolabsusa.com)
- AlphaBiolabs USA: Legal DNA test (alphabiolabsusa.com)
- AlphaBiolabs USA: Prenatal paternity DNA test (alphabiolabsusa.com)
- Labcorp DNA: How DNA testing works (dna.labcorp.com)
- GameDay DNA: At-home non-invasive prenatal paternity test kit (gamedaydna.com)
- Choice DNA: Noninvasive prenatal paternity test (choicedna.com)
- ARCpoint Labs, Rocklin: Paternity test (my.arcpointlabs.com)
- PaternityUSA: Legal paternity test (paternityusa.com)
- HomeDNA: Paternity testing process (dnatesting.com)
- HomeDNA: Get the paternity test kit (dnatesting.com)
- American Pregnancy Association: Non-invasive prenatal paternity test
- Cleveland Clinic: DNA paternity test
- Walgreens: Paternity DNA tests (walgreens.com)
Related guides
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.